Kid Cudi
Encyclopedia
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), better known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), sometimes stylized KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape
A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite
" reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. "Day 'n' Nite" is part of Cudi's debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Kid Cudi has sold over 4.6 million digital singles and has worked with Kanye West
, Common, David Guetta
and other artists signed to the GOOD Music
label.
. His father, a house painter, substitute teacher and World War II Air Force veteran was Mexican
-Native American
, while his mother, a middle-school choir teacher at Roxboro Middle School, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, is African-American. When he was eleven years old, Mescudi's father died of cancer; his passing would have a significant effect on Mescudi's personality and subsequently his music. Mescudi attended Shaker Heights High School
for two years, then transferred to Solon High School
, and later earned his GED
. Eventually, Mescudi studied film at the University of Toledo
then dropped out after a year.
It was towards the end of high school that Mescudi first began rapping, inspired by alternative hip hop
groups such as The Pharcyde
and A Tribe Called Quest
. He moved to Brooklyn
in New York City to pursue a music career. In July 2008, Kid Cudi released his first mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, in collaboration with New York street-wear brand 10.Deep as a free download. The mixtape quickly caught the attention of Kanye West, which in turn spawned his signing to GOOD Music
later that year.
Kid Cudi was featured on Kanye West
's 2008 album, 808s & Heartbreak
, singing with West on the track "Welcome to Heartbreak
", and helping with songwriting on "Heartless
" and "Paranoid
". "Welcome to Heartbreak" peaked at #87 on the Pop 100
, and music videos for both songs have been released. Cudi was then tipped as an artist to watch for in media such as Rolling Stone
, Vibe, The Source
, XXL
and BBC News
's Sound of 2009
poll of up-and-coming acts. MTV News
also reported on Cudi on a series of reports MCs To Watch In 2009.
His first television appearance was at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
, alongside Travis Barker
and DJ AM
. On February 17, 2009, he appeared on Snoop Dogg
's MTV talk show Dogg After Dark
performing "Day 'n' Nite
" at the end of the show. Two days later on February 19, 2009, Cudi appeared on BET
's 106 & Park
with Kanye West
to debut the video of "Day 'n' Nite". On March 16, 2009 Kid Cudi performed on mtvU
's Spring Break special, and the next day he performed three songs on NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly
. He has also appeared as a musical guest on The Late Show with David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Kid Cudi also made a cameo appearance
next to Solange
in the video for the song "T.O.N.Y.
" in February 2009, and later in The Black Eyed Peas
' video for "I Gotta Feeling
", with David Guetta
. He has also been on two magazine covers, Complex (August/September 2009) and URB (August 2009). Bape awarded Cudi his own t-shirt in September 2009, in reward for his music and past employment there when living in New York City.
"Day 'n' Nite
", Kid Cudi's greatest commercial success thus far, charted well both in the U.S. and in Europe. The second single
was "Make Her Say
" (originally titled "I Poke Her Face"), which features a sample from Lady Gaga
's hit single
"Poker Face
" and performances by Kanye West
and Common.
On February 25, 2009, Cudi self-leaked
a "teaser trailer
" for the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
film using his song "Sky Might Fall" in the background, later he posted that he made the trailer himself and was in talks to possibly make it official.
With Emile Haynie
, Cudi produced an exclusive single called "Switchin Lanes" for the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles
, part of its "South Central Premium Upgrade" downloadable content (DLC)
which came out March 19, 2009 for the PlayStation 3
and March 27, 2009 for the Xbox 360
.
He revealed information about his future plans via his blog, saying that a possible collaboration with Chip tha Ripper could be followed with a collaboration project with electrorock duo Ratatat
. During the summer of 2009, Cudi joined rapper Asher Roth
for the Great Hangover concert tour.
