Kid Cudi Says Travis Scott Pushed Him To Be More Lyrical On New Album

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Kid Cudi reveals Travis Scott's influence on "Man On The Moon III."

Kid Cudi fans received splendid news this week when the rapper unveiled the tracklist and release date for Man On The Moon III. Fans have been longing for a new project from Cudi and it seems he's sliding through at the last minute to make sure fans don't leave 2020 totally unfulfilled. 

The release of a third installment of the beloved Man On The Moon series comes with high expectations, of course. It's been over a decade since he released Man On The Moon II: Legend Of Mr. Rager so it only made sense that he tried to re-create the essence of that project, to a degree. The essence is bars and you can thank Travis Scott for that one.

"Before I started working on this shit I was like, my next shits gotta be bars. Like I knew that. I remember Travis saying something to be about my raps. He was just like, 'Your raps, man. I love when you rap,'" Cudi told Zane Lowe about a conversation he had with Travis when they were working on "The Scotts.

"I kept that in mind. I was like, okay, like, Travis is saying my raps are good. That must be something the kids like. I'll keep that in mind," he added with a laugh.

With Scott's words sticking to him, Cudi explained that he made a concerted effort to showcase his skill set as a rapper since many people overlook that aspect of his artistry.

"I just wanted to give him exactly what he loved about Kid Cudi and for him, it was these bars, you know? But I felt like, in hip-hop, I'm slept on as a rapper. As a lyricist. I really wanted to elevate my whole shit on that front on this project. And I did that with the rapping and singing. Everything has kinda evolved. And added those sprinkles of adlibs. Something I've never really done before," he said.

Check the clip out below. Are you excited for MOTM III?  


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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