Kid Cudi: Going against the tide

Scott Mescudi, widely known as Kid Cudi, has been reshaping music since his 2007 breakout hit Day ‘n’ Nite. With introspective lyrics and atmospheric production, his Man on the Moon albums cemented his influence, while collaborations with Kanye West and Travis Scott pushed his sound even further. Beyond music, he has expanded into storytelling, creating the Netflix animated series Entergalactic and building a diverse acting career with roles in We Are Who We Are and Knuckles. His latest venture, the fashion label MOTR (Members of the Rage), blends ’90s grunge with hip-hop and futuristic aesthetics, mirroring his signature style.

When we met him in L.A., our conversation spanned music, creative evolution, and an unexpected passion project—a horror film in the making.

hube: Modern music has a powerful influence on visual art, fashion, theater, and culture more broadly. Why is it so appealing? Is there more freedom in it?

Kid Cudi: I think music, modern music, is a reflection of the times. It’s very expressive which makes it perfect for the arts because it helps people tell their story. I think that’s something we’re going to always see people digging into—fusing music with their art because they go hand in hand.

Music totally influences MOTR. When I’m designing, I need music, I need some type of sound. If I’m doing a playful collection like spring/summer, I’m playing mostly fun stuff in the studio to get the vibe out. If I’m doing fall/winter, I like to have mostly chill, soothing vibes playing because I’m thinking about winter and how calm it is, and the time you spend relaxing. When I start doing fashion shows for MOTR, people will really see how music and clothes work hand in hand. It’ll be something that I handcraft to give people an experience that they’ve never had at a fashion show before.

I definitely feel free, music gives me a pool of added inspiration to dig from all the time. It’s endless. Music informs the mood, informs the collection. I eat, sleep, and breathe music. It’s in everything I do. So, it’s a secret weapon that I have at my disposal. It’s very freeing to have the music guide and inspire you. It lets your pencil take you to places you didn’t think you could go.

h: In art, individual expression often takes center stage. However, in music, collaboration can result in outcomes that are far greater than the sum of their parts. What do you think makes a collaborative project successful?

KC: It’s a beautiful thing when two people can come together, bounce ideas, and build something, especially two artists from two different spaces using their respective visions. I don’t think I had that in mind early on in my career. I didn’t have many collaborations on my albums, and for several years, I didn’t really ask for much input. I had people in the studio helping me, collaborating with me, and helping me build a vision, but it wasn’t until later in my life that I started opening up to collaborating in other ways. It’s really exciting when you get somebody like-minded in the studio, and they understand your vision and also have something to add to it. Then you get their vision, and you just keep building and building. Collaboration has pushed my mind to spaces I probably wouldn’t have gone alone. I think it’s super important and often the key to finding something amazing. You never know what you will create with someone else.

This new direction that I’m taking with my album has been exciting for me because I put myself in an uncomfortable situation to achieve it. When I first started making this album, I didn’t know if I would even be able to sing at the level I needed to in order for it to be executed in the right way. Working on these songs, collaborating with the writers and producers, and building songs from the ground up—it did something for me as an artist. I haven’t created like this in a long time. It’s been years. With my last few projects, I was getting beats from different people and building an album that way, but there is something about being in a room and creating something from scratch—from a simple hum—it’s so fulfilling.

I proved to myself that I was able to accomplish it when I finished it. I had to take a step back to realise, “Wow, that was so outside of my comfort zone.” It felt like one of the easiest albums I’ve ever done because I’m in this place in my life where I’m happier than I’ve ever been, and the emotions were real. I had a lot of things to say, a lot of things in my heart. The album is damn-near dedicated to my fiancée, every song is like a love song with me kind of confessing my love, so it was very, very fulfilling. I feel like a lot of people are going to hear this record and really be blown away by just how different it feels, but also how it still feels like Cudi.