Cudi Hit The Nail...

...on the HEAD. Crazy how people IN the industry still can find issues with it...ummm...maybe because the music industry is as much of a corporate monster as any other corporation? Here's what he said:

**from Kid Cudi's BLOG**

AFTER THE RELEASE OF MY FIRST LP THIS SUMMER, IAM NOT MAKING ANY MORE
SOLO ALBUMS. IAM FALLIN BACK ON BEING A ARTIST. THE DRAMA THAT COMES
WITH IT IS MORE OVERWHELMING THAN THE SHIT I WAS DEALING WIT WHEN I WAS
PISS POOR BROKE. MY FRIENDS GET MAD AT ME, SAY IVE CHANGED, ONE OF THE
ONLY HOMIES I GOT IN THIS GAME, WALE, IS WORRIED ABOUT ME CUZ OF SHIT
HE HEARS. LIKE WTF? WHO CAN SAY IM BEIN HOLLYWOOD? IM NOT AROUND ANYONE
BUT PLAIN PAT AND EMILE. WHO CAN SAY THAT SHIT? MUTHAFUCKAS TALKIN SHIT
HERE AND THERE, SPREADIN RUMORS, MAKIN JOKES, TRYNA JUDGE ME, AND FOR
WHAT? DOES MY MUSIC POKE FUN AT OTHERS? DO I TALK SHIT ABOUT PEOPLE N
MY MUSIC? I ALREADY WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL ONCE, AND GOT EXPELLED CUZ IT
WASNT FOR ME. IMA DROP OUT THIS SHIT BEFORE NIGGAZ TRY AND CRUCIFY ME.

I DONT LOOK AT IT AS QUITTING, FOR I HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED MY
GOAL. I HAVE A SOLID FANBASE WHO TRUELY APPRECIATES ME AND MY MESSAGES
THRU SONG, I GOT MULTIPLE BIG RECORDS, I HAVE RECIEVED WORLDWIDE
CRITICAL ACCLAIM FROM THE BIGGEST TASTEMAKERS IN THE GAME, 3 FAN MADE
BEST OF MIXTAPES WITHOUT EVEN RELEASING MORE THAN ONE MIXTAPE AND NOT
EVEN RELEASING A ALBUM, I CAN PAY MY MOMS MORTGAGE AND HELP MY SISTER
WITH MY NIECE AND HOLD MY BROTHERS DOWN WITH WUTEVER THEY NEED. THATS
WUT I GOT IN THIS GAME FOR, TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THESE GOALS AND I HAVE.
NO REGRETS
IM SORRY TO THE FANS, IM SO SORRY YALL. I KNO U GUYS WILL ALL HATE
ME, BUT REMEMBER, IM JUS A REGULAR DUDE WHO WAS GIVEN A AMAZING GIFT,
AND NOW WITH THAT AMAZING GIFT CAME MORE UNCALLED FOR PROBLEMS THAN THE
AVERAGE HUMAN BEING SHOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

AGAIN, IAM SORRY, BUT ITS THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP ME FROM GOING COMPLETELY
INSANE. IM TOO REAL FOR THIS HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL SHIT. BAK TO THE MOON
I GO
^
^
^
My response:

On some real shit, I kinda feel Cudi right now.

The labels and industries have taken Hip-Hop music as a brand and
have tried to curb it and mold it in a fashion that is against it’s own
foundation. Hip-Hop was built to DEFY the rules, not to co-exist with
them to the point of building a caste system within itself.

Cudi is probably dealing with what most new (and good) artists have
to deal with - and that’s not having a life of your own for awhile.
Having to show up and perform at shows or unscheduled meetings at the
drop of a hat can be physically and emotionally taxing. Especially when
alot of these decisions aren’t necessarily made by YOU but more so your
manager, publicist, etc.

The life of an artist is not just “make that music, make that
money”. It’s the little things that push and pull you along the
way…family…temptation…loyalty…things that can make you and break you if
you don’t stay focused.

I feel him on the industry thing, only because as an upcoming artist
myself - I see the industry for what it is. There’s no REAL room for
creativity and self-expression unless it’s in accordance to what
THEY’RE trying to portray. If you don’t come out swinging with a “hit”,
you’re AUTOMATICALLY shelved and unheard from.

New artists who are actually TALENTED don’t get to see the light of
day because they didn’t make a “ringtone friendly” song, or didn’t
generate enough internet buzz. Producer’s who don’t sound like Polow Da
Don or rappers who don’t rap and dance like Soulja Boy get immediately
labeled as UNDERGROUND.
Is that really what HIP-HOP is? Because I remember being a kid in
the late 80’s - early 90’s, and it seemed alot REALER than this.

My point? HIP-HOP is NOT dead, but it’s having an identity crisis.

So many new artists are trying to emulate the next best thing
because they know this is what will do numbers. They also know this is
what the labels are looking for as well, so are they wrong? I’m sure
HIP-HOP would be alot more diverse and less repetitive if we had more
Cudi’s out there who stood on their own two feet about how they feel
about the the industry robot. More people who actually respected
HIP-HOP as an ART FORM and not just a “get-rich quick” scheme…

…yet, something tells me that in the day and age we live in, this
cycle will continue to perpetuate itself and Kid Cudi will be phased
out by this time next year by the next Lil’ Kid So and So who’s made
that dope single for everyone to bump to. I guess the real lesson here
is don’t bite the hand that feeds you? Hmmm…

…or better yet? Is being REAL to who you are an what you stand for
worth potentially throwing away all that you’ve dreamed of? Hmmm…more
things to paander…

-H