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Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven

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Untitled

Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Kid Cudi. The album was released on December 4, 2015, through Republic Records and Cudi's Wicked Awesome Records imprint. The album is a complete departure from his previous projects, excluding WZRD, a 2012 collaborative effort which was his first venture into rock music. Inspired by the 1990's indie music scene, Cudi included commissioned skits featuring Mike Judge voicing the titular characters of his 90's animated sitcom, Beavis and Butt-Head.

Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, described by Cudi as alternative music,[1][2] is the follow-up to his 2014 digital release, Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon. Serving as a double disc effort, the album comes with 26 tracks in total, with the actual album on Side A containing 18, while Side B is composed of eight tracks, which are mostly demos and outtakes. The album, primarily produced by Cudi himself, was supported by two official singles, "Confused!" and "Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven".

Background

After the unexpected release of his fourth album Satellite Flight: The Journey to Mother Moon (2014), which Kid Cudi called a prelude to the third installment in the Man on the Moon series and "the bridge between INDICUD and MOTM3", it was believed his following album would be the long-awaited Man on the Moon III.[3][4] However, in a January 2015 interview, at the Sundance Film Festival, Cudi expressed the possibility of releasing another album before the release of Man on the Moon III:

"I'm always making music. The beauty in that is that I have a lot of material. And I'm actually thinking that it would be good to release something in the meantime, before Man on the Moon III comes out. Another Kid Cudi album, it's just kind of along the lines of what I did with Indicud or Satellite Flight, which is just its own standalone thing but still a Kid Cudi album. The Man on the Moon III album is something that's gonna take some time but I know the fans are gonna be patient and I really appreciate that guys, thank you for your patience. But Man on the Moon III is coming, there may be an album before that just to tide you over."[5][6]

On April 4, 2015, Cudi announced via Twitter, that he would soon be releasing a new album titled Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, prior to Man on the Moon III.[7] When speaking on the album in early July 2015, Cudi stated: "This album is 100% the purest form of my artistic self".[8] He also added: "I've ripped my heart out and carved it into tiny pieces of musical madness".[8] On August 6, 2015, Cudi dedicated the album to "everyone struggling with mental disorder all around the world."[9] On September 29, 2015, Cudi announced that Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven would be a double disc album, with the first disc containing the actual album while the second will be extras including, "previously unreleased jams, demos, rehearsal sessions, outtakes and more!!"[10][11][12]

Recording and production

On April 9, 2015, American drummer Travis Barker, revealed he was in the studio with Kid Cudi and praised his upcoming album.[13][14] On May 15, 2015, Cudi wrote on Twitter: "There's this one song Pat and I made a couple months ago in London that makes me cry every time I add lyrics to it. Inside my heart again", he later added "Haven't been this emotional making an album in a long time."[15][16][17][18] On May 28, 2015, Kid Cudi revealed there would be "no features on Speedin' Bullet to Heaven."[15][17][19] On July 4, 2015, via his Twitter account, Cudi confirmed that the album would not contain "synths or electronic sounds", but solely bass and guitar played by Cudi himself. He also revealed the album was "98% finished" and that he had produced every record himself, adding his former manager Plain Pat, was the only other person involved production wise.[20][21] To clarify, Cudi also wrote: "Just to clear some things up! There will be drums on a majority of the album, as well as electric guitar."[22][23] On August 3, 2015, Kid Cudi tweeted: "Nothing on SBTH was played with a click track. Nothing was snapped to grid. No quantization. Pure groove".[24] On October 17, 2015, Cudi tweeted that he was "finalizing tracklisting(s) and mixes";[25] and later on October 21, he tweeted everything on the album was recorded using two-inch tape for improved sound quality.[26][27]

