2008 was the year that a young Kid Cudi blessed the industry with his presence on his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi and that was only the beginning. A little over a year later was when the real fun started — the release of his debut studio album Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Featuring standout records like “Day N Nite,” “Make Her Say,” “Pursuit of Happiness” and more, Kid Cudi made it clear that he was poised for nothing short of greatness. 11 years later, the Cleveland artist drops off Man on the Moon III: The Chosen.
Man on the Moon III marks the end of an era for Cudi. The back of the album cover confirms this will be “the final installment in the Man on the Moon trilogy.” To commemorate the moment, Kid Cudi shared a nostalgic trailer via his social media with the caption, “the trilogy continues.” In the brief video, Cudi revisited old footage from music videos like “Day N Nite” and concert reels. After walking down memory lane, the video ends with an image capturing Cudi smoking while gazing at a red moon.
If you’re a true Cudi fan, you know about his alter ego Mr. Rager. This alter ego embodied a battle of good and bad between instinct and impulse, which he is still coming to terms with. While his second studio album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, dives into this internal battle, the conflict on the third installation has reached a new high.
Each act has a corresponding title — “Madness,” “The Menace,” “Heart of Rose Gold,” and “Powers” — that guides us through a series of varying themes and styles on the album. The album has four musical contributions courtesy of Skepta, Trippie Redd, Phoebe Bridgers, and the late Pop Smoke.
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