Kids See Ghosts

 

Kids See Ghosts

Recommended by my twin brother, Kids See Ghosts is a rap album released in 2018. My brother and I’s music tastes couldn’t be more different. While I lean towards rock, he is heavily into rap. But as a good sister and someone who wants to expand my music taste I gave Kids See Ghosts a try. What you might call a supergroup, Kids See Ghosts, contains rappers Kid Cudi and Kanye West. Some features include Pusha T and Ty Dolla $ign. They dip into the psychedelic influence, making this a distinctly unique album. 

With only seven tracks, amounting to a 23 minute run time, I felt like I should give my individual thoughts on each song. Starting off pretty strong with Feel The Love this track is a tribute to the gospel sound and seems to be a good opener for the album. The song pushes the ideology that love is all you need. Pusha T’s contributions on the song were also a standout. Fire was an instant classic for me. The western feel of the song with the instrumental was something that I really appreciated. The sample used is taken from a song called They're coming to take me away, no doubt a reference to Kanye’s struggle with mental health. This is a theme that is present throughout the entire album. Having heard some Kid Cudi songs in the past I feel like a lot of the songs on this album were majorly influenced by his style. 

4th Dimension brings the much needed energy after a slower track. The Louis Prima sample was unexpected but utilized very well. Freeee (Ghost Town Pt. 2) features strong vocals from Ye and lyrics that had an air of optimism surrounding them. I saw it as a representation of a weight being lifted off his shoulders. Brushing off the negativity of his past he is left feeling free. With such a strong message I found myself listening to this track the most. Reborn continues the uplifting themes that are being perpetuated throughout the album. He has reached a place of healing that allows him to move forward enough to be born again. Ultimately a compelling track that teaches that you need to take responsibility for your hurt to heal because as Cudi says: Peace is something that starts with me.

The self-titled track Kids See Ghosts features a haunting instrumental and catchy chorus that I kept coming back to. The title refers to the observation that kids tend to see things that most adults are blind to. In this case it refers to how Ye and Cudi are still kids in the sense that they still have youthful insight into the world around them. The final track Cudi Montage ends with a loop of Burn in the Rain, a song recorded by Kurt Cobain that was released after his death. Cobain passing due to suicide makes this song all the more personal in its central themes of mental health issues. Both Ye and Cudi have struggled with their mental health so I could tell this album came from a place of deep self reflection. There are also underlying themes of the cycle of violence perpetuated by gang violence, highlighting the loss experienced on both sides. Losing someone literally by being killed and losing someone figuratively to jail. All in all this is a powerful track to end on. 

From an outsider's perspective as someone who doesn't listen to this genre as much, I see it as a very unique medium to discuss personal topics. The thing that makes rap so intriguing is that it has the ability to reach a lot of people. Many people are able to find their identity through these lyrics. Kids See Ghosts is an album used to confront issues within both artists and does so in such a profound way.