Kid Cudi Research Paper

Cleveland native, Scott Mescudi, more commonly known by his stage name, Kid Cudi, is a rapper, singer, and actor. Cudi’s unique sound has set an industry standard, and has pushed the boundaries of hip hop, with his implementation of alternative rock into his music. Cudi is not afraid to push the boundaries within hip hop which is why many people see him as a leader. As a result, the three following reasons highlight why Kid Cudi is a leader; his unique production skills, ability to tell a story through song, and dynamic musical range.

Kid Cudi’s sound is what sets him apart from other artists. Not only his voice, which can reach very high and low notes, but also his production style is unique. Cudi uses many different drum kits, guitars, and synthesizers to make his music. What’s impressive is how he mixes it up from song to song. Cudi’s production style has rubbed off on me as I frequently emulate his sound in my own music. Cudi has a sound where anyone who knows his music will say “this is Kid Cudi.”, but at the same time, with each new album there is a new sound that resonates

throughout the entire album. This leads to my next point; Cudi’s storytelling.
Kid Cudi has said he always has a story to tell.

The first song that got me hooked on Kid Cudi was Mr. Rager, which tells the story of Cudi following “Mr. Rager” questioning where he is going and his purpose. This is one of Cudi’s songs more open to self-interpretation as “Mr. Rager” could be a leader that we all follow. One of Cudi’s songs that I can relate to personally is Solo Dolo, in which Cudi raps about his upbringing in Shaker Heights, the same town I grew up in. Cudi attended the same high school I did; Shaker Heights High School. Cudi was seen as a leader to my entire school. His music was a reflection of the time he spent in Shaker Heights and in a sense, I felt like I was living Cudi’s past as I would walk through the hallways listening to his music. To me, Cudi’s music represents his entire life and being able to relate to this makes Cudi a leader to me on a personal

level.
Lastly, Cudi’s dynamic range in vocals and production are what got me hooked on his music and are the reason I see him as a leader in the music industry. Cudi naturally has a very deep voice, but is able to hit very high notes as well. This lets him switch from rapping to singing fluidly, and you can hear it in most of his songs. This large vocal range also lets Cudi change the overall theme for a given song. If the song is about a dark subject, Cudi will sing low, while he sings higher is more upbeat songs. Cudi often states that he had very dark times and good times in his life and he wants to incorporate that into his music, which I appreciate because a true leader has his bad moments, but Cudi triumphs over them in his music.
Cudi is a leader because he is not afraid to push the boundaries within the closed off walls of hip hop culture and his humbling experiences. His music was a major influence while growing up because of his unique sound that grabbed my attention the first time I heard it. Cudi is not only a leader, but a visionary, with his production skills, storytelling, and wide range of sounds.