Man On The Moon III: The Chosen Story

The long-awaited final installment of Kid Cudi's musical story “Man On The Moon” was finally released on December 11th. Titled “Man On The Moon III: The Chosen,” it’s about Kid Cudi’s fight with a portion or his personality personified in the character “Mr. Rager.” Mr. Rager is representative of Kid Cudi's impulsiveness. The album explores significant themes, making it an interesting listen.

"Throughout my life, I always felt isolated and lonely, which is where the metaphor of ‘Man on the Moon’ actually comes from. But, you know, over the years, I began to surround myself with friends and people I can trust, so I don’t really feel like a man on the moon anymore," said Kid Cudi in an interview with Apple.

This album is more than interesting melodies and catchy lyrics; Kid Cudi describes his battle with his own mind through music. The album was split into four different acts, each with its own set of songs.

The first act, “Return 2 Madness,” focuses on Kid Cudi's struggles with substance abuse. His song “Dive” has allusions to past struggles with alcohol. “Another Day” has much more direct ties to his mental health issues, such as depression, and the song ends with him admitting that his pain hasn’t disappeared and that he’s still the same old person. But he found the courage to keep going, singing, "Thank God I saw another day."

In the next act, “The Rager, The Menace” Cudi relates his deeper spiral into alcoholism, spending time discussing the painful process of getting through tough days, saying that he's "serving up heat and rages all around." He gets through the days, but painfully and angrily. Cudi's song Mr. Solo Dolo III centers around deception; he hides his substance abuse issues from others, all the while losing sleep and isolating himself. At this point in the story, Kid Cudi is hiding from others and saying he’s okay, presenting a stoic face to the world while concealing inner pain.

In act three, “Heart of Rose Gold,” Cudi finally starts to realize that he has a problem and that he needs to renew himself. He sings, "tryna be brand new, yeah, I’ll try.” Cudi begins trying to get help and get himself out of his pit of depression and substance abuse. He also explores themes of love. In the song “Sept. 16,” he talks of missing someone in his life, and that whenever he closes his eyes he sees her. He describes her love as euphoric and addictive.

The final act, act four: “Powers,” is about Cudi's eventual and gradual healing. In the song “4 Da Kidz,” he talks about how even though it might not feel like it, you’re never truly alone. Kid Cudi's father passed away from cancer when Cudi himself was only 11 years old.This life-shattering event heavily influenced his music, leading him to explore more significant and impactful themes. In the same song, Cudi says that you should take everything slow and let time pass, always seeking to live your life to the fullest.

In the final song, “Lord I Know,” Cudi says that everything is a blessing and that he can't miss his perfect moment. He says that he won’t be a victim of the devil, that he doesn't want to fall down that path again. While a variety of themes and subjects are explored in the album, it all culminates in this final track exploring the importance of acceptance and renewal. While Kid Cudi's music has a lot to offer in terms of beauty and style, is also often imparts a significant deeper message, and this album is no exception.