Kid Cudi: Insano (1/26/2024)

Kid Cudi: INSANO [Republic, 2024] As a neophyte of 21st-century hip-hop, this was my first listen of Cudi’s material. Previously, my diet of hip hop was strictly ‘80s-’90s, and as of now, it will be staying that way, because the music here is bland in production and painfully boring. There is no “rapping” here, so to speak, no Rap-God moments of lore. All of the rapping is bland speak-singing drowned in synthesizers, and is so uninteresting that you forget most of what Cudi is saying. Even the best song, the ridiculously titled “ELECTROWAVEBABY” is mostly forgettable. At worst, the music is hookless and middling, “MOST AIN'T DENNIS” is compositionally disjointed and executed joylessly, and “AT THE PARTY” is awkward rather than compelling. At least on “WOW,” him and A$AP ROCKY are sort of… having fun? Novel concept. [4.8/10]