Kid Cudi was born in Cleveland, Ohio and lived in the diverse upper class suburb of Shaker Heights. Just prior to receiving his GED he attended Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights, Ohio and also Solon High School in Solon, Ohio. Cudi first began rapping towards the end of high school, inspired by alternative hip hop groups such as The Pharcyde and A Tribe Called Quest. He moved to Brooklyn, New York to pursue a music career. In July 2008, Kid Cudi released his first mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, in collaboration with New York street wear brand 10. Deep as a free download in 2008. The mixtape has had so much continued success that on May 18, 2009 10.Deep announced they were going to be doing a re-release of the "Up There" t-shirt and hard copies A Kid Named Cudi mixtape in their webstore on May 20, 2009 at 12:00 PM EST. Shortly after the shirt went up for sale the server crashed due to heavy traffic of fans wanting to buy the t-shirt and the mixtape.
Kid Cudi has a guest feature on Kanye West's 2008 album, 808s & Heartbreak, singing with him on the track Welcome to Heartbreak, providing additional vocals on Paranoid with Mr Hudson and helped with songwriting on the second single Heartless. A music video has been made and released for Welcome to Heartbreak with him in it. He also featured on the song Welcome 2 the World with Kevin Rudolf from his album In The City, and on 88-Keys debut album The Death of Adam on the track Ho' is Short for Honey.
He has been featured in many medias such as XXL and BBC News's Sound of 2009 poll of up-and-coming acts. He has also been featured in Vibe, Complex, The Source, Rolling Stone, URB and Interview magazine.
Kid Cudi first appeared on shows in 2008, when he performed at the 2008 VMA's alongside Travis Barker and DJ AM. On February 17, 2009, Kid Cudi made his TV debut on Snoop Dogg's new MTV talk show Dogg After Dark, performing Day 'n' Nite at the end of the show. Two days later on February 19, 2009, Cudi appeared on BET's 106 & Park with Kanye West to debut the video of Day 'n' Nite . On March 16, 2009 Kid Cudi performed on mtvU's 2009 Spring Break special. On March 17, 2009 Cudi appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly where he performed three songs. Kid Cudi has also made cameo appearances in Solange's video for her song T.O.N.Y. and in the Black Eyed Peas video for I Gotta Feeling.
Kid Cudi, along with Emile, produced an exclusive single called "Switchin Lanes" for the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles, part of its "South Central Premium Upgrade" Downloadable Content (DLC) which came out March 19, 2009 for the PlayStation 3 and March 27, 2009 for the Xbox 360. He contributed to the soundtrack for Capcom's Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition. The game was released on June 24 2010.
50 Ways to Make a Record
Kid Cudi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How you can hit the scene.
Take one look inside,
Your mirror clear to see.
You need to find yourself,
As honest as can be...
There must be 50 ways to make a record.
Now Don't get wrapped into,
The hype and what they think.
This shit ain't rocket science,
And the scene changes with beats.
And now you ask yourself,
How you want to be seen...
There must be 50 ways to make a record.
He's up inside the clubs,
They like to lean and rock. Oh,
Stands around and looks intrigued by what he saw.
Now he askes me,
How he can make hit songs to reach the top...
There must be 50 ways to make a record.
50 ways to make a record.
You got talent and,
Your soul cannot be bought.
He looked and smiled at me,
And told me "Thanks alot."
See I could use your help...
And would you please explain about the 50 ways...
It's kind of easy,
If you have a open mind.
This game is more than,
Spending money and fucking dimes.
It's all within your words,
Some shit that outlives time.
There must be 50 ways to make a record.
50 ways to make a record...
The lyrics to Kid Cudi's "50 Ways to Make a Record" suggest that finding success in the music industry requires self-reflection, honesty, and a willingness to experiment with different approaches to creating music. The song's title alludes to the idea that there are many possible paths to creating a successful record, and the lyrics advise aspiring musicians not to get caught up in hype or to try to replicate the success of others. Instead, the song suggests that finding one's own unique voice and approach is key to making a record that will stand the test of time.
The opening lines of the song encourage the listener to take a look in the mirror and be honest with themselves about who they are and what kind of music they want to make. The line "there must be 50 ways to make a record" suggests that there are countless possibilities for creating music, and the key is to find the approach that works best for the individual artist. The second verse advises against trying to follow trends or replicate the success of others, instead encouraging the listener to focus on their own vision and how they want to be perceived in the industry.
Overall, the song's message is one of empowerment and encouragement for aspiring musicians who may feel overwhelmed by the challenges of the music industry. By emphasizing the importance of self-reflection, experimentation, and integrity, Kid Cudi encourages listeners to find their own unique path to success.
Line by Line Meaning
You sit and think about,
Contemplating about how to break into the music scene.
How you can hit the scene.
How to gain popularity in the industry.
Take one look inside,
Looking deeply into your true self.
Your mirror clear to see.
Facing the reality about oneself.
You need to find yourself,
Being genuine and honest with oneself.
As honest as can be...
Being truly sincere about oneself and one's music.
There must be 50 ways to make a record.
There are multiple approaches to making a hit record.
Now Don't get wrapped into,
Avoid getting caught up in the hype and opinions of others.
The hype and what they think.
The media and public's opinion should not dictate your creativity.
This shit ain't rocket science,
Making music doesn't require advanced scientific knowledge.
And the scene changes with beats.
The music scene is continuously evolving.
And now you ask yourself,
Questioning oneself about what kind of musician you want to appear to the world.
How you want to be seen...
What image or brand do you want to portray.
He's up inside the clubs,
A musician observing the club scene.
They like to lean and rock. Oh,
The audience enjoys dancing to the music.
Stands around and looks intrigued by what he saw.
Observing the crowd's reactions to the music played.
Now he askes me,
The musician approaches someone for advice.
How he can make hit songs to reach the top...
Asking for guidance on how to make popular songs and become successful.
You got talent and,
Recognizing one's skills as a musician.
Your soul cannot be bought.
Your artistry is not for sale.
He looked and smiled at me,
Expressing gratitude and hope for assistance.
And told me "Thanks alot."
Thanking the person for their help.
See I could use your help...
Asking for guidance with making music.
And would you please explain about the 50 ways...
Requesting to learn more about various ways to make hit records.
It's kind of easy,
Making music isn't too difficult.
If you have a open mind.
Being open-minded to new ideas and concepts.
This game is more than,
The music industry is more than just making money.
Spending money and fucking dimes.
Music isn't just about spending money and making profit.
It's all within your words,
The quality of a song is more in the lyrics than just the beat.
Some shit that outlives time.
Making music that remains relevant even after many years.
50 ways to make a record...
Affirming that there are multiple approaches to making a hit record.
Contributed by Gianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.