Man on the Moon, Vol. 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager

by Kid Cudi

Overview

Kid Cudi's Man on the Moon II was released in a year where rap album sequels were common, but unlike most of the competition, this sequel has a very strong link to its predecessor. It's actually the outcome of the alt-rap star's breakthrough debut as it deals with fame, and Cudi's admittedly unwise way of handling it, liquid cocaine. As a result, you have to care quite a bit about this Mr. Solo Dolo character for Man on the Moon II to fully work its magic. Cudi's opening line "You are now in the world that I'm ruining" is a spot-on warning as the album slowly spirals down into sourness and regret, but just like on his debut, the soundscape is spacy and far-reaching, making this interstellar therapy session a much more interesting transmission. At its best, it's fascinating, like when rapper Cage and indie singer St. Vincent whirl in a paranoid black hole dubbed "Maniac," while Cudi issues more warnings with "I love the darkness, yea, I'd like to marry it". "Don't Play This Song," with Mary J. Blige, puts it even more bluntly with "Wanna know what it sounds like when I'm not on drugs?/Please, please don't play this song" while the great "Wild'n Cuz I'm Young" tells snooping blogs they shouldn't bother, he'll tell his own story. Elsewhere, he seems admirably open to the idea of disgrace, but those who grow tired of the star's indulgences will have to wait around for the out of place yet welcome numbers, like the Kanye West and rock guitar feature "Erase Me" or the dream pop influenced "Marijuana" which runs 4:20 for a reason. In the end, the lonely stoner of his debut seemed to have a wider appeal, but the contradictory, troubled artist presented here will give the Cudi faithful much more to ponder. Everything else is equal, so skeptically ease yourself in or take the full dive accordingly. ~ David Jeffries

Product Details

Release Date:	11/09/2010
Label:	Dream On / Good Music / Island / Motown / Universal / Universal Records
UPC:	0602527468037

Tracks

1. Scott Mescudi vs. the World
2. Revofev
3. Don't Play This Song
4. We Aite (Wake Your Mind Up)
5. Marijuana
6. Mojo so Dope
7. Ashin' Kusher
8. Erase Me
9. Wild'n Cuz Im Young
10. The Mood
11. Maniac
12. Mr. Rager
13. These Worries
14. The End
15. All Along
16. Ghost!
17. Trapped in My Mind

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kid Cudi   Primary Artist,Vocals
St. Vincent   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
GLC   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Chip Tha Ripper   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Nicole Wray   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
CeeLo Green   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Kanye West   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Mary J. Blige   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Cage   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Frank Romano   Guitar
J.P. Keller   Bass,Guitar
Jp Keller   Guitar,Guitar (Bass)
Jim Jonsin   Keyboards
Emile Haynie   Keyboards,Synthesizer
Larry Gold   Strings,Conductor
Mike Dean   Organ,Piano,Guitar
Scott Mescudi   Director
Ken Lewis   Bass,Guitar,Woodwind,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Guitar (Bass)
Ray Bradley   Guitar

Technical Credits

K-West   Composer
Frank Romano   Composer
Fridolin Nordso   Composer
Anthony Kronfle   Engineer
Blended Babies   Producer
J.P. Keller   Composer
A.E. Clark   Composer
Christian Mochizuki   Engineer
Cristian Plata   Assistant
F.N. Schjoldan   Composer
F. Romano   Composer
Anne E. Clark   Composer
James Purdie   Composer
Jonathan Keller   Composer
Fridolin Tai Nordso Schjoldan   Composer
Anthony Kilhoffer   Engineer,Producer,Vocal Engineer,Mixing,Composer
St. Vincent   Composer
Robert Marks   Mixing
Manny Marroquin   Mixing,Producer
Ryan West   Mixing,Engineer
Jim Jonsin   Producer,Programming
James Wisner   Engineer
R. Perry   Composer
Kevin Porter   Engineer
Pat Reynolds   Composer
Graham Marsh   Engineer,Vocal Engineer
Vlado Meller   Mastering
Chip Tha Ripper   Engineer
Kid Cudi   Executive Producer
Leonard Harris   Composer,Engineer
Sean McCoy   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Sandy Brummels   Creative Director
Patrick "Plain Pat" Reynolds   Executive Producer
Pamela Littky   Photography
Matt Huber   Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Anthony Wright   Engineer
Chris Palko   Composer
Brent Kolatalo   Engineer
Billy Zarro   Product Manager
Chuck Inglish   Producer
Andrew Wright   Engineer
Emile Haynie   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Executive Producer
Nigil Mack   A&R
Larry Gold   String Arrangements
Richard Parry   Composer
Rusty Evans   Composer
Victoria Pike   Composer
Patrick Reynolds   Composer
Rich Perry   Composer,Engineer
R. Evans   Composer,Producer
Kanye West   Composer
Nicole Wray   Composer
Christian Plata   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Evan Ingersoll   Composer
Erik Madrid   Assistant,Mixing Assistant
Ghazi Hourani   Engineer
Jason Wilkie   Assistant
J. Scheffer   Composer
James Scheffer   Composer
Dot Da Genius   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Oladipo Omishore   Composer
Mark Santangelo   Assistant
Scott Mescudi   Design,Composer,Art Direction
Anders Rhedin   Composer
Plain Pat   Producer
Jennifer Beal   Producer
Jannis Noya Makrigiannis   Composer
Skip Mahoney   Composer
T. Randazzo   Composer
Teddy Randazzo   Composer
Richard Perry   Composer
Charles Worth   Composer