Kid Cudi channels his inner rocker in the video for the first single off of his upcoming sophomore album, “Erase Me.” The video co-stars actor Christopher Mintz-Plasse (much better known as McLovin) as a bandmate in the 70′s-esque rock band that Cudi fronts, while donning a Hendrix look, complete with the headband and ‘fro. The video contains all of the clichés associated with a rock band: booze, ridiculously attractive women in high numbers and an annoying, yet ego-boosting journalist.
Wearing a crown of golden leaves rather than a crown of thorns, Kanye appears toward the end for his verse, and thankfully only has about a minute of screen time since he barely does anything for the video’s rock vibe. Check out the video below:
On the magazines and the TV is right, as Cudi is just beginning promotion for his new album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, which hits stores on November 9th. This month, Cudi covers Complex magazine and reveals that he already has plans for his third album, his upcoming side project with electronic duo Ratatat, getting kicked off of the tour with Lady GaGa. Here are some excerpts:
Complex: Do you think there will be a time when you focus more on acting than music?
Kid Cudi: I have no desire to rap. It’s child’s play to me. I used to beat myself up about people saying that I couldn’t rap—but then I realized that my raps are so fucking advanced, I can’t expect people to get them. And people will still be like, “no, nigga, it’s because your raps are so weak.” I’m not trying to fancy you with different ways to speak the English language. I’m telling you some stories. If you don’t like the stories, okay, fine. But by no means is my shit wack; by no means can I not rap. And that’s why this shit is no fun to me. I’ve already proven to myself, “Scott, you’re good, you’ve delivered on the rap front.” I don’t need to prove that to anyone else. My fans will tell you all day that I can rap. That’s all I need.
Complex: Is that why you’re getting more into fusing rap with rock?
Kid Cudi: Yes, because it’s more fun, it’s a new thing for me to accomplish. It’s really dope people are riding with me, people are taking that journey, I know it’s hard for people to follow along with an artist like me, because I can do so much and have so many different styles.
Complex: Where do you see your third album going?
Kid Cudi: Oh, I plan on doing a rock album. I’ll probably start that shit now. Also, I plan on putting my music out for free. If I could right now, I’d put this album out for free. I don’t think it’s right to sell it, it’s too good, people just need to have it. It’s like the Bible. Why people sell the Bible when it’s supposed to be the word? A lot of people think I’m crazy, but if you think about it, I’m not making any money off that shit anyway. I make money off of shows. I’ll put my music out for free and tour for long as fuck. [Laughs.] I’m going to start my own band, and me and RATATAT are forming our own band, that’s its own thing. My next shit is going to sound like Boston, Cheap Trick, and Jim Morrison all thrown into one. It’s going to be real and authentic.
Complex: When you dropped “Cudder Is Back,” a lot of people got psyched about it. But you’re never one to really drop a lot of freestyles.
Kid Cudi: I just be doing that shit for fun, to show niggas I’m nice. I remember I heard Cam say that shit a long time ago. He was like “man, I just be rapping to show niggas I’m nice.” I thought that was so cool. I was like, “I can’t wait ’til I don’t feel like I need to rap because I’m too nice.” And just as I was telling you before, a lot of people that say I can’t rap or whatever, it just took me recently to realize that it’s not that I can’t rap, it’s that my shit is too advanced for niggas to even fathom or imagine it. You know what I’m saying? It’s like a couple years ago, niggas was just like, “aww, this fag and these tight pants!” You know what I’m saying? Niggas just couldn’t imagine everyone else wearing pants that were form-fitting. Now look. You know what I’m saying? So with the freestyles, I just do it for fun. If I hear something that I like, I’m rapping on it. Just like with the “All Talk” shit. Me and Big Chip were in the studio just doing shrooms, hanging out. You know we had some people there, just kicking it. That’s why my voice is like that. I’m fucked up. Like have you noticed my tone on the song? I’m so fucked up.
PS, I’m baaaaack.
xx Krystal
