Looking back, it’s apparent that 2008 was a significant turning point for hip hop. Physical media and the old ways of discovering artists were gradually being phased out by an interconnected network of blogs and social media sites like MySpace and YouTube. The business of rap music was rapidly evolving in accordance with the times, as a new crop of “viral” artists began building dedicated followings by releasing free mixtapes online.
None would go on to be more influential than Kid Cudi, a Cleveland native who went from being an underdog with zero career prospects to having Roc-A-Fella’s college dropout on speed dial. With Kanye’s cosign, Cudi became more than just the poster child of the blogwave era. He honed a unique and versatile toolkit that included multi-genre covers and a mix of rapping and crooning, all without pandering or showboating. His meditations on cannabis and explorations of self, described by Jeff Weiss as “sad robot rap,” were endearing, wildly original, and shied away from the one-dimensional hyperbole that characterized the music of many of his peers.
Cudi ultimately grew into his role as the principal curator of a moody subgenre of hip hop that has infiltrated and in many ways defined the scope of nearly everything that followed in the wake of his monstrous breakthrough. He helped carry the commercial viability of synthetic textures into contemporary hip hop, expanding upon Ye’s Graduation formula to carve his own EDM-inflected niche in the Earth’s stratosphere. He predicted and subsequently fostered many of the dominant musical trends of the past decade, and even penned four songs (including hit singles “Heartless” and “Paranoid”) for 808s & Heartbreak, widely considered to be one of the most important records of the 21st century.
While there’s no denying that Cudi’s impact on music and hip hop culture will continue to reverberate long after he decides to hang up his space suit, it is the honesty and openness of his musical approach that has resonated the most with audiences. Sappy tropes aside, Cudi’s music has proven to be both immensely therapeutic and empowering for many feeling lost and out of touch in a digital world fraught with ample reasons for despair. He is the unlikely hero who is easy to root for because many people see in him what they see in themselves. The loneliness, depression, and anxiety stemming from withered relationships and the unforgiving nature of humanity is so much more than just contrived subject matter used to drum up platinum plaques; it represents a very real bond connecting Cudi to listeners. He has never professed to having a cure-all for conquering demons, but instead counsels that rebirth is indeed possible, offering forth a lifeline for those who feel as if they have no one to turn to at their lowest. His music is familial, his message universal. In the heart-wrenching Facebook note announcing that he was checking himself into rehab for suicidal urges, Cudi reiterated that it was a daily battle, but one that can be won: “I deserve to have peace. I deserve to be happy and smiling. Why not me?”
For all the cliches that get tacked on to being labeled a once-in-a-lifetime talent or the artist who “single-handedly changed my life,” the self-proclaimed outcast unequivocally belongs on the Mount Rushmore of this generation, right alongside the likes of Chief Keef, Drake, Future, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Kendrick Lamar. Because when Scott Mescudi said that he was our “big brother,” he meant it in a way beyond the immediate association that comes with kinship.
Disclaimer: this list encompasses Cudi's solo discography and songs where he appears as the main act. As such, it does not include songs where he is a featured artist.
“Too Bad I Have to Destroy You Now” (2014)
Producer: Kid Cudi
Album: Satellite Flight: The Journey To Mother Moon
Cudi’s unapologetic vulnerability and individualism are an essential part of his musical signature. Although he tends to wield his creativity through experimental melodies, he occasionally unleashes a torrent of straight-raps to get his point across. That’s exactly what he does on “Too Bad I Have to Destroy You Now,” a song whose grandiosity sounds like it was lifted straight from the Hayden Planetarium. It’s an intergalactic sonata that pulsates with energy as Cudi the fatalist waxes about his destiny. The naysayers may continue to doubt him both openly and behind his back, but the truth always comes to light, and Cudi is slowly gaining confidence in his purpose among the stars.
“Immortal” (2013)
Producer: Kid Cudi
Album: Indicud
On an album that spends a great deal of time dissecting the black hole that is depression, “Immortal” sees Cudi recapturing his Lion Heart. The tribulations that dogged his past have suddenly sent “lightning” coursing through his veins, a supernatural shift that seems to herald his return from the depths. This creative spark is evident in the song’s structure: a screaming Billy Madison revels in the moment of empowerment, grabbing the listener’s attention as a reversed sample of MGMT’s “Congratulations” purrs into place.
“Embrace the Martian” (2008)
Producer: Crookers
Album: A Kid Named Cudi
Before Drake was linking with Swedish indie poppers on 2009’s So Far Gone EP or Kanye was painting pictures of heartache with 808s, Cudi was ushering in the digital age with a seamless blend of rap, indie rock, electronica, and dubstep. On “Embrace the Martian,” he dipped into the underground electronic scene and came up huge in recruiting one of the internet’s favorite house production teams. Even amidst the hubbub of Crookers’ frenetic instrumentation, Cudi is remarkably self-aware: he just wants to be accepted and recognized as real. He’s no “Cloverfield” villain, but he has every intention of altering the landscape of a fickle music industry. “Embrace the Martian” is founded on a simple yet relatable concept that is executed to a tee, and is representative of the transitive state of hip hop in the late 2000s.
“By Design” (feat. Andre 3000) (2016)
Producer: Plain Pat & Pharrell Williams
Album: Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’
Cudi’s eternal faith in the choices that he’s made is the central theme of “By Design.” Fully submerged in the go-with-the-flow mentality, Cudi stands by his decisions, understanding that while hindsight may be 20/20, he’s fortunate to have made the most of the opportunities that presented themselves. It’s a basic if immersive philosophy that spearheads much of Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’: rather than steering negative or wallowing in his destructive tendencies, he basks in the warmth of his own “frequency.” Pharrell and Cudi’s career-launching accomplice Plain Pat lend mint sonics to the song’s headliner and featured guest artist Andre 3000, who delivers an enlivened chorus.
“Cleveland is the Reason” (2008)
Producer: Dot Da Genius
Album: A Kid Named Cudi
This ethereal cruise through “The Land” rightfully deserves to be the introductory track at every Browns and Cavaliers game from here on out. Cudi’s picture perfect ode to the city that gifted him his “cool” is filled with a loopy love and admiration for the “double-O.” It’s not difficult to imagine Cudi “freakin’ Black & Milds” in his Cutlass Supreme while turning lanes in his hometown. Consider this Cudi’s version of “This Is Why I’m Hot.”
“Down And Out” (2008)
Producer: Outkast
Album: A Kid Named Cudi
Opening with the same line that Andre 3000 used on the original song “Chonkyfire,” Cudi takes a deep dive into the morass of whatever substance will help him dull the pain. His ego percolates in the sensation of being “down and out,” warning the listener that they should think twice about wanting to enter his mind. A second verse reveals his intentions for telling this “no guts, no glory” story: the soulful guitar cuts out ever so briefly to allow Cudi breathing room to brood, as he contemplates the explicit nature of his life and the prospect of one day reuniting with his father at the gates of heaven.
“T.G.I.F.” (feat. King Chip) (2008)
Producer: S1 & Jon Brion
Album: A Kid Named Cudi
Cudi’s steez is sky-high, and so is his flow. Mobbed by his fans (“I’m country to the seas”), “super duper Cudi” is looking and feeling the part: the candy-paint rag top, Bape gum bottoms, and thirty-day tag on the Jaguar are all part of the ensemble for Shaker Heights’ freshest emcee. With Chip Tha Ripper in tow, and stacks bursting from his 10.Deep pants pockets, Cudi is as nimble and clever as ever.
“Alive (Nightmare)” (feat. Ratatat) (2009)
Producer: Ratatat
Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day
It’s a full moon and Cudi’s transformation into a primordial “werewolf” of sorts has taken hold. Feeling emboldened by the carnal desires that the night brings, he prowls the streets looking for the woman who can “find the man within the beast” and help him change his ways. With only love and companionship to reverse the curse, the devilish spinning of Ratatat’s electronics fuel “the lone wolf” onward.
“CudderIsBack” (2010)
Producer: Rostam
Cudder’s eccentricity and musical tastes know no bounds. Sampling Vampire Weekend’s “Ottoman,” he proceeds to blaze up the set with a “heap of good weed” to boot. Cudi remains unphased by the haters that want to see him come up short and the tabloids whipping up endless batches of speculation surrounding his personal life. Whilst in this sativa-addled state (“tap-dancing on a cloud”), Cudi can’t be restrained by earthly concerns. With the smoke to buoy his voyage, he’s going to continue putting it down for his fans.