Kid Cudi was featured on the highly anticipated Jay-Z
album The Blueprint 3 (2009), on the song "Already Home". In a late 2009 interview, Cudi announced that the follow-up to his debut album will be a collaboration album called Cudder and the Revolution of Evolution. He stated he has already recorded songs with Snoop Dogg
, Travis Barker
, Clipse
, Cage and Pharrell
and would also like to work with Drake
, Green Day
, Kings of Leon
, Robin Thicke
, The Killers and The Postal Service
on the album. Also it was rumored that Man on the Moon: The End of Day will be followed up by a sequel titled Man on the Moon: The Ghost in the Machine and that the Man on the Moon will be a trilogy, but was not been confirmed. Kid Cudi was nominated for three 2010 Grammy Awards for his singles, "Day 'n' Nite" and "Make Her Say". Kid Cudi was featured on Snoop Dogg
's re-release of Malice n Wonderland, More Malice (2010), on the song "That Tree", as well as teaming up with Johnny Polygon
to remix Polygon's "The Riot Song" which appears on his mixtape, Rebel Without Applause(2010) On April 20, 2010, Kid Cudi announced that the name of his second album has been changed from Cudder and the Revolution of Evolution to Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
. On June 11, 2010, Kid Cudi was arrested in the Chelsea
neighborhood of the Manhattan
borough New York City and charged with felony criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance. Despite his arrest, he was released and made it to Manchester, Tennessee in time to play at Bonnaroo.
The lead single for Cudi's second studio album titled "Erase Me
" featuring Kanye West and produced by Jim Jonsin
, debuted on a Cleveland radio station June 30, 2010 and was officially released to Rhythm/Crossover radio on August 17, 2010. The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200
chart, with first-week sales of 169,000 copies. In its second week it crossed the 200,000 sales mark. 2010 also featured Kid Cudi on a number of songs for Kanye West's weekly free music giveaway G.O.O.D. Fridays
appearing on "Good Friday", "Christian Dior Denim Flow" and "The Joy", which later became a bonus track
on Jay-Z
and Kanye West collaborative effort Watch the Throne
(2011).
and producer Emile Haynie
, has been dissolved. However in an interview with Complex Magazine he explained they were still on good terms: "I wanted to try something new, and I wanted to take control of things myself. Those are still my guys, Pat and Emile, and I'm still going to work with them in the future. When we start working on Man on the Moon III I’ll be calling them up to see if they want to be a part of it. I know Emile is definitely down. We had an issue, but we’re men and we were able to figure it out and move forward. There’s no hard feelings."
In March 2011, Cudi announced that a music video for "Marijuana" will be released in the spring, followed by a music video for "Mr. Rager
" in the summer of 2011. As well as a short film inspired by his song "Maniac" with Cage, directed by Shia LaBeouf
will be released in October 2011.
In April 2011, while performing at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom Kid Cudi announced name of the record label he is launching. The new label, which he will be releasing his third studio album on is called “Wicked Awesome Records”. He also renamed his band on the same occasion to '2 Be Continuum' renaming it from the original 'Wizard'. Kid Cudi explained his reasoning saying: "I needed something more original, something different, but it’s still wizardry at its finest." On August 12, 2011, Kid Cudi released the music video for "No One Believes Me
", directed by Fright Night
director Craig Gillespie
. Although the song was recorded as a collaborative song with Dot da Genius, the single was released under Kid Cudi's name. On August 21st, Cudi announced that he is no longer releasing the mixtape A Man Named Scott so that he can focus on his rock
project and his third solo album Man on the Moon III. Kid Cudi released a video for Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Ragers title track
"Mr. Rager
" on September 8th, 2011. The video has received all-positive reviews from critics and fans alike.
Despite saying he will not do many more features
for other artists in Complex magazine's October/November 2011 cover story, he appeared on Bryan Greenberg
's second studio album We Don't Have Forever (2011), Travis Barker
's Give the Drummer Some (2011), The Knux
's Eraser
(2011), and Wale
's Ambition
(2011) respectively.
On October 30th, Cudi released the Maniac, a short horror film co-starring Cage and directed by Shia LaBeouf
, through his blog.
On November 13th, 2011, a previously unreleased mixtape of material Cudi had recorded from 2002-2003 titled Rap Hard was released. On November 18th, 2011 renamed his band, for the second time to 'WZRD'. He also announced that the upcoming rock project will be released on his 28th birthday, January 30, 2012.
, produced by Mark Wahlberg
, He is credited under his real name.
Collaboration albums
Mixtapes
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite
Day 'n' Nite
"Day 'n' Nite" is the debut single by alternative hip hop artist Kid Cudi. It was produced by Dot da Genius and released February 2008 as a single, but was leaked in December 2007 and was featured by many blogs in mid-November 2008...
" reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. "Day 'n' Nite" is part of Cudi's debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Kid Cudi has sold over 4.6 million digital singles and has worked with Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, Common, David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
and other artists signed to the GOOD Music
GOOD Music
GOOD Music is a record label and management firm founded by music producer and artist Kanye West. "GOOD" is an acronym for "Getting Out Our Dreams".-History:...
label.
1984-2008: Early life and career beginnings
Kid Cudi was born in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in Shaker Heights and SolonSolon, Ohio
Solon is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and is an affluent suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio Region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 23,348...
. His father, a house painter, substitute teacher and World War II Air Force veteran was Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
-Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, while his mother, a middle-school choir teacher at Roxboro Middle School, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, is African-American. When he was eleven years old, Mescudi's father died of cancer; his passing would have a significant effect on Mescudi's personality and subsequently his music. Mescudi attended Shaker Heights High School
Shaker Heights High School
Shaker Heights High School is a public high school located in Shaker Heights, Ohio, USA, in Greater Cleveland. The high school is the only public high school in the Shaker Heights City School District, which serves Shaker Heights and a small part of Cleveland...
for two years, then transferred to Solon High School
Solon High School
Solon High School, founded in 1898, is a public high school located in Solon, Ohio, a southeastern suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio Region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States....
, and later earned his GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
. Eventually, Mescudi studied film at the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
then dropped out after a year.
It was towards the end of high school that Mescudi first began rapping, inspired by alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop
Alternative hip hop is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: -Origin:...
groups such as The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde
The Pharcyde are an alternative hip hop group based in South Central Los Angeles. The original four members of the group are Imani , Slimkid3 , Bootie Brown and Fatlip . DJ Mark Luv was the group's first DJ, followed by producer J-Swift and then J Dilla...
and A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
. He moved to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
in New York City to pursue a music career. In July 2008, Kid Cudi released his first mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, in collaboration with New York street-wear brand 10.Deep as a free download. The mixtape quickly caught the attention of Kanye West, which in turn spawned his signing to GOOD Music
GOOD Music
GOOD Music is a record label and management firm founded by music producer and artist Kanye West. "GOOD" is an acronym for "Getting Out Our Dreams".-History:...
later that year.
Kid Cudi was featured on Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's 2008 album, 808s & Heartbreak
808s & Heartbreak
808s & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released November 24, 2008 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place at Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California and Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii during...
, singing with West on the track "Welcome to Heartbreak
Welcome to Heartbreak
"Welcome to Heartbreak" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West. The song was inspired by a conversation West had with MTV Executive Vice President Dave Sirulnick, who showed him some photos of his wife and children. It struck West that he really wanted to be married and have a family, but...
", and helping with songwriting on "Heartless
Heartless (Kanye West song)
"Heartless" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released on November 4, 2008 digitally as the second single for his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak. It debuted at the number four spot on the Billboard Hot 100 where it eventually peaked at number two and reached number-one on the...
" and "Paranoid
Paranoid (Kanye West song)
"Paranoid" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West. It was released as the fourth and final single from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak. The song was co-produced with Jeff Bhasker and Plain Pat, while co-written by the three along with Consequence and Kid Cudi...
". "Welcome to Heartbreak" peaked at #87 on the Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
, and music videos for both songs have been released. Cudi was then tipped as an artist to watch for in media such as Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Vibe, The Source
Source (magazine)
Source magazine is a free bi-monthly magazine published by the John Brown Group on behalf of Greenbee, John Lewis, and Waitrose, all three of which are owned by the John Lewis Partnership, with articles covering interior design, beauty, the arts, travel, finance, and lifestyle...
, XXL
XXL (magazine)
XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...
and BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
's Sound of 2009
Sound of... (BBC poll)
Sound of... is an annual poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent. It was first conducted by the BBC News website in 2003. A top 10 list is published each January.-Winners:-Sound of 2009:...
poll of up-and-coming acts. MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
also reported on Cudi on a series of reports MCs To Watch In 2009.
His first television appearance was at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
, alongside Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
and DJ AM
Adam Goldstein
Adam Michael Goldstein was an American DJ, remixer, record producer and musician better known as DJ AM. Goldstein was a member of the rock band Crazy Town, co-owner of a management company called Deckstar and worked on albums for Papa Roach, Madonna and Will Smith, among others...
