LOOKING BACK:Kid Cudi’s HAVE U BN 2 HEAVEN @ NIGHT
Design by Shruthi Krishnakumar
By Madison Decina
One month after my sixteenth birthday, I got to see Kid Cudi’s “To The Moon” tour at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. I was young, and afraid of my own shadow but as I walked into the arena, already hazy with weed smoke, and saw twenty thousand other people who felt seen by Cudi’s lyrics, it melted away.
On March 20th, Kid Cudi dropped his first ever EP, HAVE U BN 2 HEAVEN @ NIGHT. In many ways this four song project marked the beginning of a new era for the beloved artist; he’s no longer a delinquent, no longer a rager, but a human being who’s grown into themself and their art with grace and maturity.
Straying from his typical hip-hop/pop sound, Cudi settles into a much simpler, informed tone. The opening track, “REAL ONES NEVER DIE” starts the project off on a high. Led by a catchy drum loop, Cudi describes his ongoing struggle with the same anxieties and troubles that plagued his youth, only now approaching them with a clarity and confidence that only comes with age.
Followed by, “DROWN” a simple guitar line, minimalist production, and arguably one of the best lyricists of his generation. The track really forces the listener to slow down and really feel the music. It’s a refreshing break that might feel a bit jarring, but holds its own on this stacked project.
The next track, “HALOS ON ANGELS” continues this simple, semi-acoustic tone beautifully. Produced by Eren Cannata and Dot Da Genius, the mix on this song is an absolute masterclass. Every line, electronic or instrumental, blends perfectly into one another and truly showcases the musical genius of this team.
The last song on the project, “RIDE RIDE” Kid Cudi reminds us that no matter how much we evolve, the person we once were will always be with us. Opening with a filtered vocal track reminiscent of his original MOTM era, the song acts like a time capsule, or a history lesson for all things Cudi. The song is a fantastic closing track that captures the themes of the rest of the EP beautifully.
From the mixtape era to his rise to stardom, this project reflects the way he has grown as both an artist, and a human being through it all. Going to Kid Cudi’s show as a teenager made success seem not just possible, but inevitable and I have a feeling that HAVE U BN 2 HEAVEN @ NITE? will have a similar effect on the new generation of Cudi fans.