“Up Up & Away” (2009)
Producer: Free School
Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day
This “wake and bake” is the curtain call of Cudi’s debut. He’s come to the conclusion that people are going to judge him no matter what, so he may as well shrug it off and look ahead to the promise of sailing into a new tomorrow like Peter Pan. Hope, compounded by a love for “higher learning,” is Cudi’s pixie dust for staying afloat, and he’s all in on living his life to the fullest. Common’s closing narration provides some rather foreboding hints that the second installment in the Man on the Moon series may not be as rose-tinted as the bookend of its predecessor.
“Erase Me” (feat. Kanye West) (2010)
Producer: Jim Jonsin
Album: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
With a strumming guitar lick to kick things into gear, Cudi and Kanye dive into a stadium rap-rock track that dramatizes a doomed relationship. The perils of the famous rapper stereotype (“I’m in the magazines, on the TV/No matter where you are, you might hear me”) offer plenty of source material for the two kindred spirits. Cudi bemoans the “new nightmare” of knowing that his feelings aren’t reciprocated, while Kanye elaborates with scatalogical puns on the “writer’s block” that he endured as a result of “Aria’s” antics.
“Scott Mescudi vs. The World” (feat. Cee-Lo) (2010)
Producer: The Smeezingtons, Emile & No I.D.
Album: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
Much like graphic-novel-turned-film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Cudi conceives of a tale that will take the viewer far beyond the horizon of his imagination and into some “‘generation next’ shit.” The ominous “other side” that Cee-Lo sings of on the hook contains instructions that are both enticing and profoundly off-putting. Once aboard the enchanted flight, there can be no going back: Cudi has welcomed the listener into a world where only the inevitable end holds any semblance of meaning.
“Mojo So Dope” (2010)
Producer: Emile
Album: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
“These motherfuckers can’t fathom the wizardry” is perhaps one of Cudi’s most iconic one-liners. “Mojo So Dope” invokes the essence of Austin Power’s sex drive to weave a song that reads like a case study on the scatter brain tendencies of its author. Cudi bounces around the confines of his skull, touching on everything from his position in the 2010 XXL Freshman class, the uncle that unknowingly contributed to his nephew's early music career, to drowning his sorrows with Old English. The trauma is still as present as ever, but it’s augmented by nostalgia and the uncertainty of his future.
“Solo Dolo (Nightmare)” (2009)
Producer: Emile
Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day
“Listen good/I don’t have nobody” pinpoints the rhetoric that defines the horrors of things that go bump in the night. Haunting strings that serve as a backdrop to “Solo Dolo” almost seem to pluck away at Cudi’s sanity, as he travels deeper and deeper into the terrifying and existential unknown. It’s a riveting fever dream that trumpets the album’s aptly titled second act, Rise of the Night Terrors.
“Cudi Zone” (2009)
Producer: Emile
Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day
In the opening to this cloud-kissed symphony, Cudi is in sheer disbelief at having achieved such rarified air, as if he’s happened upon some forbidden plane of existence that must be too good to be true. A surprisingly uplifting record from the man known for his forays into fear and misery, the inexplicable soaring of “Cudi Zone” vividly captures a one-of-a-kind escape from the depravities of the mortal realm. Detractors and critics are forgotten, as Cudi drifts into a place where even the “Devil in a hot pink dress” can’t touch him.
“Marijuana” (2010)
Producer: Dot Da Genius, Mike Dean & Kid Cudi
Album: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
If “Maui Wowie” was a joyful ode to the lengths that Cudi would go to achieve his next high, then “Marijuana” is a fully-formed realization of the side effects of the “pretty green bud” that wracks his mind. Cudi understands the dependency that is bred from always needing to be “stoned on the run-run,” but can’t seem to turn his back on the only thing that keeps him level. A spiraling piano loop mimics Cudi’s descent. As the track appropriately comes to a close at four minutes and twenty seconds, Cudi interjects with a timestamp that seems to foreshadow his eventual relapse into the madness.
