Tag Archives: Complex Magazine

Kid Cudi explores dark depths and paves a positive future in latest Complex spread

Scott Mescudi, better known by his stage name Kid Cudi, graces the cover of Complex Magazine for the sixth time in the zine’s February/March issue. His cover story conducted by Complex’s Director of Content Strategy Joe La Puma is available to read online, as are the stills from his photoshoot. Cudder is known to open himself up and provide candid responses in his Complex interviews and this most recent conversation doesn’t deviate from the norm. He’s all over the spectrum here; he discusses the depression that took place after he broke up with his girlfriend, popping prescription pills which didn’t take the pain away and only made it worse, seeing a therapist and realizing he had to cut the meds out of the picture entirely and get his mind right. He also went into how he’s dealing with the loss of his father at a young age and he talked about the controversy that came out of his public child custody case. He explained his definition of what it means to be “cool” and his take on the current state of hip-hop, he shared his disappointment on his lack of more contribution to Kanye’s Curel Summer record, and he expressed his general excitement over producing his own beats now. His fourth studio album Indicud is on track to drop this year, and Kid Cudi couldn’t be in a better place. Watch a peaceful Scott Mescudi introduce his next phase in music in a video embedded at the end of the interview.

Read the interview in full at ComplexUpdate: The zine has released more quotes that didn’t make it into the cover story interview. Cudder opens up about quitting weed, having creative control over his content, and he addresses head-on the Illuminati symbols he threw into his latest music video.

G.O.O.D. Music covers Complex Magazine

We’ve seen Kid Cudi cover don the cover multiple times, but now nearly every member of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label has the time to shine in this month’s issue of Complex Magazine. In a four-page interview (available online and in print), Complex’s  Noah Callahan-Bever talks with G.O.O.D. Music members Big Sean, Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Common, John Legend, Q-Tip, and 2 Chainz about what it’s like working with Kanye West inside the studio and how he helped jumpstart and innovate their careers. Since ‘Ye advocates a “no press” policy, this makes for an interesting read for all fans of ‘Ye and his labelmates because it dives into material that otherwise would never make it out in the open.

The interview starts off with the artists talking about what G.O.O.D. Music means to them. John Legend sums it up nicely when he says, “We want to be known for quality. We want to be known for stuff that we all can be proud of. That creativity, that attention to detail, that quality control—that’s what distinguishes us from other folks who might just be chasing a hit. Kanye picks artists who care about making great art. We all want to make money and do well, but we also want to make great art that’s important and interesting.” From there they discuss how Kanye carries the torch and gets involved in their respective music making processes. In the end, these hip-hop musicians are a family, and under Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Music umbrella they help each other push out quality music that pushes the boundaries of the genre to new heights.

Read the interview in full right here. Look in the gallery below to browse pictures from the zine’s photoshoot. Jump after the break to watch a behind-the-scenes video from said photoshoot; in it you’ll hear the various G.O.O.D. artists expound their statements put forth in the interview.

And, for those of you wondering, the G.O.O.D. Music album Cruel Summer is now set to release September 4.

Update: During the photoshoot, Complex pulled Kid Cudi aside to ask him a few questions regarding his relationship to ‘Ye and Cud explained how his mentor will always remain an integral part of his music making process. He also comments on his upcoming solo album dubbed Indicud saying, “I’ve been writing some really serious raps. I’ve been writing some sh*t that’s going to fu*k people up. And it’s about that time that I let n****s know.” Read the mini interview here.

[Via Complex]
Continue reading G.O.O.D. Music covers Complex Magazine

Kid Cudi pieces together his life of fame in latest Complex cover story

Rapper Kid Cudi finds himself on the cover of Complex Magazine for the third time in so many years. In this latest cover story interview with Complex editor-in-chief Noah Callahan-Bever, Cudi opens up about his murky past consisting of drinking and smoking, how things have changed for the better managing a sober lifestyle, and the inspiration behind playing guitar and forming the Wizard album. You can read the interview in full right here; below I’ve copied a couple of standout moments.

When asked about why he spend so much time with fellow rapper Kanye West: “I was at another place, another dark place. Me and my girl had broken up. I wasn’t fully healed yet. And being around Kanye and music was my escape. He’s a sober guy, he has a drink every once in a while, but seeing how he throws himself into the studio when he’s stressing about something, I totally admire that. Being around that was therapy for me.

When asked to look two years into the future: “I’m always going to be working on something because I have too many ideas. Every day I come up with some wild fucking idea, some type of scheme. I feel like I have a purpose and if I don’t create then I’m letting myself down. I’ve been given this opportunity for people to listen to me worldwide. I’m just gonna fucking keep rocking and keep rocking and keep rocking until I’m in a wheelchair somewhere.

Browse pictures from the photoshoot below, and watch some behind-the-scenes action after the break.

[Via Complex; DatNewCudi] Continue reading Kid Cudi pieces together his life of fame in latest Complex cover story

Kanye West covers Complex, offers a peek inside Hawaii studio

Today Kanye West’s fifth studio album released.  My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has been a long time in the making.  After being shunned by controversy (read: the Swift incident), Kanye left the public spotlight and eventually made his back into the studio to create new content.  Complex editor-in-chief Noah Callahan-Bever gained access into Avex Honolulu Studios in Oahu, Hawaii during Kanye’s peak of creativty as the master rapper and producer worked day and night on Twisted Fantasy.  ‘Ye covers the December 2010/January 2011 cover of Complex, and in it Callahan-Bever takes the reader through the life and times of Kanye working on the album.  The article has been posted and it’s an intriguing look into the way Kanye handles his business when he means business.  The first half of the article follows Kanye in the studio and sheds light on his extremely high level of dedication towards his music.  The second half features block quotes from Twisted Fantasy collaborators and guest artists such as Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver), Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Nicki Minaj, and Q-Tip.  Read the article here.  Also, be sure to look in the gallery below to browse through some stills from the story; click here to view the full Complex gallery.

[Via Complex]

Kid Cudi acknowledges his dark past and promises a brighter future in Complex cover story

In the October issue of Complex Magazine Kid Cudi opens up to his fans by journeying back to his not-so-distant dark past.  Beyond opening up about his heavy drug use, his night in jail, and the big reveal that he has a daughter, Cudder talks about his competition (or lack thereof), the meaning behind the tracks “REVOFEV”, “Wylin’ ‘Cause I’m Young”, “Erase Me”, and “Mr. Rager”, and the encompassing theme behind his upcoming second studio album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (11/9).

On why he opted to create another dark album, instead of making a fun collab: “When I started making records like “Erase Me.” I wanted this album to be fun, but the dark sh– was my life at that time. I was fighting not to write that sh–. It got frustrating writing a collab album—I just lost interest, and it became more of a task, rather than something I wanted to do. That’s not how it’s supposed to feel. The day it becomes work, you need to retire.”

On MOTM2: “I want my sh– to be like you’re reading a novel, not a Dr. Seuss book. I felt like the last album was too short. This one is a little bit longer, it’s 18 tracks and counting. It’s just ten times better on all levels. The story’s deeper, darker, with no holding back. It’s beautiful, man. It’s an emotional album.”

Head over to Complex to read the explicit three page interview.  Look in the gallery below for some stills from the photoshoot and after the break to find a behind-the-scenes video.

[Via DatNewCudi; Complex]

Continue reading Kid Cudi acknowledges his dark past and promises a brighter future in Complex cover story