A Man Named Scott recounts the career and rise to fame of Kid Cudi (Scott Mescudi), an artist who inspired countless others and helped shape modern hip-hop. This biographical documentary consists of a series of interviews, both with Scott and some of his closest friends and collaborators; along with concert/media footage of Cudi. The interviewees all work together to paint a vivid picture of Scott’s rise to stardom, and his struggles along the way.

From before the release of his breakout single Day ‘n Nite all the way to the release of Man On The Moon 3, the movie follows Scott throughout the ups and downs of his career. Scott has always been open about his struggles through his music, though the documentary adds clarity to much of his mental health battle and issues with substance abuse. Cudi and his collaborators do not shy away from discussing the issues he faced, including the loss of his father and his crippling loneliness.

The star studded cast of interviewees includes some of the biggest names in music and Hollywood, like Kanye West, Timothėe Chalamet, Shia LaBeouf and more. All of them help put together an image of Cudi using their memories and experiences with him. All of these people had one thing in common when speaking about Scott, they say how he was always unafraid to be himself and be open about his emotions.

These characteristics are what brought him to where he is now, and why he has connected with so many young people. Kid Cudi’s influence on a generation of artists is clear to see now, with young musicians such as Asap Rocky, Willow and Jaden Smith all citing him as a large part of who they are now. His tendency to reinvent himself again and again has kept him relevant in hip-hop for nearly 2 decades. The documentary helps explain how Scott uses his creativity and expression to cope with his emotions, which is something he believes everyone should do.

The director, Robert Alexander, uses creative editing techniques to cut between classic Kid Cudi tracks, concerts and interviews. The movie’s visuals are very unique, and feature many memorable moments from Scott’s career and history. For anyone who is a fan of Kid Cudi, or just wants to learn more about this legendary artist, I would absolutely recommend this documentary.

A Man Named Scott is available to stream on Prime Video.