“Just What I Am” (feat. King Chip) (2012)
Producer: Kid Cudi
Album: Indicud
“Just What I Am” is the first track that Cudi made for Indicud, an album that is frequently overlooked. The project introduced Cudi the producer, a creator eager to shape the trajectory of his constellation-crossed journey while behind the boards. The song’s repetition of “I’m what you made God” feels like a continuation of Cudi’s constant struggle to convince himself that he is not some mistake from above, but rather a purposefully imperfect construction. The minute personal insights that shape Cudi’s denial and dismissal of professional help (“I had to ball for therapy, my shrink don’t think that helps at all”) are driven home in the poetic asphyxiation of the closing lines: “Whiskey bottles on the sinks and floors/Everyday to find sane’s a chore, amidst a dream with no exit doors.”
“Sky Might Fall” (2009)
Producer: Kanye West, Kid Cudi
Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day
The idea for “Sky Might Fall” supposedly came to Cudi while he was with Kanye West at a Big Sean listening session, at which point the pensive martian and his mentor hastened to bring the epiphany to life. From the storm-grey skies of melancholy emerged a ray of hope that Cudi put to paper, culminating in a song that attempted to make sense of the nightmares thwarting his inner peace. Though the darkest hours of “Sky Might Fall” are familiar dystopian territory, Cudi’s “soul searching in every way” feels amplified, thanks in part to Kanye’s masterful Midas touch.
“Cudi Montage” (2018)
Producer: Kid Cudi, Mike Dean & Dot Da Genius
Album: Kids See Ghosts
Built around the guitar riff from Kurt Cobain’s “Burn the Rain,” “Cudi Montage” details the feelings of suffocation that plague Cudi and the salvation that he prays for to ease the weight of the world on his shoulders. The song hits a nerve in a way that even “Reborn” and “Fire” fail to encapsulate; the cyclical nature of their respective past struggles has made both Cudi and Kanye reassess their life path in a way that neither could have predicted. Reinvigorated and rejuvenated by their newfound faith, and anchored by one of the best verses from Ye in years, it’s a fitting ending for an album that reaches for something more and hits all the right notes in the process.
“Mr. Rager” (2010)
Producer: Emile
Album: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
The brilliance of Cudi’s music often lies in its stark simplicity, and “Mr. Rager” is no exception. Ensnared by addiction and wondering whether an overdose will finally bring an end to the fantasy (life), Cudi comes face-to-face with “Mr. Rager,” the warped persona pulling him ever closer to the grave. Cudi realizes that the outlet he’s chosen isn’t the gateway to happiness, yet his obsession with fulfilling the next high has blurred the lines beyond repair. Needing to put an end to his troubles, Cudi makes one last plea, knowing all too well the finality of his decisions. Made for those fed up with their lot in life, the track is pure, unadulterated escapism, its chorus designed to be a dialogue between the jarring forces within that pull in opposite directions.
“All Along” (2010)
Producer: Emile
Album: Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
There is a startling sense of security that comes from accepting the reason for one’s loneliness. This clarity is the very lifeforce of “All Along,” a cinematic closer from MotM II on which “the lionhearted” quietly concedes the battle and embraces the rejection that has tortured his soul: “What I need hates me...All along/I guess I’m meant to be alone.” It’s one of the most revealing and tragic tracks in Cudi’s entire discography.
“Day ‘N’ Nite (Nightmare)” (2008)
Producer: Kid Cudi & Dot Da Genius
Album: A Kid Named Cudi
The song that started it all and eventually peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 is a window into the lonely stoner’s freeing late-night smoke session. Inspired by Geto Boys’ “Mind Playing Tricks on Me,” Cudi crafted a track that chronicles the remorse he felt after his uncle passed away. Unable to amend the way that the strained relationship played out and feeling bottled by the symptoms of his depression (“Can’t seem to shake the shade”), Cudi pours his heart out as he tosses and turns late into the witching hour.
“Teleport 2 Me, Jamie” (feat. Desire) (2012)
Producer: WZRD
Album: WZRD
Where Cudi’s despondency sometimes feels claustrophobic, the immediacy of his cries for help on “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie” are euphoric. Heavy with longing, the song flips “Under Your Spell” by Desire, who were prominently featured in Ryan Gosling’s 2011 action thriller Drive. Dedicated to Cudi’s then girlfriend Jamie Baratta, “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie” finds him laying solitary in bed, grasping at the bitterly cold emptiness that is forbidding him from closing his eyes. The only “light” is the dull glow from the phone on his night stand, his last connection to something far out of reach.