Music and lyrics

The album has been called "a cross between the Cudi of old and Nirvana with dark lyrics that touch on suicide and self worth.[28] When commenting on the aspects of the album worth highlighting, critics commended "the occasional dark route that the lyrics take, exploring depression, suicide, and other personal flaws that are never easy to address through music.[29] The music has also been said to "showcase CuDi’s acoustic abilities backed by some dark lyrics."[30] When speaking on the seventh track, Cudi said: "'The Nothing' is about addiction, the hauntings of it. Calling us."[31]

Release and promotion

On March 3, 2015, Kid Cudi officially released his first song since his album Satellite Flight, was put on the market. The song, which is titled "Love", was originally recorded for Satellite Flight and samples American alternative rock duo Ratatat's "Sunblocks". "Love" went on to receive positive reviews from fans and critics alike.[32][33] On April 4, 2015, Cudi revealed he was working on an album titled Speedin' Bullet to Heaven, which he would soon be releasing.[34][35] On April 25, 2015, Cudi assured fans this would not be a surprise release, unlike his last effort Satellite Flight, meaning this would be a formal album with marketing and promotion.[36] On May 12, 2015, Cudi decided to preview a song titled "Edge of the Earth", from Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven; he shared a low quality snippet of the new song, via his Twitter account, which he quickly deleted after.[37]

On June 27, 2015, Kid Cudi revealed he would be releasing "massive info" on the album, in the upcoming week.[38] On July 4, 2015, Cudi announced a single for the album would be released "before the end of the month."[20][39][40] The single, titled "Confused", was released on August 1, 2015.[41] On August 7, 2015, Cudi released a song titled "JFKPSA", which features production and guitar from Cudi, as well as vocal samples of John F. Kennedy.[42] On September 29, 2015 Cudi released the cover art for "Confused", which he designed himself.[10] On October 2, 2015, Cudi released two new songs, "Wedding Tux" and "Judgmental Cunt".[43][44][45] The songs were originally supposed to be released on iTunes, in a single pack, along with "Confused", however the iTunes release failed to materialize, forcing Cudi to release it via his official SoundCloud page.[46][47]

On October 27, 2015, Kid Cudi announced the album's release date to be December 4.[48][49][50] In November 2015 Cudi announced a Especial Tour, that will bring the rapper to various theaters all across the United States. The concert tour would kick off on November 30 in Denver at the Fillmore Auditorium and will snake back and forth across the United States hitting cities like Raleigh, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago and ending on December 22, in Santa Ana at the Observatory.[51][52]

On November 13, 2015, Kid Cudi revealed the track-listing to the album's first disc (Side A), via his Twitter.[53][54][55] On November 17, 2015, Cudi unveiled the cover art for the album cover.[56] On November 21, 2015, Cudi tweeted the album would first be released via digital distribution on December 4, while the physical copy of the album would be issued on December 18. Cudi explained: "The detailed package design I created requires some human assembly and takes a lil longer which is why the physicals come out 2 weeks later".[57][58] The following day, the official tracklist and snippets of each track were released on a French website.[59]

On December 1, 2015, Kid Cudi announced the cancellation of his Especial Tour, due to various reasons, such as production and personal issues.[60][61] He wrote: "I got a lot I'm dealing with at this time in my personal life too and in order for the shows to be the best experience possible as well as keeping my sanity intact, I need to regroup. I have to."[62] To make up for postponing the concert tour, Cudi released the album's title-track as the second single.[63][64]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic44/100[65]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[66]
Billboard[67]
Complex[68]
Consequence of SoundD+[69]
HipHopDX[70]
Pitchfork Media4/10[71]
The Plain DealerC-[72]

Upon release, Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven received mixed reviews from music critics. Chris Mench of Complex, called the album "ultimately messy, challenging, and rough around the edges (perhaps more so than anything Scott has ever released), but there’s also something about it that’s admirably unique. It might not be the alternative crossover brilliance that Cudi seems to think, but it's also not the noisy, pointless garbage that the hip-hop Twitter mafia would have you believe. If this album proves one thing, it's that Kid Cudi will always insist on making music the way he wants to; we’re simply along for the long, strange trip."[68]

Commercial performance

Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven debuted at number 36 on the US Billboard 200, for the chart dated December 26, 2015. The album sold 19,365 album equivalent units, in an abbreviated week (with 14,210 of that total being pure album sales). The album would also become Cudi's first album to not chart in the top five of the Billboard 200 and thus become his lowest-charting album.[73][74][75]

Track listing

  • All songs written and produced by Kid Cudi, except where noted.
Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Edge of the Earth/Post Mortem Boredom"  4:43
2."Confused!"  3:56
3."Man in the Night"Scott Mescudi, Mike Judge 3:50
4."Screwed"  2:27
5."Fade 2 Red"  2:57
6."Adventures"Mescudi, Judge 6:10
7."The Nothing"  3:30
8."Amen"  3:04
9."Handle with Care"Mescudi, Judge 3:45
10."Judgemental Cunt"  3:05
11."Séance Chaos"  1:53
12."Fairy Tale Remains"  3:06
13."Wedding Tux"  2:32
14."Angered Kids"  3:31
15."Red Sabbath"Mescudi, Judge 4:38
16."Fuchsia Butterflies"  2:45
17."Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven" Kid Cudi, Plain Pat[b]4:34
18."Embers"  3:00
Total length:63:26
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Anomaly" (Rehearsal demo)4:34
2."The Return of Chip Douglas" (Demo)4:15
3."Trauma"2:44
4."Wait!" (Rehearsal demo)1:58
5."Insides Out"3:07
6."Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven" (Acoustic demo)3:24
7."Worth"5:17
8."Melting"2:37
Total length:27:56

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[76] 36
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[77] 5
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[78] 3

