The Leader of the Delinquents Returns

4.14.20

@KidCudi

Kid Cudi is back with a new single ‘Leader of the Delinquents‘. His beat, his flow, his voice, they all sound the same, just a bit older. This is Kid Cudi’s first solo released song since 2016, so this is a big deal for Cudder. 

I used to really love Kid Cudi, back when I was in sixth grade. Man on the Moon Kid Cudi. This kind of music to me, for lack of a better term, is “high kid music.” As soon as I decided I do not like being high, this music became less appealing to me. It is just a personal preference. I prefer not to listen to music that literally sounds like you are drowning out all sense of feelings or coherentness in your body. I listen to music to enjoy it, hype you up, make you feel better. Not to drown into negative thoughts or feelings. I do not write this in a negative way, just why I no longer am a crazy Kid Cudi fan, like most Kid Cudi fans are.

Kid Cudi went through a lot the past few years. We know that he was deeply struggling with depression and anxiety. Music is a source for many to release their feelings and emotions, so I’ve always respected the work that he has done. However, times got tricky when he decided to take to Twitter that he felt the “Top 5” consisting of Drake and Kanye West, were fake top fivers, because they did not write their own music. Though he isn’t totally wrong, this was likely Cudder coming from a dark place. When Drake used his mental health state of mind against him in a cheap shot response to the diss, of course this is going to hurt more. I think it is extremely low for anyone to use this as animo, so I cannot blame the beef that struck from this. 

I cannot imagine the process that it took Kid Cudi to share all of this with the world, get over, and then come back to us with new music. With this, I obviously had to give it a shot. Though he sounds the same and flows are similar, I hear a slight upbeat in the tempo of the song. Being called the “Leader of the Delinquents,” it is more of a playful shot of Cudi’s past. He talks about his past with drugs, but makes sure it is clear that it was in the past. He talks about loosing girlfriends for things that probably were his inner demons that spread them a part. He mentions his father telling him to stop sweating everything so much, and live a little. He says he knows his fans love him because they connect with him. This song is really about Kid Cudi leading all these kids that feel like they’re delinquents, down and out, whatever it may be, to a new, happy and powerful life. I do think Kid Cudi fans will love this. It feels like a true refresher on Cudi’s start back into the game.

We’ll see where it goes from here, but the content feels safe so far. I would be interested to hear if a new style of Kid Cudi does come out of this, once he is done telling us about rehab. Either way, Cudi fans are going to ride for Cudi. Personally, I still do not think it for me. But I am super happy for Kid Cudi and the release of his new single. I hope he continues to progress to a happy state of life.