Kanye West and Kid Cudi bring an enthralling, experimental listening experience as hip-hop duo KIDS SEE GHOSTS on their brief, self-titled debut.   

Kanye West has been extremely busy as of late.  While he made a massive faux pas with his ‘Trump-praise’ and more bothersome, his infamous “slavery was a choice” comments, he’s been hot when it comes to music.  It seemed like a risk having West entirely produce DAYTONA, the seven-track album by Pusha T, yet the results were brilliant.  While his own seven-track album, Ye, wasn’t nearly as triumphant, it had its share of moments.  Now West teams up with Kid Cudi as KIDS SEE GHOSTS for the highly-anticipated self-titled, seven-track debut album.  Kids See Ghosts is the most experimental, left-of-center project of the three, fittingly.

“Feel the Love”

“Feel the Love” kicks things off with an expressive chorus sung by Kid Cudi: “I can still feel the love.”  While it would make sense for Cudi or West to follow-up with a verse, instead the listener gets the sole verse from Pusha T.  The results are satisfactory, followed by more ‘vibe’ than substance.  West makes aggressive sound effects, while Cudi continues to repeat the titular lyric over bombastic, high-energy production.  The vibe definitely earns an ‘A,’ though there’s not much of a traditional song.

“I love all your shit talkin’ / You ain’t got nothin’ better to…do with yourself?” Kanye West kicks “Fire” off ferociously on the intro, before dropping an aggressive, if brief verse. Essentially, he seems to be trying to move on and rebound from failures, mistakes, and shortcomings. After allowing the instrumental to shine on its own (that thudding beat is awesome), Kid Cudi follows up with the second verse, which is patterned similarly to West’s.  “It’s so many days I prayed to God,” he begins, continuing, “All this pain, I couldn’t seem to find a way / On a mission livin’, carry on / Got my family, I’m seein’ through by the days.”  On the outro, Cudi is even more spiritually-driven: “Heaven lift me up, hmm-mmm.” Gotta love that signature Cudi hum, sigh.

“4^th Dimension”

Things get even better and more unique on KID SEE GHOSTS.  Arguably, “4^th Dimension” is where the heat is cranked up.  The Louis Prima Christmas sample alone is enough to make this joint intriguing. Beyond the unique sampling, “4^th Dimension” is anchored by a sick beat, and some of the most compelling rhymes on the album as of yet.  Kanye West sounds locked in on the first verse, even if accidental anal sex isn’t exactly my first choice for conversation topics.  Kid Cudi is also locked in as well, referencing his misadventures and giving another hip-hop shout-out to Ric Flair.

Arguably the most fun song on KID SEE GHOSTS is “Freeee (Ghost Town, Pt. 2).” Following a fitting Marcus Garvey sample, Kanye West explodes with a hook sure to make you giggle the first time you hear it. It’s a bit dramatic – perhaps even a wee bit outlandish – but he makes his point crystal clear with honesty.

“I don’t feel pain anymore / Guess what, baby? I feel freeee (scoop!)”

Beyond the chorus, he’s assisted on a left-of-center, yet pleasing verse by Kid Cudi, and more frequently Ty Dolla $ign.  It’s weird mind you, but Ty’s unique tone is a perfect fit.  Throw in contributions from Anthony Hamilton alongside Ty and things grow even more soulful.  Also, worth noting, Cudi gets his own chorus and bridge to testify: “Died and came back twice / Now I’m freeee.”

“Reborn” 

The lengthiest song from KIDS SEE GHOSTS arrives via “Reborn.” On the one hand, a project-this-short needs a fully-developed record with a standard form.  “Reborn” certainly checks off the prescribed boxes. That said, at about five-and-a-half-minutes, it’s actually too long compared to the shorter numbers.  Still, the Cudi hook is sick, and both rappers drop authentic, worthwhile verses. West asserts on the first verse, “I was, off the chain, I was often drained / I was off the meds, I was called insane.” As for Cudi, “Had so much on my mind, I didn’t know where to go / I’ve come a long way from them hauntin’ me.”

The title track, “Kids See Ghosts” features one of the better beats of the LP.  Furthermore, we’re spoiled with the Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) hook throughout the course of the record, save for post-first verse.  Bey also drops a notable bridge.  Once again, Kanye West impresses with his flow – he’s got some bars on the second verse. KIDS SEE GHOSTS concludes with the hum-filled “Cudi Montage.” While the Kid is in the driver’s seat (“‘Cause I feel the world weighin’ on me heavy, tryna keep it steady / Read for the mission”), Mr. Hudson appears on the chorus of the rock-infused joint.  Also, West delivers a socially-conscious verse. All in all, it’s a fitting closer.

Final Thoughts 

So, how does KIDS SEE GHOSTS stack up? Ultimately, Kanye West and Kid Cudi make a great hip-hop duo, period.  That’s not a shocking revelation, given how well their past collaborations have worked.  This is a tight, 23-minute album with some great moments and no huge missteps. Sometimes the song structures are questionable with more ‘vibe’ as opposed to deep songwriting, but honestly, West and Cudi are open about their missteps in life, which adds authenticity.  It’s not quite the ‘second coming,’ but certainly a victory for both rappers.

Gems: “4^th Dimension,” “Freeee,” “Reborn,”  & “Kids See Ghosts”  

KIDS SEE GHOSTS, Kanye West & Kid Cudi • KIDS SEE GHOSTS• GOOD / Def Jam • Release: 6.8.18

Photo Credits: GOOD / Def Jam