Release history

Country Date Format Label
United States December 4, 2015
December 18, 2015

References

Notes
  1. ^ Also an executive producer
  2. ^ Co-producer
Footnotes
  1. ^ Cowen, Trace William (December 2015) Kid Cudi Says 'Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven' Is Alternative, Not Hip-Hop. Complex. Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  2. ^ Meara, Paul. (2015-12-05) Kid Cudi Calls "Speedin' Bullet To Heaven" "Alternative". HipHopDX. Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  3. ^ "Twitter / Kid Cudi: Satellite Flight: The Journey To Mother Moon is the bridge between INDICUD and MOTM3. An experience 6 years in the making". twitter.com. 2014-01-18. Retrieved 2014-10-26.
  4. ^ "Kid Cudi Announces "Man On The Moon 3" Prelude EP". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2014-10-26.
  5. ^ "Kid Cudi Planning To Release Album Before Man On The Moon: III". The Masked Gorilla. 2015-01-30. Retrieved 2015-02-22.
  6. ^ "Kid Cudi Planning To Release New Album Before Man On The Moon: III | Hits On Hits. Stay Ahead Of The Game". Hitsonhits.com. Retrieved 2015-02-22.
  7. ^ "Kid Cudi Announces New Album 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven'". Rap-Up. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  8. ^ a b "Allow Kid Cudi To Explain His New Album To You". MTV. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  9. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: "This album is dedicated to everyone strugglin with mental disorder all around the world"". Twitter.com. 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  10. ^ a b J'na Jefferson (2015-09-29). "Kid Cudi Has Double-Disc Plans For His New Album". Vibe.com. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  11. ^ "Kid Cudi's 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven' Will Be a Double Album". Rap-Up. 2015-09-29. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  12. ^ "Kid Cudi's 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven' to Be a Double Feature". Theboombox.com. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  13. ^ Garrett Clare. "Kid Cudi & Travis Barker Were In The Studio Working On Cudi's Forthcoming Album". Bluntiq. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  14. ^ Hunter Clark (2015-04-25). "Kid Cudi Says Speedin' Bullet to Heaven Will NOT Be a Surprise Album". Bluntiq. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  15. ^ a b "Kid Cudi's Got Us Even More Excited About Speedin' Bullet To Heaven After This Revelation". MTV. 2015-05-28. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  16. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: "There's this one song Pat and I made a couple months ago in London that makes me cry everytime I add lyrics to it. Inside my heart again."". Twitter.com. 2015-05-15. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  17. ^ a b Frydenlund, Zach. "Kid Cudi's 'Speedin' Bullet To Heaven' Album Won't Have Any Guest Features". Complex. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  18. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: "Haven't been this emotional making an album in a long time."". Twitter.com. 2015-05-15. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  19. ^ "Kid Cudi Says There Will Be No Features On "Speedin' Bullet To Heaven"". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2015-05-28. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  20. ^ a b "Kid Cudi Says "Speedin' Bullet To Heaven" Is 98% Done, Single Out This Month". hotnewhiphop. hotnewhiphop. 2015-07-04. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  21. ^ Darville, Jordan (2015-07-04). "Kid Cudi Tweets More New Album Details". The Fader. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  22. ^ "This Is What Kid Cudi’s Next Album Will Be Like". Vulture. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  23. ^ William, Trace. "Kid Cudi Gives Update on 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven'". Complex. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  24. ^ "SBTH Will Be 'Pure Groove' | Dat New 'Cudi'". Datnewcudi.com. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  25. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: "Finalizing tracklisting and mixes đ&#x;˜ą"". Twitter.com. 2015-10-17. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  26. ^ "Kid Cudi to release new album 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven' in December". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  27. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: "Everything was recorded via 2 inch tape for a richer and warmer sound quality."". Twitter.com. 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  28. ^ Kid Cudi- Speeding Bullet 2 Heaven —. Thcollectiveartdigest.com (2015-12-06). Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  29. ^ Kid Cudi - "Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven" (Album Review) SwurvRadio.com - Internet Hip Hop RadioSwurvRadio.com – Internet Hip Hop Radio. SwurvRadio.com (2015-12-09). Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  30. ^ KiD CuDi – “Wedding Tux” & “Judgemental C*nt” | Home of Hip Hop Videos & Rap Music, News, Video, Mixtapes & more. Hiphopsince1987.com (2015-10-04). Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  31. ^ The Chosen One on Twitter: ""Can someone, anyone, give me candy? Someone, anyone, give me candy? Huh?" The Nothing is about addiction, the hauntings of it. Calling us.". Twitter.com (2015-12-03). Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  32. ^ "Kid Cudi Wants You To Cheer Up And Listen To 'Love'". MTV. 2015-03-03. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  33. ^ Shira Benozilio (2015-03-03). "[LISTEN] Kid Cudi's 'Love' — Listen To Hot New Song". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  34. ^ Diep, Eric. "Kid Cudi Announces Next Album 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven'". Complex. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  35. ^ Balfour, Jay (2015-07-06). "Kid Cudi Says "Speedin' Bullet To Heaven" Almost Finished". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  36. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: "I see a lot of people askin about the new jams :) It will NOT be a surprise album, so stay tuned! Ill be givin u all a proper heads up"". Twitter. 2015-04-25. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  37. ^ "Kid Cudi Previews New Music On Twitter". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  38. ^ "Kid Cudi Teases 'Massive Info' On His New Album This Week". Emptylighthouse.com. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  39. ^ Elias Leight. "Kid Cudi Revealed Details About His Next Album On Twitter". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  40. ^ "Kid Cudi Wants to Start a Supergroup | Pigeons & Planes". Pigeonsandplanes.com. 2015-07-20. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  41. ^ "Kid Cudi - Confused | Listen [New Song]". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2015-08-01. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  42. ^ Walker, Bryan (2015-08-07). "[Single] Kid Cudi - JFKPSA". NoChillHipHop. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  43. ^ William, Trace (2015-10-03). "Kid Cudi Shares Two New Tracks From 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven'". News.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  44. ^ "You Can Listen To Two Strange New Kid Cudi Songs Right Now". MTV. 2015-10-04. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  45. ^ Vance Brinkley (2015-10-03). "Hip-Hop News, Rumors, Rap Music & Videos |AllHipHop » Kid Cudi Releases Two New Songs In Wake of Album Update". AllHipHop. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  46. ^ "Kid Cudi to Release a 'Speedin Bullet To Heaven' Single Pack Today". Emptylighthouse.com. 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  47. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: "Im not sure what the issue is everyone. Seems like itunes is bullshittin and my label is too. Ima put them on my soundcloud. Gimme a bit"". Twitter. 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  48. ^ Nostro, Lauren (27 October 2015). "Kid Cudi Announces 'Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven' Release Date". Complex Media Inc. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  49. ^ "Kid Cudi Announces "Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven" Release Date". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  50. ^ "Kid Cudi Promises A Concert Run With 'Speedin Bullet To Heaven' Album Release". Emptylighthouse.com. 2015-10-28. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  51. ^ "Kid Cudi Announces 'Especial' Tour Supporting 'Speedin Bullet To Heaven' : Buzz". Music Times. 2015-11-13. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  52. ^ "Kid Cudi Announces 'Especial' Tour". Rap-Up. 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  53. ^ ""Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven" Side A". Twitter. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  54. ^ "Kid Cudi Reveals "Speedin' Bullet To Heaven" Tracklist". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2015-11-13. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  55. ^ "Kid Cudi Reveals 'Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven' Tracklisting". Rap-Up. 2015-11-13. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  56. ^ "Kid Cudi Reveals Trippy "Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven" Artwork". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2015-11-16. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  57. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: ""Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven" Dec 4th digital, Dec 18th physical đ&#x;¤˜đ&#x;?žđ&#x;"Ľâ?¤ď¸?⚥"". Twitter. 2015-11-21. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  58. ^ "The Chosen One on Twitter: "The detailed package design I created requires some human assembly and takes a lil longer which is why the physicals come out 2 weeks later"". Twitter. 2015-11-21. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  59. ^ "Kid Cudi - Speedin Bullet 2 Heaven [Masilia2007]". Masilia2007.fr. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  60. ^ Kid Cudi Cancels “Especial” Tour. Hotnewhiphop.com. Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  61. ^ Why Kid Cudi says he cancelled his entire concert tour. MLive.com. Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  62. ^ Yeung, Gavin. (2015-12-02) Kid Cudi Cancels 'Especial' Tour. Hypebeast.com. Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  63. ^ Kid Cudi's New Single Will Remind You To Smile About Your Falls. MTV (2015-12-02). Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  64. ^ Kid Cudi Cancels 'Especial' Tour, Releases 'Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven'. Billboard (2015-09-29). Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  65. ^ Reviews for Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven by Kid Cudi. Metacritic. Retrieved on 2015-12-23.
  66. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/speedin-bullet-2-heaven-mw0002903533
  67. ^ Ex, Kris (December 8, 2015). "Kid Cudi Grapples With Life's Lows on 'Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven': Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  68. ^ a b Mench, Chris (December 7, 2015). "Review: Kid Cudi's 'Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven' Is Not As Terrible As Everyone Thinks It Is". Complex. Complex Media. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  69. ^ Kivel, Adam (December 10, 2015). "Album Review: Kid Cudi – Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  70. ^ Bisnof, Jason (December 15, 2015). "Kid Cudi - Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  71. ^ Ramirez, Matthew (January 6, 2016). "Kid Cudi: Speedin' Bullet 2 Heavn". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  72. ^ L. Smith, Troy (December 4, 2015). "Kid Cudi explores mental illness on confounding 'Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven' (Review)". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  73. ^ "Building Albums Sales Chart: 09/12/2015". HITSDailyDouble. December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  74. ^ "Top 200 Albums: Billboard". Billboard. December 15, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  75. ^ "Hip Hop Album Sales: G-Eazy, Rick Ross & Kid Cudi". HipHopDX. December 15, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  76. ^ "Kid Cudi Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  77. ^ "Kid Cudi Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  78. ^ "Kid Cudi Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
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