Kid Cudi: “I just don’t know if I wanna do music, drop albums for too much longer, you know? I’m kind of nearing the end on all things Kid Cudi, I think.”
While making the rounds promoting his new animated Netflix special and album of the same name, Entergalactic, Kid Cudi recently shared with Hot Ones host Sean Evans where his future outside of music may be headed.
For many fans, Kid Cudi’s music has had a strong influence in their lives. His music is known for discussing topics that aren’t typical of other mainstream rap artists such as mental health, love and failure. His latest album Entergalactic treads familiar territory as he both sings and raps about subjects that the everyday person can relate to.
The emotional lyrics make for better music and Cudi’s large following is due to his openness to discuss the “real” issues, says Bee Pollard, a graduate student studying Journalism.
Bee Pollard: “I think musically Cudi’s been able to explore himself and his dimensions and all of his personal nuance, and he’s been able to do it creatively and do it very well. He always exposes a level of himself to his listeners, and I think that’s why he has such a big following, because it’s authentically him. It’s very emotional and it’s just good music at the end of the day because of that.”
Pollard, also says that she supports Cudi’s desire to move on from music to pursue other passions.
Bee Pollard: “I think it’s awesome for him to explore whatever is in his divine plan. What I’ve seen of Cudi and what I’ve seen of his genius in a way, is that he’s going to flow and maneuver well wherever he goes. He’s got his support in me. So if he’s got one fan, I’m the one fan. I think that he’s going to be able to explore these things effortlessly, and I think he’s going to make a name for himself in other lanes. And that’s a good thing.”
Cudi’s animated Netflix special is an innovative approach of blending both music and art. It’s a romantic comedy that primarily centers on two Black lovers, Jabari played by Cudi and Meadow played by Jessica Williams. The art style is similar to Spiderman: Enter The Spiderverse and features character clothing designs by the late Virgil Abloh. It also boasts a star studded cast with names that include, Timothee Chalamet, Vanessa Hudgens, Ty Dolla $ign, Jaden Smith, Keith David, Macaulay Culkin and more.
Cudi’s potential permanent departure from music puts him in the same boat as legendary music artists such as Lauryn Hill and Andre 3000, says Taj Frazier, a professor in USC Annenberg’s communication department.
Professor Taj Frazier: “I think this whole kind of recent statements about, you know, wanting to maybe shift away from music and towards education or just focusing on his family, a lot of that has to do with, you know, potentially, I think maybe feeling a bit contained by some of the conventions of the music business, in the entertainment business, and wanting to free himself so that he can explore other modes of creativity, of expression. I mean, I think it’s, you know, kind of the same kind of wavelength of somebody, like, I would say a Lauryn Hill or a Andre 3000, you know, people who have given us such incredible work, but who also are not willing to abide by this kind of microwave, creative culture..industrial culture, really, that tells artists they have to be producing new stuff, you know, every 6 to 8 months. And I think he’s looking for other spaces in places to feel and be free to express himself.”
Cudi already has ideas on how he wants to express himself in the future.
Kid Cudi: “I’m really curious to see what else I can do. I was thinking about this - and this is like a wacky idea I had years ago. But it would be cool to, like, one day be a kindergarten teacher. And just do that for a couple of years. Like, when I’m, like 50..And I just, like, infect the youth with that freshness. Get ‘em young, and then those kids will just sprinkle the freshness to the world, and I’ll just be like, ‘Yes! Yes!’”
As Cudi ponders his future in the music industry, anxious fans craving new Cudi content can rejoice as both his latest album and TV special Entergalatic are both available now for streaming.