Maps of Music

Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (2010)

Where the lyrics of Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager take you, and where it was really made.

The album that closed the trilogy's second chapter was first planned as a collaboration compilation called Cudder, and the title was changed several times before release.

Key places

Electric Lady Studios, New York City (2010)

Recording site Electric Lady Studios — Electric Lady Studios in New York City is named among the studios where the album was recorded. The pin marks the studio building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Westlake, West Hollywood (2010)

Recording site Westlake Recording Studios — Westlake Sound in West Hollywood is named among the studios where the album was recorded. The pin is set at the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Germano Studios, New York City (2010)

Recording site Germano Studios — The track We Aite (Wake Your Mind Up) was recorded at Germano Studios in New York City. The pin marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Record Plant, Los Angeles (2010)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — Marijuana and Ashin Kusher were recorded at The Record Plant in Los Angeles. The pin marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

MSR Studios, New York City (2010)

Recording site MSR Studios — All Along was recorded at MSR Studios in New York City. The same studio is also named as a mixing location. The pin marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Avex Recording Studios, Honolulu (2010)

Recording site Avex Recording Studio — Avex Recording Studios in Honolulu is named among the album's recording studios. The pin is set at Honolulu city center, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Glenwood Place Studios, Burbank (2010)

Recording site The Enterprise (Burbank) — Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank is named among the album's recording studios. The pin is set at Burbank city center, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Parkland Playhouse, Parkland (2010)

Recording site Parkland Playhouse (Parkland) — Parkland Playhouse in Parkland is named among the album's recording studios. The pin is set at Parkland city center, not the venue building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager is the second studio album by the American rapper Kid Cudi
• Sequel to the debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009), and the second installment of the Man on the Moon trilogy
• Released in November 2010 through Dream On and GOOD Music, distributed by Universal Motown Records
• Two singles were released: Erase Me and Mr. Rager
• Incorporates alternative and psychedelic elements that Cudi had explored on his previous album

Background

• On August 25, 2009, Cudi announced that his second album would be part of a trilogy
• The album was first planned under the title Man on the Moon: The Ghost in the Machine
• Cudi then planned a collaboration compilation called Cudder, later retitled Cudder and the Revolution of Evolution
• He dropped the collaborative theme for a more personal project and said he would tell the story of Mr. Rager
• Cudi said the album brings listeners into his reality, good and bad, instead of into his dreams as the first album did
• The release was tentatively set for August 2010, then moved to September 14, September 28 and October 26 before settling on November 9, 2010

Recording

• Sessions were held at several studios, including Avex Recording Studios in Honolulu, Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and Westlake Sound in West Hollywood
• Producer Emile Haynie handled most of the tracks, with Plain Pat on the production of other songs
• Anthony Kilhoffer, Dot da Genius, Jim Jonsin and Rami Beatz also contributed
• The album was mixed at Larrabee Studios in Los Angeles, Circle House Recording Studios in Miami, Paramount Recording Studios in Los Angeles, and MSR Studios
• All songs were mastered by Vlado Meller at Universal Mastering Studios

Cover

• The official album cover was released on October 16, 2010

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, known as Kid Cudi, was born January 30, 1984 in Cleveland, Ohio.
• He began rapping in 2003 and moved to New York City in 2005 to pursue a music career.
• His song "Day 'n' Nite" gained online attention in 2007, leading Kanye West to sign him to GOOD Music in 2008.
• His debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi was released in July 2008.

Career

• Debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009) reached commercial and critical success and received quadruple platinum certification.
• Second album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (2010) received platinum certification.
• Formed the rock band WZRD, whose 2012 debut topped the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart.
• Album Indicud (2013) peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
• Formed the duo Kids See Ghosts with Kanye West in 2018.
• Single "The Scotts" with Travis Scott (2020) became his first number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Released Man on the Moon III: The Chosen (2020) and Entergalactic (2022).
• Acted in HBO's How to Make It in America, Need for Speed, and Bill & Ted Face the Music, among other works.
• Won two Grammy Awards and has sold over 22 million units domestically.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Metacritic gave the album an average score of 69 out of 100 based on 20 reviews
• Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick-Levinson called it 'a cohesively constructed concept album that will reward repeat listens'
• Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot praised its themes of 'the stoned-and-alone rapper' and said the music is as consuming and intoxicating as the lifestyle Cudi describes
• Spin's Charles Aaron commended it for boldly reshaping Cudi's sound with vivid production
• AllMusic's David Jeffries said the soundscape is spacy and far-reaching and that the album is fascinating at its best
• Slant Magazine's Matthew Cole said the hybrid production style proves an atmospheric and eerie delight
• Rolling Stone's Jonah Weiner praised the production but panned Cudi's performance
• The A.V. Club's Michaelangelo Matos gave a mixed review, finding the music merely listenable
• Pitchfork's Jayson Greene called it a bumpy listen but more fully realized than the debut album

Reappraisal

• Complex ranked the album fourth on its year-end list
• Two years later Complex placed the album in its list of 25 rap albums from the past decade that deserve classic status
• Album of the Year ranked it thirtieth-highest in year-end lists by critics, based on 16 lists

Records

• Debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 169,000 copies
• Topped the Billboard Rap Albums and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts in its debut week
• Had sold 353,000 copies in the United States as of December 2011
• Debuted at number five on the Canadian Albums Chart
• Debuted at number 88 on the UK Albums Chart
• Certified platinum by the RIAA on March 27, 2018 for sales of more than one million copies in the United States

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The song Wild'n Cuz I'm Young originally included a verse from Kanye West, and Cudi later revealed that Jay-Z had also recorded a verse for it
• Cudi performed Revofev at the Bape Store in New York on June 10, 2010; the title stands for Revolution of Evolution
• A short film for Maniac was announced for release, to be directed by actor Shia LaBeouf
• The physical deluxe edition came with a DVD of the 20-minute documentary The Journey of Mr. Rager, directed, shot and edited by Jason Goldwatch
• Kanye West makes a brief cameo in the Mr. Rager music video, directed by Jeremie Rozan

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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