This album starts off with “Feel The Love”. Cudi’s hook here is so haunting and sticks with you long after this album is over. This one features a pretty flooring verse from Pusha T, who after all he already gave us on “DAYTONA” he still has plenty to give here. This one is absolutely freakin’ wild and in your face. While in the past, I feel like you could have made a very solid argument that Kanye was being weird on albums like “Yeezus” just for the sake of being weird. But this, THIS genuinely sounds like Kanye is absolutely freaking out, and I can’t get enough of it This is a fantastic start to one of the wildest and most genuinely exciting rap albums you’re going to hear this year. Then we have “Fire” which pulls heavily from the Rock spectrum with this hard Rock riff underneath. The fact that tracks like this aren’t absolutely cheesy and ridiculous is bonkers. This is one of the more aggressive, in your face tracks here. But that doesn’t stop Kanye from dropping some truly bizarre and strange samples. And Cudi, for a guy I’ve always been on the fence with because of just how hit and miss he’s been in the past, sounds wonderful here. Like, he sounds right at home between all of these weirdo beats and Psychedelic atmospheres. And his very positive, forward-thinking lyrics push home the fact that he’s in so much of a better place, with is awesome in its own right. Then we have “4th Dimension”, which mere seconds in this is already one of the most bizarre Rap tracks I’ve heard this year. Between this sort of Old School Christmas song sample and Kanye’s very aggressive and energetic verse, this track is awesome. There are some hilarious one-liners from Kanye, but just as many mind-blowing ones that would have ended up nicely on “The College Dropout”. That’s right fans, take THAT era of Kanye mashed up with the almost horrifyingly experimental “New Kanye”. There are freakish samples, bizarre lines, and Cudi and Kanye seem to be at their most fearless. And speaking of Cudi, he sounds rejuvenated to the point where I haven’t heard him this conscious since like “Man On the Moon 2”. Then we have “Freeee (Ghost Town Pt. 2)” which is much more in your face in an almost freakish way. But that’s not without Kanye or Cudi having some fun. It’s just such an explosive track, and the sheer amount of chemistry between these two is incredible. There have been Rock elements on the rest of this album obviously, but this is next level, to the point where it sounds like these two are rapping over some big, muscular, 70’s Hard Rock riff. But there isn’t anything here that comes off cheesy. Not to mention, if you’ve been keeping up with Cudi in general, hearing this and hearing him free of everything that once brought him down is pretty fantastic on a different level.
Then we have “Reborn”. I have to salute this album not only for being wildly experimental, and truly the freakiest album in Rap this year. But the contrast between the light and dark of these men’s Psyche’s, and how it ends up being a positive mention at the end of the day is incredible. I would honestly recommend reading up a little on Cudi’s last few years if you have a strong stomach because to hear him on this track in this atmosphere will make it that much more satisfying. Then we have Kanye’s bars here which are some of his most down to earth bars I’ve heard from him in years. This isn’t the God-Complexed Kanye that crafted “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”. This is the flawed, human Kanye we met years ago when he was much younger. Not to mention, Cudi’s hook is just so hypnotic. The title track “Kids See Ghosts” is one of the more straightforward tunes here, with a beat that’s much more by the books as well. This has some strong grooves, and Cudi’s very moody singing here comes off wonderfully. Not only does this album show that Kanye has really positioned himself as a true experimentalist, but Cudi has come full circle in a way that I couldn’t be happier to hear. And also, while this holds a LOT of ties to “Ye”, this is also much more aggressive and exciting, as well as colorful. This album ends off with “Cudi Montage”, which honestly may be my favorite track here. This track I think we can all agree is what Cudi had in mind for his “Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven” album years ago. We get this very grungy guitar riff, sampled from Kurt Cobain’s “Montage of Heck” recordings. And over that, we have Cudi really taking the floor in a big way, and to be honest he sounds incredible. I’ve always been so iffy on his sort os half sung, half-rapped verses. But here, they come off refreshing and absolutely cool. Not to mention, I love how tortured this one starts off, which eventually transitions into the same positive vibes of some of the earlier tunes. And to wrap it all up we have Kayne dropping a lot of similar lines the likes he spat on “Ye”. That one line about everyone wanting world peace until they got their kneecaps shot out was actually pretty stunning, only Kanye man. Even his more sung verses here are powerful and epic, even beautiful. This track is incredible, and the fact that this album is so short is a crime.
Then we have “Reborn”. I have to salute this album not only for being wildly experimental, and truly the freakiest album in Rap this year. But the contrast between the light and dark of these men’s Psyche’s, and how it ends up being a positive mention at the end of the day is incredible. I would honestly recommend reading up a little on Cudi’s last few years if you have a strong stomach because to hear him on this track in this atmosphere will make it that much more satisfying. Then we have Kanye’s bars here which are some of his most down to earth bars I’ve heard from him in years. This isn’t the God-Complexed Kanye that crafted “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”. This is the flawed, human Kanye we met years ago when he was much younger. Not to mention, Cudi’s hook is just so hypnotic. The title track “Kids See Ghosts” is one of the more straightforward tunes here, with a beat that’s much more by the books as well. This has some strong grooves, and Cudi’s very moody singing here comes off wonderfully. Not only does this album show that Kanye has really positioned himself as a true experimentalist, but Cudi has come full circle in a way that I couldn’t be happier to hear. And also, while this holds a LOT of ties to “Ye”, this is also much more aggressive and exciting, as well as colorful. This album ends off with “Cudi Montage”, which honestly may be my favorite track here. This track I think we can all agree is what Cudi had in mind for his “Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven” album years ago. We get this very grungy guitar riff, sampled from Kurt Cobain’s “Montage of Heck” recordings. And over that, we have Cudi really taking the floor in a big way, and to be honest he sounds incredible. I’ve always been so iffy on his sort os half sung, half-rapped verses. But here, they come off refreshing and absolutely cool. Not to mention, I love how tortured this one starts off, which eventually transitions into the same positive vibes of some of the earlier tunes. And to wrap it all up we have Kayne dropping a lot of similar lines the likes he spat on “Ye”. That one line about everyone wanting world peace until they got their kneecaps shot out was actually pretty stunning, only Kanye man. Even his more sung verses here are powerful and epic, even beautiful. This track is incredible, and the fact that this album is so short is a crime.
Rating: 8.6/10
Give A Listen To: “4th Dimension”, “Cudi Montage”, “Feel The Love”, "Reborn"
Least Favorite Track: I’ve got nothin’
Genre: Psychedelic Rap / Some Rap-Rock hybrid that somehow isn’t cheesy” / Experimental Rap
Overall Thoughts: On every level, this is the most exciting and wildly creative Rap album 2018 has given us yet. Kanye's production choices and Kid Cudi's hooks haven't been this spot on for years. Not to mention, like I said in Kanye's "Ye" review if you thought albums like "Yeezus" were maybe a little shallow, this is genuinely strange and experimental in the best ways. But it's more than that. It's honestly the companion piece to "Ye" that we didn't know we need. It wraps up a lot of thoughts that Kanye had there. And Cudi, my lord Kid Cudi. This is a guy who years ago I was truly worried about the sanity of. And hearing him here, in this very positive, genuinely healthy light, It's nothing short of remarkable. Not only is "Kids See Ghosts" and truly well-written exercise in positivity, it continues to break the mold for what modern Rap and Hip Hop can be. It's a crime it's so short.
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