. On February 17, 2009, he appeared on Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
's MTV talk show Dogg After Dark
Dogg After Dark
Dogg After Dark is an American variety show starring rapper Snoop Dogg. The show will feature celebrity interviews, sketch-comedy segments and musical performances by Snoop's own in-house band, the "Snoopadelics." Dogg After Dark takes place on location at Kress, a Los Angeles club on Hollywood...
performing "Day 'n' Nite
Day 'n' Nite
"Day 'n' Nite" is the debut single by alternative hip hop artist Kid Cudi. It was produced by Dot da Genius and released February 2008 as a single, but was leaked in December 2007 and was featured by many blogs in mid-November 2008...
" at the end of the show. Two days later on February 19, 2009, Cudi appeared on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
with Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
to debut the video of "Day 'n' Nite". On March 16, 2009 Kid Cudi performed on mtvU
MtvU
mtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages...
's Spring Break special, and the next day he performed three songs on NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
. He has also appeared as a musical guest on The Late Show with David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Kid Cudi also made a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
next to Solange
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles , who performs under the mononym Solange, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, and DJ. Knowles was born and raised in Houston, Texas along with her older sister singer Beyoncé, a former member of R&B group Destiny's Child...
in the video for the song "T.O.N.Y.
T.O.N.Y.
"T.O.N.Y." is a song by American singer Solange Knowles. It was written and produced by Jack Splash and Cee-Lo Green for her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams and released as the album's third and final single...
" in February 2009, and later in The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' video for "I Gotta Feeling
I Gotta Feeling
"I Gotta Feeling" is the second single from The Black Eyed Peas' fifth studio album The E.N.D., produced by the French DJ David Guetta. The song was released on May 21, 2009 and debuted at number two on the Canadian and Billboard Hot 100 on the week of June 27, 2009, behind the group's "Boom Boom...
", with David Guetta
David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta , known professionally as David Guetta , is a French house music producer and DJ. Originally a DJ at nightclubs during the 1980s and 1990s, he co-founded Gum Productions and released his first album, Just a Little More Love, in 2002. Later, he released Guetta Blaster and Pop Life...
. He has also been on two magazine covers, Complex (August/September 2009) and URB (August 2009). Bape awarded Cudi his own t-shirt in September 2009, in reward for his music and past employment there when living in New York City.
2009–2010: Man on the Moon series
Cudi's debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day was released on Universal Motown Records on September 15, 2009 and sold 104,419 copies in the first week and charted at #4. The album's lead singleLead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
"Day 'n' Nite
Day 'n' Nite
"Day 'n' Nite" is the debut single by alternative hip hop artist Kid Cudi. It was produced by Dot da Genius and released February 2008 as a single, but was leaked in December 2007 and was featured by many blogs in mid-November 2008...
", Kid Cudi's greatest commercial success thus far, charted well both in the U.S. and in Europe. The second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
was "Make Her Say
Make Her Say
"Make Her Say" is a song by American hip hop artist Kid Cudi, released as a the second single from his album Man on the Moon: The End of Day. The single was digitally released to iTunes on June 9, 2009. The song was originally entitled "I Poke Her Face" but was changed to make it more acceptable...
" (originally titled "I Poke Her Face"), which features a sample from Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
's hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
"Poker Face
Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)
"Poker Face" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame. Produced by RedOne, it was released as the album's second single in late 2008 for some markets and in early 2009 for the rest of the world...
" and performances by Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
and Common.
On February 25, 2009, Cudi self-leaked
Internet leak
An Internet leak occurs when a party's confidential information is released to the public on the Internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, and artistic works such...
a "teaser trailer
Teaser trailer
A teaser campaign is an advertising campaign which typically consists of a series of small, cryptic, challenging advertisements that anticipate a larger, full-blown campaign for a product launch or otherwise important event. These advertisements are called "teasers" or "teaser ads"...
" for the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a 2009 American science fiction-action film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the sequel to the 2007 film Transformers and the second installment in the live-action Transformers series...
film using his song "Sky Might Fall" in the background, later he posted that he made the trailer himself and was in talks to possibly make it official.
With Emile Haynie
Emile Haynie production discography
The following list is a discography of production by Emile Haynie.-Obie Trice - Cheers:*05. "Don't Come Down" *14. "Hoodrats" -Raekwon - The Lex Diamond Story:...
