Kid Cudi has shown in recent years that he wants to be remembered for more than just the rapper that helped you get through the break up with your first girlfriend in 2008. Apparel collaborations, statement piece fashion appearances and more regularly than ever, acting; appearing in films like Bill & Ted 3, X and Netflix’s underwhelming star-studded Don’t Look Up, a film in which he combined with the talents of Ariana Grande to write the film’s score, a track as mundane as the film that accompanies it.

Now Mescudi enters the world of storytelling and animation, crafting a feature-length animated musical film, complimented with a full-length album coinciding the Netflix release.

‘Entergalactic’, musically, feels like a continuation of the sounds found on ‘Man On The Moon III’ – albeit to a lesser effect – but ultimately culminating in an impressive follow-up to what was a heart-wrenching masterpiece. The record unfortunately provides listeners with some of Cudi’s weakest tunes, with the instrumental track, ‘Angel’, failing to find any resonance as part of the album, and the sex-focused ‘She’s Lookin For Me’ (completed with a three minute sex scene in the movie) acting as undisputed low points on the record.

However, ‘Entergalactic’ doesn’t always fall at the first hurdle, in fact it often excels to soaring and blissful heights.  Sonically and lyrically, Cudi is bringing his A game, pulling out every trick he can to pull at the heart strings of fans. Tracks like ‘Maybe So’ and ‘Willing to Trust’ are undisputedly Cudi at his very best, not only comparing to, but building upon what made the first two ‘Man On The Moon’ albums so iconic, and paving a new way for a rapper on a swift journey to retirement.

Pair this musical prowess with stunning “spider-verse” inspired visuals, with characters wearing new and aesthetically pleasing outfits in every scene designed by the late great Virgil Abloh, and the musical is a joy to watch at every second. The overall story of ‘Entergalactic’ is modest to say the least, the gorgeous animation and impressive music is juxtaposed completely by the simplistic story, begging the question; is this really the story Mescudi wanted to tell with his album?

If you’re a Kid Cudi fan, it’s more than likely that the Cleveland native has helped you through some dark moments in your life; it’s sort of what he’s famous for. This makes the decision to craft a semi-autobiographical movie based around a love triangle somewhat baffling. The story leaves a lot to be desired from a stand-alone movie, however, its success in character writing and world building make it a deeply satisfying experience throughout.

Rappers have never shied away from lending their acting chops to the world of cinema, with some actors being less successful than others (we’re looking at you Machine Gun Kelly). ‘Entergalactic’ is filled to the brim with modern rappers and their friends, and miraculously, they all perform astoundingly. Other than Cudi, Ty Dolla $ign, Teyanna Taylor, 070 Shake and Jaden Smith all give believable and grounded performances and help to build a believable world that more renowned actors likes Timothee Chalamet, Laura Herrier and Macaulay Culkin inhabit with ease. 

It would be a shame to not see more of this world and the loveable characters that make it so vibrant. A world with characters this human, defined and energetic is exactly what the animation space needs, and with an almost completely BAME cast, Netflix has a diverse winner on its hands. 

Despite its occasional flaws, Kid Cudi’s latest work cements him as more than just a one trick pony, brings him away from his ‘Day N’ Nite’ fame, and shows his diverse talent as a creative. 

We need more of this / 10