Man On The Moon: The End of Day, is the debut album from Cleveland rapper and singer, Kid Cudi. It’s hard to believe that this album reaches its 15th anniversary in less than a month, as it has aged incredibly well, sonically and lyrically. Kid Cudi is a long-time collaborator of Kanye West’s and this first record from Mr. Scott Mescudi, is a concept album narrated by the legendary Chicago rapper Common. This album has a legacy that has inspired numerous mainstream hip-hop artists of the present day, so it’s a very monumental and important LP.

   I will start by saying that this album has a vastly different sound than most hip hop albums I’ve heard in my life. It’s got a very psychedelic sound which makes it feel more like a Pink Floyd or MGMT album than a rap record. The grand production from various producers including Kanye West and Emile Haynie, helps make the album truly feel like a cohesive story. It’s split into five acts: The End of Day, Rise of the Night Terrors, Taking a Trip, Stuck, and A New Beginning. The intro track, “In My Dreams (Cudder Anthem),” has clock-like percussion, grand violins, and these impactful synth-bass passages. In it, Cudi takes us into his world he experiences through his dreams. I like the introductory narration from Common as well, as it’s incredibly poetic and profound. “Soundtrack 2 My Life,” is one of my favorite tracks on the record, I like how personal and vulnerable Cudi is on this track, and his flow is on point. He talks about the problems throughout the course of his life, his dad’s death, which resulted in depression and loneliness. It’s inspirational to not only other artists who ended up talking about things like mental health and loss, but to listeners going through the same thing. The instrumental is simple but strong with these spacey razor-like synths. “My heart’s an open sore that I hope heals soon.” “Simple As…,” has a trippy Plain Pat produced beat where Kid Cudi talks about resilience and pride in being the underdog. “Solo Dolo (Nightmare),” has what sounds like a Chinese string instrument in the beat, as well as orchestral strings, and guitars that sound like something out of a Western film. Lyrically it’s a strong track covering Cudi’s feelings of isolation and loneliness. It’s another highlight, and the instrumentation perfectly compliments Cudi’s depressing lyrics. Cudi said that “it’s probably like the darkest, most eerie record on the album. It’s like literally the darkest side of my dreams and it pulls you right into that. It’s the first nightmare actually on the album.” While there are a lot of dark tracks on this record, there’s also a great inspirational track in “Heart of a Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music),” as he sings, “At the end of the day, my mama told me don’t let no one break me.” “My World,” featuring Jeff Bhasker, has larger than life production, and helps convey that Cudi is at the point where he’s ready to be the man who proved everyone wrong, being at the top looking down. Following that, we have Scott’s debut single, “Day ’N’ Nite (Nightmare),” which is probably his most well-known song. It’s relatively simple sounding track, lyrically, but the backstory behind the track is heartbreaking. Cudi said, “My uncle that I lived with passed in 2006. We were actually beefing because he forced me out the house when I didn’t have another situation set up, so I was bitter. I never apologized for it, and that kills me. That’s why I wrote ‘Day ’N’ Nite.” According to Genius, the track is Scott’s way of justifying his fractured relationship with his dead uncle, and the drugs he sings about is his way of coping through the unsolved problems they shared. The psychedelic, spacey production help make the track stand out in an album full of highlights. “Sky Might Fall,” was one of the tracks produced by Kanye, and the drums sound like something off of Ye’s album, 808s and Heartbreak. Cudi discusses the bad dreams and fears that trouble him and how he copes. My least favorite track on the record, might be controversial to many, as it’s the song, “Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part I).” It just feels out of place in the greater narrative of the album, and while sure, it could be argued that there’s another track that doesn’t fit in, that track is much stronger lyrically and instrumentally than “Enter Galactic,” is. The track I’m referring to is “Make Her Say,” featuring Kanye West and Common, which is a great collaborative track, and all three rappers have clever and witty lyrics, with tight, smooth flows. I also really love the Lady Gaga sample-infused instrumental produced by Kanye, as it fits in thematically with the sexual and humorous tone of the track. “Pursuit of Happiness,” featuring MGMT and Ratatat, is another cut off the record with grand production, and has a deceptively happy sound. In it, Kid Cudi sings about the dark side of fame and wealth, and the struggles he went through after his dad died. Some other highlights on the record for me are “Alive (Nightmare),” and “Cudi Zone.”

   As time has passed, I think a lot of people have appreciated this album more for the tremendously different sounds and themes explored, in comparison to something more pop-oriented, like T.I.’s Paper Trail. Cudi makes it clear that he’s not trying to make radio-friendly rap, rather create something that’s uniquely his, and wears his heart on his sleeve, in the process. It’s clear to see how this album has influenced rappers like A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, and Juice WRLD. The melodic flows Cudi uses are a nice change of pace from a lot of other melodic rappers of the time. This track isn’t single-heavy, and I appreciate that a lot, as the sound is very niche and avant-garde throughout, and focuses on telling a story, rather than trying to cater to an audience. Scott took a lot of risks making this album, as at the time, like Kanye’s 808s, people didn’t appreciate it when it first came out. Now it’s viewed as a classic, and rightly so. Cudi is by no means the strongest singer, but the sound he created on this record defies the test of time, and created a high standard for future alternative hip hop artists. “Enter Galactic,” definitely is a weak point, the album for the most part, is incredibly consistent.

Overall Score: 9/10

Favorite Tracks: “Soundtrack 2 My Life,” “Solo Dolo (Nightmare),” “Day ’N’ Nite (Nightmare),” “Make Her Say,”  “Simple As…” “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare),”

Least Favorite Tracks: “Enter Galactic (Love Connection Part I),”

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_CVcXtCjnU

Genres: Psychedelic/Alternative Hip Hop