, Cudi produced an exclusive single called "Switchin Lanes" for the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Midnight Club: Los Angeles is the fourth video game in the Midnight Club series of racing video games, not including Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix. It was officially announced for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on January 11, 2008 by Rockstar Games. The game was developed by Rockstar San Diego...
, part of its "South Central Premium Upgrade" downloadable content (DLC)
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
which came out March 19, 2009 for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and March 27, 2009 for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
.
He revealed information about his future plans via his blog, saying that a possible collaboration with Chip tha Ripper could be followed with a collaboration project with electrorock duo Ratatat
Ratatat
Ratatat is a New York City electronic music duo consisting of Mike Stroud and producer Evan Mast .-History:Evan Mast and Mike Stroud first met as students at Skidmore College, but they did not work together until 2001, when they recorded several songs under the name "Cherry"...
. During the summer of 2009, Cudi joined rapper Asher Roth
Asher Roth
Asher Paul Roth is an American rapper.-Early life:Asher Roth was born and raised in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a small town about 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia. His mother, Elizabeth , is a yoga instructor, and his father, David Roth, is the executive director of a design firm...
for the Great Hangover concert tour.
Kid Cudi was featured on the highly anticipated Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
album The Blueprint 3 (2009), on the song "Already Home". In a late 2009 interview, Cudi announced that the follow-up to his debut album will be a collaboration album called Cudder and the Revolution of Evolution. He stated he has already recorded songs with Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
, Clipse
Clipse
Clipse is a Virginia Beach, Virginia-based hip hop duo. Formed in 1992 by brothers Malice and Pusha T , the group is heavily affiliated with production team The Neptunes and signed to Star Trak Entertainment.- Exclusive Audio Footage :The Thornton brothers were born in The Bronx, New...
, Cage and Pharrell
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
and would also like to work with Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
, Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
, Robin Thicke
Robin Thicke
Robin Charles Thicke is an Award-winning American R&B singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and actor. Thicke's albums, which he previously released under the moniker Thicke, are noted for their feature of a predominantly R&B sound. Robin Thicke has penned hits for popular artists such as...
, The Killers and The Postal Service
The Postal Service
The Postal Service is an American electronic indie pop band composed of vocalist Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and producer Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel and Headset.-Background:...
on the album. Also it was rumored that Man on the Moon: The End of Day will be followed up by a sequel titled Man on the Moon: The Ghost in the Machine and that the Man on the Moon will be a trilogy, but was not been confirmed. Kid Cudi was nominated for three 2010 Grammy Awards for his singles, "Day 'n' Nite" and "Make Her Say". Kid Cudi was featured on Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
's re-release of Malice n Wonderland, More Malice (2010), on the song "That Tree", as well as teaming up with Johnny Polygon
Johnny Polygon
Johnny Polygon is an American rapper and singer. He first gained attention with his video for a song called “Bag”, which ultimately led to him being signed to DJ Green Lantern’s Future Green Entertainment label. In 2009 he released his first EP entitled Group Hug...
to remix Polygon's "The Riot Song" which appears on his mixtape, Rebel Without Applause(2010) On April 20, 2010, Kid Cudi announced that the name of his second album has been changed from Cudder and the Revolution of Evolution to Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager is the second studio album by American recording artist Kid Cudi. The album was formerly known as Cudder: The Revolution of Evolution, before being renamed. The album was released November 9, 2010 by GOOD Music and Universal Motown.Man on the Moon II: The...
. On June 11, 2010, Kid Cudi was arrested in the Chelsea
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
neighborhood of the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
borough New York City and charged with felony criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance. Despite his arrest, he was released and made it to Manchester, Tennessee in time to play at Bonnaroo.
The lead single for Cudi's second studio album titled "Erase Me
Erase Me
"Erase Me" is a song by American hip hop rock artist Kid Cudi released as the first official single from Kid Cudi's album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. With a guest performance by Kanye West, the song debuted on a Cleveland radio station June 30, 2010 and was officially released to...
" featuring Kanye West and produced by Jim Jonsin
Jim Jonsin
James Scheffer, better known by his professional name, Jim Jonsin, is an American Grammy award winning record producer, songwriter, record executive, and entrepreneur...
