Written by: David Williams
Score 7/10
Kid Cudi appears to be free. It was only 8 years ago when Scott Mescudi checked himself into rehab for suicidal urges and depression. His career at that point was also at an all-time low with Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven, an experimental rock album universally panned by fans and critics alike. The dissonant music felt like an artistic coping mechanism to get out raw, unfiltered emotions rather than seeking the help he desperately needed. Once he decided to take a step out of the limelight, he finally escaped the darkness.
“Kid Cudi saved my life.” You hear this exact phrase from the legions of his fans worldwide, drawn to his personal, introspective lyrics like a moth to a flame. His fans have a unique relationship with his music where, during the toughest of times, he provides the soundtrack for whatever pains they are going through at the moment. Cudi is their sonic life raft. But what happens when they turn to the man who is the poster boy for depressive, moody hip-hop who is no longer depressed?
This leads us to his ninth solo studio album, Insano. The entire album celebrates him beating the odds by defeating the same demons that almost tore him down. What happens when a player hits a game-winning shot at the buzzer? Afterward, they go out, pop bottles, smoke cigars, and try to get laid. Imagine any Hype Williams music video from the 90s. The music here has that same vibe; it’s Cudi, plain and simple, just wanting to have fun for a change, which provides a few standout moments and some left to be desired.
Cudi, coming into hip-hop, was known as one of the pioneers of the genre’s current formation. He wasn’t scared to do something different, pioneering a melodic, psychedelic, and emotionally vulnerable approach that’s directly influenced albums from 808s & Heartbreaks to Astroworld. The trends were set by him, and everyone else followed, but now, seemingly on this project, he’s following the new school of rage and trap music. “TOO DAMN HIGH” is a combo of Playboi Carti-style production with a Lil Uzi Vert rap flow. This style works with most of the most famous artists in rap today, so it’s easy to see why he would use this formula for commercial success even though, at times, he sacrifices his voice for someone else’s.
It’s not all bad, though. You’ll find a couple of bass-heavy bangers here and there like “KEEP BOUNCIN’” and “MR. COOLA.” They are fast-paced, light-hearted tracks about stunting all challengers. Cudi’s best rap flows are on “FRESHIE,” a song produced by his frequent collaborator Dot Da Genius. He raps purposefully and rides the waves of drums like a gold-medal Olympic surfer.
Protege-turned-maestro Travis Scott stops by for two features on the tracklist, the more vital being the thumping bass and turn-up energy of “GET OFF ME.” While the album never came, the track displays the Scotts’ chemistry is still strong as they pass the ball back and forth, trading lyrics in the last verse. But their other track, “AT THE PARTY,” also featuring Pharrell, is a missed opportunity at something special. Everyone sounds uninspired, from the lyrics to the lackadaisical chorus.
The best material on Insano is when he leans back into his signature melodic flows. “BLUE SKY” is an acknowledgment of all the mountains he had to climb to get to this place of contentment. It’s a breezy, warm, aired song that Cudi excels at. “TORTURED” details his battle with drug and alcohol addiction and how he overcame them. Both tracks are inspirational and aspirational, delivered in a catchy way that only he can do within the genre.
You can understand why Cudi is creating party music. Everything he makes doesn’t have to be some final frontier end-of-the-line inspirational anthem. He’s allowed to have fun; it would have been better if Cudi could have expressed how he got to this point so we could enjoy the moment more. He’s in such a good place now that the only problem he raps about on the record is someone constantly taking his lighters.
This is the most happy Cudi has ever sounded consistently over an album. He slayed his demons. Now, all he wants is some summertime adolescent high jinks.