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.
h: Humans quickly adapt to change. Technology, morals, and aesthetics evolve rapidly and inevitably. Does the future concern or inspire you?
KC: It inspires me in some ways, but has me worried in others. The way we’re going with technology—especially as a creative who makes music—is amazing. There are so many different ways you can create now. It’s almost unlimited. From that standpoint, it’s an exciting thing. I’m not really worried about the future. I feel like, as humans usually do, we’ll probably fuck up, make some mistakes, and learn from them. But ultimately, that’s what life is about: growing, pushing each other forward, and seeing what’s on the horizon. So I’m excited about it.
That’s not to say that technology doesn’t concern me in some ways. There is a lot of talk about AI and its use in art. I think we’re going to see a big change with how people create. More people are using it in their day to day life. I mean, it’s exciting but it also scares me. It could be the end of creativity as we know it. I guess I have mixed feelings.
h: In your opinion, which visual symbols, images, or artists best capture the present moment and your feelings about today?
KC: My fiancée had me watch the DJ Mehdi documentary, and it blew my mind. One of the beautiful things about the documentary is that a lot of the footage is 15–20 years old, but it sounds like it came out today. It really resonated with me as a creative, as an artist, as a producer. This is what I’ve always been aiming for. I like to think that I make timeless music. To see this documentary was so validating because this is really what it’s about. I never want someone to go back to one of my albums from 2010 or 2013 and say, “Oh, this shit sounds like 2010 or 2013.”
And Mehdi—the dude was so gifted. He was such a genius, and he was so far ahead of anything that was going on in music at that time. The amount of work he accomplished between 13 and 21 was remarkable. It ignited a fire in me, and it led me to properly connect with Pedro [Winter] who I’ve known for years. Working on music with him, listening to old Mehdi beats, stuff he had in the hard drive and MPC, led me to meet Thibaut [de Longeville], who directed the documentary, and Myriam, Mehdi’s cousin, and Neil, Mehdi’s son. I met the whole crew. I reconnected with So Me [Bertrand Lagros de Langeron] who I haven’t seen in years, and who is a really good homie. So, it definitely jump-started something in me. I can’t really speak too much about this project because it’s still in the early stages, but you’re going to see something very soon—something inspired by the documentary. There are definitely some Cudi-Mehdi vibes coming in the future.
h: Actors, with their experience in transformation and creating new characters, seem to have a deeper understanding of human nature. Do you believe this is true?
KC: Years ago, I learned that the best actors study people. Most of the actors I’ve met are interested in the complexities of human nature. Their interactions with people inform their roles, and this is something I have adopted too. I’ve always been a people person, and I can’t help but study people when I go out. It’s one of those things that just brings you closer to life. Driving down the street, I see a garbage man. Some people might see the garbage man and think, “Whatever.” But I look at that garbage man and I think, man, I want to sit down with him, have a beer, and ask him what his life is like, what his day-to-day is like, what stresses him out, what makes him happy, what his worries are, what he’s accomplished that he’s proud of,—all these things—these are the thought patterns of an actor. You constantly study.
I don’t get a chance to meet new people often, but when I do, I really love it. A lot of people like to talk about me, but I love to flip it back on them: “Enough about me. You can find a lot on Google and in the tabloids. What about you? What’s up with your life?” I think it’s about being as human as you possibly can be in these moments. As an actor, you’ve got to really feel these characters and dig deep to know who these people are, and I think the best way to do that is by interacting with people and getting to know humans.
Talent: KID CUDI
Photographer: ANDRE D. WAGNER at DE LA REVOLUCIÓN
Stylist: GABRIELLA NORBERG
Makeup Artist: NENA MELENDEZ at OPUS BEAUTY
Producers: KAILYN LYNCH, KARELY PÉREZ-CRUZ at DE LA REVOLUCIÓN
Photo Assistants: KEVIN FAULKNER, BRYANT WOOLCOCK
Styling Assistant: DAMARIS VALVERDE
EIC hube: SASHA KOVALEVA
You’ve just finished reading an excerpt from an interview that featured in the SS25 issue of hube magazine. Purchase a copy here to get the full experience.
