[Review] Kid Cudi + Dot Da Genius - "WZRD"
By DJ Pizzo
It’s only a natural progression for someone like Kid Cudi to do a rock-offshoot project. Let’s not forget, even from the days of his first single, “Day N Nite”, he was singing more-so than rapping. We saw him infuse these elements even more-so on 2010′s Man On The Moon II, a hip-hop LP with some underlying rock elements. With WZRD, he and Dot Da Genius go full rockstar, with nay a rap lyric in sight.
Fans of Cudder may be instantly disappointed with WZRD, because it is not a traditional Kid Cudi LP. Those not going in expecting that however are in for a pleasant surprise. WZRD is the type of record you just play in the background – at home, not in traffic – and slowly it creeps up on you as one of the first good LP’s of the new year.
There’s a clear influence here from acts like Pink Floyd and The Pixies, not to mention Nirvana – the latter of which Cudi covers “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”, ground last covered by Cobain and company on their legendary MTV Unplugged performance. Meanwhile, the lead single, “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie” samples Desire’s “Under Your Spell” which you might recognize from the Drive soundtrack. But Cudi’s take on the track is all his own, re-imagining himself as the lonely stoner, waiting by the phone.
So while there are influences abroad, the personality of WZRD is all Cudi. The Moon Man persona is embraced in full, as he sings about being “High Off Life” or begs for his prescription on “Dr. Pill”, while the rager comes out on tracks like “Love Hard” and “Upper Room”. Other times he mellows out on the acoustic guitar driven, pondering-his-own-death track “Efflictim” or the psychadelic “Brake”. The landscape is different, the scenery is the same.
It’s a seemingly more natural fit for Kid Cudi to do a rock album – more so than any rapper before him, including Pharrell and company with N.E.R.D. If you don’t mind Cudi’s earlier material as a singer (“Pursuit of Happiness, comes to mind), WZRD will definitely satisfy, it just needs to be given a chance. Just don’t go in expecting an LP full of beats, rhymes, and metaphors.
Rating: 4/5
