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.
The Ruler and the Killer
Kid Cudi Lyrics
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All of you belong to me
Come on, we should get it going
Now what I want is specific
Respect what I have done for thee
The ruler and the killer baby
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
To the ruler and the killer baby
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
To the ruler and the killer baby
Listen to me
Keep your mind on the mission
Remember you belong to me
Come on, we should get it going
Now what I want is specific
You putting on a show for me
The ruler and the killer baby
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
To the ruler and the killer baby
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
To the ruler and the killer baby
Please pay attention
You know all you belong to me
Come on, we should get it going
Survival of the fittest, hey hey
Lose and you will answer to me
The ruler and the killer baby
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
To the ruler and the killer baby
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
To the ruler and the killer baby
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
To the ruler and the killer baby
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
To the ruler and the killer baby
The lyrics of “The Ruler and the Killer” by Kid Cudi present a message of control and authority. The singer repeats the line “you don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay” multiple times throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of silence and obedience. The repeated use of the phrase “the ruler and the killer baby” also reinforces the idea of power and domination. The singer demands respect and recognition for his accomplishments, telling his audience to “respect what I have done for thee.”
The song can be interpreted as a message to those who underestimate the singer's power or authority. He wants his audience to recognize and acknowledge his influence, warning that those who do not comply will "answer to me." Moreover, the lyrics suggest that the singer sees himself as the one who controls the situation and the one who determines who is "fit" enough to survive.
In summary, "The Ruler and the Killer" is a song that emphasizes the need for obedience and recognition of authority. It can be interpreted as a warning to those who underestimate the singer's power, and as a message to his followers to stay silent and comply with his demands.
Line by Line Meaning
When I talk you should listen
Follow my instructions.
All of you belong to me
You are under my command.
Come on, we should get it going
Let's get started with what needs to be done.
Now what I want is specific
I have clear expectations.
Respect what I have done for thee
Appreciate my contributions or achievements.
The ruler and the killer baby
I am both a powerful leader and a dangerous enforcer.
You don't talk, you don't say nothing, okay
You should remain quiet unless spoken to.
Listen to me
Pay attention to what I'm saying.
Keep your mind on the mission
Stay focused on the task at hand.
You putting on a show for me
Don't pretend or act fake.
Please pay attention
Take notice of what I'm going to say.
Survival of the fittest, hey hey
Only the strongest and smartest will succeed.
Lose and you will answer to me
Face consequences if you fail.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: T-BONE BURNETT, SCOTT RAMON SEGURO MESCUDI, GREG WELLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind