Kid Cudi fans have been waiting for a new album for quite some time. They were saddened when Cudi had to check himself into rehab for depression and suicidal thoughts. It was important for Cudi to get over these hard emotional times, but fans were ready for his new music. When Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin’ finally dropped, it was well worth the wait. Tons of fans on Twitter showed their support as their favorite part of the album was the humming from Cudi. One fan even went as far as to say that Cudi’s humming was better than Drake’s full discography.
When first listening to this album, I immediately heard the heavy auto-tune influences and slurred words that are so popular in hip-hop music right now. The cadence of his raps were different than was what expect from his “Lonely Stoner” days. However, I’m a fan that understands artists are people and people change. As a fan of the retro-revival movement, I was very pleased with the lo-fi beats behind his new style of sing-rapping. It is totally different vibe than where most hip-hop music today.
While listening to the lyrics, I could feel the pain that Cudi had been going through recently. “You can try to numb the pain, but it will never go away,” is a lyric that provides a look into Cudi’s struggle with substance abuse. The dark vibes and pad synths give Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin’ a vibe that would almost be akin to a Halloween vibe. Even just the third song in on the album, I started to feel really sad. I could tell that Cudi has been going through some really hard times. As an artist myself, I really like to connect emotionally with a musician when I am listening to their work. It is very easy to vibe with Cudi on this new album, that’s for sure! Beware, if you are in a cheery mood, this might make you think about the one who got away or your innermost self-worth issues.
However, by track four when Andre Benjamin joins him on ‘By Design,’ a bit more upbeat theme is shown in the music. You will be jolted with a bit of energy that will recharge you for the rest of the album. With additional appearances from Willow Smith, Travis Scott, and Pharrell, the album feels very relevant in our modern music world. This is a very artistically driven album as pop themes aren’t followed very closely.
Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin’ has a pretty dark undertone but it was one that I could vibe with. This is a very lyrically driven album. My only issue with the album is that I thought it was a little long with 19 tracks. Other than that, I thought this was a very artistic album where Cudi experimented with a new style of rapping while staying true to his roots. This is a great milestone for Cudi as he exits rehab and moves forward with his new life. The future looks very bright for this rapper. Stream the project below.
Words by Brad Johnson. Follow him on Twitter.