, debuted on a Cleveland radio station June 30, 2010 and was officially released to Rhythm/Crossover radio on August 17, 2010. The album debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, with first-week sales of 169,000 copies. In its second week it crossed the 200,000 sales mark. 2010 also featured Kid Cudi on a number of songs for Kanye West's weekly free music giveaway G.O.O.D. Fridays
G.O.O.D. Fridays
G.O.O.D. Fridays was a weekly free music giveaway started by rapper Kanye West. The name originates from the name of his label, G.O.O.D. Music, and is also a reference to the Friday before Easter, which is known as Good Friday. Every Friday, beginning on August 20, 2010, Kanye planned on releasing...
appearing on "Good Friday", "Christian Dior Denim Flow" and "The Joy", which later became a bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
on Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Kanye West collaborative effort Watch the Throne
Watch the Throne
Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released on August 8, 2011, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording locations and began in November 2010. It was...
(2011).
2011-present: New direction and WZRD
In October 2010, Cudi announced that he would be forming a rock band with Dot da Genius tentatively called 'Wizard'. However, in early 2011, he announced that he would be releasing a mixtape prior to the rock album. On February 26, 2011 Cudi took to his Twitter account to announce that Dream On, the record label he launched back in 2009 with partners Patrick “Plain Pat” ReynoldsPlain Pat
Patrick "Plain Pat" ReynoldsPlain Pat is a Song Writer and Producer noted for working with Drake, Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige, Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Ghostface Killah, The Roots, Lloyd, Young Gunz, Myron and The Kyniptionz, Ashanti, Ludacris, Freeway, Ja Rule, N.O.R.E., and The Mutton...
and producer Emile Haynie
Emile Haynie production discography
The following list is a discography of production by Emile Haynie.-Obie Trice - Cheers:*05. "Don't Come Down" *14. "Hoodrats" -Raekwon - The Lex Diamond Story:...
, has been dissolved. However in an interview with Complex Magazine he explained they were still on good terms: "I wanted to try something new, and I wanted to take control of things myself. Those are still my guys, Pat and Emile, and I'm still going to work with them in the future. When we start working on Man on the Moon III I’ll be calling them up to see if they want to be a part of it. I know Emile is definitely down. We had an issue, but we’re men and we were able to figure it out and move forward. There’s no hard feelings."
In March 2011, Cudi announced that a music video for "Marijuana" will be released in the spring, followed by a music video for "Mr. Rager
Mr. Rager
"Mr. Rager" is a song written and recorded by American alternative hip hop recording artist Kid Cudi from his second studio album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. Produced by Emile, No I.D...
" in the summer of 2011. As well as a short film inspired by his song "Maniac" with Cage, directed by Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf
Shia Saide LaBeouf is an American actor who became known among younger audiences for his part in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens and made his film debut in Holes . In 2007, he starred as the leads in Disturbia and Transformers...
will be released in October 2011.
In April 2011, while performing at New York City’s Roseland Ballroom Kid Cudi announced name of the record label he is launching. The new label, which he will be releasing his third studio album on is called “Wicked Awesome Records”. He also renamed his band on the same occasion to '2 Be Continuum' renaming it from the original 'Wizard'. Kid Cudi explained his reasoning saying: "I needed something more original, something different, but it’s still wizardry at its finest." On August 12, 2011, Kid Cudi released the music video for "No One Believes Me
No One Believes Me
"No One Believes Me" is a song by American alternative hip hop and experimental rock recording artist Kid Cudi, co-produced with his fellow WZRD band member Dot da Genius, for the 2011 horror film Fright Night. The song was released on August 23rd, 2011 for digital download...
", directed by Fright Night
Fright Night (2011 film)
Fright Night is a 2011 3D comedy horror film directed by Craig Gillespie. It is a remake of the 1985 Tom Holland film of the same name. The film had its premiere at The O2 in London on August 14, 2011, and was widely released on August 19 in Real D 3D & IMAX 3D.-Plot:The film opens with a vampire ...
director Craig Gillespie
Craig Gillespie
Craig Gillespie is an Australian film director best known for directing the 2007 films Lars and the Real Girl and the Fright Night remake.-Early life:...
. Although the song was recorded as a collaborative song with Dot da Genius, the single was released under Kid Cudi's name. On August 21st, Cudi announced that he is no longer releasing the mixtape A Man Named Scott so that he can focus on his rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
project and his third solo album Man on the Moon III. Kid Cudi released a video for Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Ragers title track
Title track
Title track may refer to:*Title track, a recorded song having the same name as the album or movie it comes from*Title Track, a song on the album The Stage Names*Title Track, a song on the album We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes...
