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.
Heart Of A Lion
Kid Cudi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I can't begin to think of anything that could help
But the weed is guaranteed indeed
Just what I need
How I feel upon a time
So recent in time make me sad
When I recollect how it use to be like David and Goliath
Kinda like me and the Devil
Tryna catch a nigga on sleep no no
You can try again and I'll be ready
Wont let you kill me in my dream like Freddy Kruger
No I'm not no loser I'll see you in hell
At the end of the day, day
My momma told me don't let no one break me
Let no one break me
At end of the day, day,
Nobody, nobody, ever could stop me
Ever could stop me
At the end of the day, day
You cant regret it if you were trying
If you were trying
At the end of the day, day
I'm walking with a heart of a lion, yea
Please save a kid that needs some help
And I can't see ahead of me so I'm moving stealth
Hide and seek within a dream
I seem to glide above my horror
Though I feel I'll never be complete
Inside the dark I borrow
To proceed and remain intact
My mental is so unstable
And they talk and judge a man
They have no clue of what I'm capable
'til I show a side of me
No one had thought could be within
I told ya, no I'm not no loser
I'll see you in hell
At the end of the day, day
My momma told me don't let no one break me
Let no one break me
At end of the day, day,
Nobody, nobody, ever could stop me
Ever could stop me
At the end of the day, day
You cant regret it if you were trying
If you were trying
At the end of the day, day
I'm walking with a heart of a lion, yea
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (the heart of lion)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (the heart of lion)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (the heart of lion)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm just a kid who needs no help I've achieved
A bigger thing no cash or check could be more blessed
And if you would've seen the things I've seen
Up in my slumber you'd be sure stay awake
No need to run your fate would follow you
You should know not for the faint at heart
This world understands no cowards
Its a goal a simple code I stay on the grind 'til the 25th hour
And I know the fight in me is somewhere
Hiding deep within I told you no
I'll never let you drag me down to hell no
At the end of the day, day
My momma told me don't let no one break me
Let no one break me
At end of the day, day,
Nobody, nobody, ever could stop me
Ever could stop me
At the end of the day, day
You cant regret it if you were trying
If you were trying
At the end of the day, day
I'm walking with a heart of a lion, yea
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (yeah, yeah, yeah)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (yeah, yeah, yeah)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (yeah, yeah, yeah)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (yeah, yeah, yeah)
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
"Please save a kid that needs some help" is the opening line of Kid Cudi's "Heart of a Lion," a song that has a strong emotional appeal. Cudi, in this track, is expressing his yearning for help and the feeling that nothing can help him. He expresses that he needs something to help him out, and weed, he believes, is like a safe haven for him where he can find peace. The song is about his struggle with the devil, and how he won't let the devil take his soul; he will remain vigilant and always ready. He likens his struggle with the devil to David's struggle with Goliath. He tells the devil, "You can try again, and I'll be ready; won't let you kill me in my dream like Freddy Kruger." The song is very powerful because it speaks to the larger concept of the human condition and our struggle with the demons that haunt us.
Cudi's mom advised him, "My momma told me don't let no one break me, at end of the day, day, nobody, nobody, ever could stop me." This is symbolic of women's wisdom and strength as Cudi's mom is his source of strength in this song. Although he may have been broken, he refuses to let anyone else break him. He is walking with the heart of a lion, which means that he is courageous, determined, and strong, and these attributes will not allow anyone to stop him.
The repetition of "No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea" is a coping mechanism that Cudi uses when his thoughts become too overwhelming. He repeats this phrase to remind himself that he is in control of the situation and to regain his focus. The song speaks to the emotional turmoil that people face in their daily lives and how we can use our inner strength to overcome these obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
Please save a kid that needs some help
The artist is asking for help for someone in need.
And I can't begin to think of anything that could help
The artist is feeling powerless and unable to come up with a solution to the problem at hand.
But the weed is guaranteed indeed
The artist is resorting to marijuana as a means of coping with the situation.
Just what I need
The artist believes that weed is the solution he needs.
How I feel upon a time
The artist is reflecting on his past experiences and memories.
So recent in time make me sad
The artist is feeling emotional about recent past events.
When I recollect how it use to be like David and Goliath
The artist reflects on how he used to feel powerful and invincible, much like the biblical story of David and Goliath.
Kinda like me and the Devil
The artist feels like he's in a constant battle with the Devil, who represents his inner demons and fears.
Tryna rip out my soul
The Devil, or the artist's inner demons and struggles, is trying to destroy him emotionally and mentally.
Tryna catch a nigga on sleep no no
The artist feels like he's being constantly attacked, even in his sleep.
You can try again and I'll be ready
The artist is resilient and determined to overcome his struggles and challenges.
Wont let you kill me in my dream like Freddy Kruger
The artist is referencing the famous horror film character Freddy Kruger, symbolizing his fear of being destroyed emotionally and mentally even in his dreams.
No I'm not no loser I'll see you in hell
The artist refuses to be beaten by his struggles and confidently declares that he will overcome them and come out on top.
At the end of the day, day
The artist is acknowledging the end of a long day or time period.
My momma told me don't let no one break me
The artist's mother has given him valuable advice to stay strong and not let anyone bring him down.
Let no one break me
The artist is reiterating his mother's advice to himself.
At end of the day, day,
The artist is emphasizing that the end of the day is an important time for reflection and self-evaluation.
Nobody, nobody, ever could stop me
The artist believes that he is unstoppable and cannot be defeated.
Ever could stop me
The artist reiterates his belief that he cannot be defeated.
You cant regret it if you were trying
The artist believes that there is no reason to regret something if he gave it his all.
If you were trying
The artist reiterates that effort is key and that trying is important.
I'm walking with a heart of a lion, yea
The artist is expressing his inner strength and determination to overcome his struggles.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (the heart of lion)
The artist repeats the phrase 'the heart of lion' as a symbol of his strength and determination.
I'm just a kid who needs no help I've achieved
The artist is expressing that he is capable of achieving great things on his own, despite being young and in need of guidance.
A bigger thing no cash or check could be more blessed
The artist believes that his inner strength and determination are worth more than any financial reward.
And if you would've seen the things I've seen
The artist is referencing his past struggles and challenges, which have given him strength and resilience.
Up in my slumber you'd be sure stay awake
The artist's struggles haunt him even in his sleep and would be disturbing to anyone who saw them first-hand.
No need to run your fate would follow you
The artist believes that running from struggles and challenges is pointless, as they will always catch up to you in the end.
You should know not for the faint at heart
The artist is warning that his struggles and challenges are not for the weak or easily discouraged.
This world understands no cowards
The artist believes that the world rewards bravery and strength, and punishes cowardice and weakness.
Its a goal a simple code I stay on the grind 'til the 25th hour
The artist believes in working hard and staying focused on his goals, even if it means working longer and harder than anyone else.
And I know the fight in me is somewhere
The artist is confident that he has the inner strength and determination to overcome any challenge.
Hiding deep within I told you no
The artist is reassuring himself that his inner strength will always be there to guide him.
I'll never let you drag me down to hell no
The artist is expressing his determination to never give up or be defeated by his struggles, no matter how difficult they may be.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no yea no yea (yeah, yeah, yeah)
The artist repeats the phrase 'yeah, yeah, yeah' as a display of his inner strength and determination.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JEAN BAPTISTE KOUAME, MICHAEL MCHENRY, SCOTT RAMON SEGURO MESCUDI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind