MTV Article – My Night Out With Kid Cudi

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida — Last week, on one of the hottest days of Spring Break, Ohio born Kid Cudi opened up for Lil Wayne on our main stage and rocked the crowd with his single “Day ‘N’ Nite.” After Cudi’s mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi, was released, he caught the attention of Kanye West and was signed to the G.O.O.D. Music label (some years afterCudi had introduced himself to Kanye in New York). Cudi, of course, was named one of our “MCs to Watch in 2009″ earlier this year.

After Cudi’s performance, he and I (wearing virtually the same exact outfit by chance — I’m almost as obsessed with his style as his music!) decided to have a few drinks and brave Panama City Beach’s La Vela nightclub together. I was psyched to get the chance to talk to him, since he’d been on my radar for the past few months. The kid seems to have the respect of every rapper in the game, but never forgets what’s important to him: his art and his fans. It was almost impossible to have a continuous conversation with Cudi — fans and spring breakers approached him constantly, asking for photographs and autographs. He took and signed every single one, engaging every single person in lengthy conversation. When I did get to talk to him, his passion for his work and for the fans was just about as genuine as it gets. “If you believe in something — like, not just say it and like the idea of it, I mean literally believe and see what you want everytime you close your eyes — then it’s your destiny,” he said. “That’s how I felt about music and acting. There was nothing else I’d rather do. Hell, there wasn’t anything else I was good at … well, being a goofball, but that’s it,” he told me.

While Cudi’s music brings energy to a crowd that gets even the most intoxicated of spring-breakers up to dance, his lyrics have depth. “People don’t really understand yet what I’m really all about,” he said. “All I can really say is, ‘Listen.’ As simple as that sounds, that’s all that can be done. Try not to think I’m suicidal either — I’m just a brokenhearted, sensitive kid who lost a whole lot before he was even in middle school.” Cudi will be releasing his first full length, Man on the Moon, this summer.

After he finished talking to his fans, I asked him what’s the best thing about talking to them. He replied, “Fans are honest. Bloggers and everyone say what they wanna say, but fans will tell me, ‘Yo Cudi, I wasn’t really feeling that freestyle, but that other track was awesome.’ I love them. They’re honest.” As Cudi’s music evolves and his fame increases, which it undoubtedly will, I have no doubt that he’ll hold onto his style, humble nature, positive attitude, and fans.