Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Take for example the case of 23-year-old Cleveland native Kid Cudi. From a distance many might write off the up and coming rapper for what might seem as alternative hip hop lifestyle. He doesn’t listen to the radio much, in fact when it comes to music hes more likely to get inspiration from The temptations or Coldplay then he would from what’s playing through the airwaves. Much of Cudi’s swagger seems to come from a more humble presence then the bragging nature that has become common amongst most rappers today. But what makes Cudi different is what seems to make him stand out nowadays. So much that he’s grabbed the attention of not one but two of the rap games big movers and it’s no surprise that they both came from the G.O.O.D music family. First with the attention of Plain Pat the A&R for Kanye West’s latest project Graduation and then the backing of his latest single by none other then Mr West’s personal Dj, DJ A-Trak trough Fool’s Gold records. But what is about the Kid from Cleveland who now calls Brooklyn home draw so much attention to him? Defsounds has a chat with him and attempts to find out just that.

Kid Cudi: I’m originally from a small middle class suburb in Cleveland, Ohio called Shaker Heights. I’ve lived in brooklyn for two and a half years but I’ve lived in New York in general for three years.

Kid Cudi: Well, I just felt like I needed to be around a better vibe. Kinda find myself as a person. New York always seemed like a carefree type of place to me and I knew I could advance better musically than in Cleveland because of the type of music I was doing.

Kid Cudi: I’m bringin something unique and creative, back in the days when cats was trying to get in the game, they really wanted to make a impact within it. Nowadays cats just wanna get a deal too make bread off some ringtones and such. There isn’t that many big thinkers out there as far as creativity and making records…I think with a Russell Simmons mind, I think of changing music and breaking down stereotypes of what type of music should be made in order to succeed in this business. Its not gimmicks that make you succeed because making money in the game isn’t much, your settling, it’s being able to be relevant ten to twenty years from now that counts…a legend. And all I’m trying to do is change things, make feel good music again and at the same time speak on behalf of the dreamers and the grinders. I Put my life in my music cause I know there’s people out there that think just like me.

Kid Cudi: New York has way more (hip-hop)culture and Cleveland is still building that. We haven’t solidified a sound, and I’m trying to do that. There’s a small scene of hip hop heads in Cleveland but I just wish it was bigger and more open minded

Kid Cudi: : Andre 3000, David Ruffin, Timbaland, Ratatat, Coldplay, Naughty by Nature, Snoop dogg…the list goes on forever(laughs) but those are my main cats right there, not in any kind of order right now I don’t listen to any rap though. Now I listen to mostly alternative rock and R&B for my inspiration.

Kid Cudi: : Cause there’s nothing really out right now that inspires me creatively. And when I’m working on a project I don’t wanna hear any kind of rap cause if I come up with an idea I want it to be because I genuinely came up with it, not subconsciously cause I heard it somewhere else.

Kid Cudi: In general…On da radio I mean. Well no fuck that, in general too(laughs). No one is really stepping it up creatively except a small few and thats my peoples at G.O.O.D music shameless shout out to Plain Pat.

Kid Cudi: Well, we first met when I had a label meeting wit Plain in February of 06 at Def Jam he eventually left Def Jam shortly after but we stayed in contact cause he was a fan of my music we eventually just sat down and came to the conclusion that we should sprinkle something out there to the people.

Kid Cudi: I was introduced to A-Trak at a party by plain pat, and Pat sent him the records, he was feeling them so he reached out to me and we set everything up.

Kid Cudi: People can expect mixtape joints coming soon from me on various mixtape like the Lamar N Dauley mixtape, A side B side, and the 88 keys mixtape prelude to his album called “adam’s case files”. As far as Day ‘N’ Nite the single drops on i-tunes and vinyl early December.

Kid Cudi: Shout out to Plain Pat, the whole Good music crew, A Trak and Fools Gold, Dante, Jr the camara man, Really Doe, Lex, Babs Bunny, killah coke aka Cherish, Tommy, Chris, Saint, kerry and all my peoples that have shown me mad love.

Article By Deemehlow for defsounds.com