“Dat New New” (2008)
Producer: Dot Da Genius
Though it never received an official release, the hypnotic headbanger “Dat New New” stands as one of Cudi’s most addictive deep cuts. Regardless of whether it’s an ode to his trademark “hot shit” or his latest strain of weed, “Dat New New” is a certified fresh salutations.
“Man on the Moon (The Anthem)” (2008)
Producer: Nosaj Thing
Album: A Kid Named Cudi
“Man on the Moon (The Anthem),” which repurposes “Aquarium” off of producer Nosaj Thing’s 2006 EP Views/Octopus, established Cudi the extraterrestrial, an alter ego whose anxious over thinking more often than not made him feel like a stranger in his own skin. Interspersed throughout the song are Cudi’s silver-lined ramblings, both untethered from the expectations of others and yet grounded in his insecurities.
“The Prayer” (2008)
Producer: Plain Pat
Album: A Kid Named Cudi
Drawing from a popular 18th century bedtime invocation and Band of Horses’ “The Funeral,” “The Prayer” is Cudi’s prophetic mission statement to the deserted and downtrodden. Humbled by the reality of his mortality and hopeful that the internal conflict that rages within his mind will prove to be a blessing in disguise, he whispers words of comfort for those fighting their own demons. Buried just beneath the topsoil of dejection lies the subtle humor of wanting to be remembered in life for more than just “Apple Bottom jeans with the boots with the fur.”
“Reborn” (2018)
Producer: benny blanco, E*Vax, Plain Pat, Dot Da Genius & Kid Cudi
Album: Kids See Ghosts
On Kids See Ghosts, Cudi’s collaborative project with Kanye West, no song feels more purposeful than “Reborn.” The freedom is biting, accentuated by the plodding drums that fill the song’s spacious atmosphere. Though emotional honesty and introspection have never been hard to come by in the music of either artist, the quest toward rehabilitation feels more poignant than ever given the mental health struggles faced by both. Cudi’s rebirth feels particularly transcendent: after battling drug abuse and sharing a letter on his Facebook page acknowledging his issues, he has emerged on the other side like a phoenix from the ashes. Let the Cudi humming commence.
“Soundtrack 2 My Life” (2009)
Producer: Emile
Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day
Cudi’s novel brand of sad rap signaled a changing of the guard at a time when the Shawn Carters of the world were beginning to take a backseat to music that was more intimately engaged with hip hop’s growing youth movement. “Soundtrack 2 My Life” is the opening scene to Cudi’s story, a confessional that recounts the lengths his mother went to secure a happy life for her children, and the toll that the death of his father had on him. Cudi’s isolated state, shrouded by the various coping methods that he turns to, sheds light on how he has processed the grief and loss of his upbringing, and how the happiness that he so desperately craves continues to evade him. Saturated with some of Cudi’s most potent songwriting to date, “Soundtrack 2 My Life” is singular and direct in its focus.
“Love.” (2015)
Producer: Dot Da Genius & Kid Cudi
Released as a loosie on SoundCloud back in 2015, “Love.” showcases a brighter side of Scott Mescudi that had become increasingly rare in recent years. The track is resoundingly hopeful in its message: Cudi is happy to be alive and has come to grips with the fact that no matter the circumstances, he has a great deal to be thankful for. Ready to finally trust himself, he declares that he’s done running and is going to do whatever it takes to regain control of his life. “Love.” is an impassioned and plainspoken reminder that Cudi remains steadfast in his desire to aid those in need. It’s an anthemic call-to-arms for anyone mired in the day-to-day stresses of being human.
“Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” (feat. Ratatat & MGMT) (2009)
Producer: Ratatat
Album: Man on the Moon: The End of Day
“Pursuit of Happiness” summarizes Cudi’s never-ending trial and error process and his persistence in the face of a fierce void that threatens to consume him. The potentially lethal fools gold that he latches on to (drugs and alcohol) provide a fleeting and temporary relief, but his refusal to quit chasing the attainment of something so intangible is both parts beautiful and mystifying. Late-night drunk driving is juxtaposed with night terrors that sweat through his bed sheets and stain his conscious’ life-long search. Cudi professes an intimate understanding of Shakespeare’s “all that glitters is not gold” that few will ever achieve. In the end, he simply wants to be happy, no matter what that might entail or how radical the consequences of excess may be. It’s a song that is the embodiment of an entire musical legacy.