Kid Cudi released his newest album “INSANO” on Jan. 12, 2024. With original plans of releasing this album September of 2023, plans change as he wanted to “make sure that everything lines up”. Later in October he sent out a series of tweets promoting “INSANO” and informing fans that they will hear over 40 songs between the main album and deluxe.
The two-hour long album dropped, making it Cudi’s longest album, consisting of 21 songs. The album has many well-known artists working in collaboration with him. “INSANO” brings on Travis Scott, ASAP Rocky, Pharrell, Young Thug, Lil Wayne, DJ Drama, Lil Yachty and XXXTentacion as collaborators.
This album paints a portrait, like the album cover, depicting Kid Cudi’s mental state. Broken relationships, drug abuse, lavish lifestyles and money all seem to be themes. Most of his songs bring a fast pace, high beat and energy. “Keep Bouncin’,” “Get Off Me,” “Cud Life” and “Wow” are a few songs that bring the energy. On the other hand, he drops the tone and brings a personal touch into his music. “A Tale of A Night” introduces his personal life as the lyrics emphasize his father’s death on his pursuit of success.
Although this album is getting a lot of praise, it is also recieving its share of critiques. It is said that “INSANO” is just another one of his mixed bag genres of music and that he is getting washed out by the artists he brings in and listeners cannot hear his work within it. Each song feels repetitive and there is no connection between the listener and the song. His work seems to be hidden and only a few times can listeners hear his strength of words and sounds.
Look back to 2009 when Kid Cudi released “Pursuit of Happiness” and “Day ‘N’ Nite (nightmare).” Those two songs alone are in his top five listened to. In his past work, you hear emotion, feelings, and get a sense of connection. One year later, he released “Mr. Rager,” which made its way up to the top. These songs had something that made them different from other artists. Now it is hard to tell who the real star in the album is. Is it Kid Cudi or one of his many collaborators?
Kid Cudi used to be a distinctive artist and now he is falling into the same vibe as every other artist. His albums “Man on the Moon: The End of Day (Deluxe),” and the subsequent, “Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager” were two of his top albums. Comparing these to his most recent, he sounds like a different artist. Some say he is getting lost in the chaos and losing track of who he is.
Mosi Reeves, a publisher of Rolling Stone magizine makes the comment: “He’s one of modern rap’s key architects, but his new album ‘INSANO’ is too unfocused for its own good.” He goes on to share that the album lacks the emotional factor that is depicted in most of his signature songs and albums.
As his new album was anticipated by many fans, it was a letdown for those who wanted to hear his style. The collaborations are noteworthy, but people ask this question: Is Kid Cudi falling into the mundane genre that every other artist is producing, or will he release another album showcasing his true talent that engulfs emotion and connection?