"Mr. Rager
Mr. Rager
"Mr. Rager" is a song written and recorded by American alternative hip hop recording artist Kid Cudi from his second studio album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager. Produced by Emile, No I.D...
" on September 8th, 2011. The video has received all-positive reviews from critics and fans alike.
Despite saying he will not do many more features
Guest appearance
In show business , a guest appearance is a participation of an outsider performer , usually called guest artist , in an event , i.e., the participation of a performer which does not belong to the regular crew In performance...
for other artists in Complex magazine's October/November 2011 cover story, he appeared on Bryan Greenberg
Bryan Greenberg
Bryan E. Greenberg is an American actor and musician, known for his starring role as Ben Epstein in the HBO original series How to Make It in America as well as a recurring role as Jake Jagielski in the The WB TV series One Tree Hill and as Nick Garrett on the short-lived ABC drama October Road...
's second studio album We Don't Have Forever (2011), Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
's Give the Drummer Some (2011), The Knux
The Knux
The Knux are a American alternative hip hop duo composed of brothers Kentrell "Krispy" Lindsey and Alvin "Joey" Lindsey. Both brothers are musicians, who sing, rap, produce as well as play instruments. Their music contains elements of rock & electronic and pop...
's Eraser
Eraser (album)
Eraser is the second studio album of American alternative hip hop duo The Knux, released September 27, 2011, on Interscope Records. The album was preceded by the release of two singles, the first being "She's So Up" followed by "Run" featuring Kid Cudi...
(2011), and Wale
Wale (rapper)
Wale Victor Folarin , better known by his stage name Wale , is an American rapper from Washington, D.C. Wale was born to Nigerian parents. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his song "Dig Dug " became popular in his hometown. Wale became locally recognized and continued recording music for the...
's Ambition
Ambition (Wale album)
Ambition is the second studio album by hip hop recording artist Wale, released November 1, 2011 via Maybach Music Group and Warner Bros. Records.- Background :...
(2011) respectively.
On October 30th, Cudi released the Maniac, a short horror film co-starring Cage and directed by Shia LaBeouf
Shia LaBeouf
Shia Saide LaBeouf is an American actor who became known among younger audiences for his part in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens and made his film debut in Holes . In 2007, he starred as the leads in Disturbia and Transformers...
, through his blog.
On November 13th, 2011, a previously unreleased mixtape of material Cudi had recorded from 2002-2003 titled Rap Hard was released. On November 18th, 2011 renamed his band, for the second time to 'WZRD'. He also announced that the upcoming rock project will be released on his 28th birthday, January 30, 2012.
Acting career
Kid Cudi is currently starring in the new HBO comedy series How to Make It in AmericaHow to Make It in America
How to Make It in America is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on February 14, 2010. The series follows the lives of Ben Epstein and his friend Cam Calderon as they try to succeed in New York City's fashion scene...
, produced by Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
, He is credited under his real name.
Discography
Studio albums- Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009)
- Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. RagerMan on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. RagerMan on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager is the second studio album by American recording artist Kid Cudi. The album was formerly known as Cudder: The Revolution of Evolution, before being renamed. The album was released November 9, 2010 by GOOD Music and Universal Motown.Man on the Moon II: The...
(2010) - Man on the Moon III (2012)
Collaboration albums
- TBA – as WZRDWZRDWZRD is a student radio station licensed to Chicago, Illinois, USA, founded in 1974. The station serves the Chicago area. The station is currently owned by Northeastern Illinois University...
(30 January, 2012)
Mixtapes
- A Kid Named Cudi (2008)
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2011 | MANIAC | TBD | Short film |
| Television | |||
| Year | Television | Role | Notes |
| 2010 – present | How to Make It in America How to Make It in America How to Make It in America is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on February 14, 2010. The series follows the lives of Ben Epstein and his friend Cam Calderon as they try to succeed in New York City's fashion scene... |
Domingo Brown | Major supporting role Supporting actor A supporting actor is an actor who performs roles in a play or film other than that of the leads.These roles range from bit parts to secondary leads. They are sometimes but not necessarily character roles. A supporting actor must also use restraint not to upstage the main actor/actress in the... |