After several delays — and one rehab stint — Kid Cudi has finally shared his new album Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’. Cudi’s second album of 2016 promised to be a bit more coherent than Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven — especially after we’d heard tracks like “Baptized By Fire” and “Surfin” — and now the whole thing is available to stream via Spotify and Apple Music. And on the date he said it would drop, no less.
Calling Cudi’s 2016 up to this point tumultuous would be a massive understatement. He started beef with his former mentor, who proceeded toread him for filth before turning around and forgiving him. After Cudi checked into rehab to counter suicidal urges, Drake used his bully pulpit atop the CN Tower to kick the troubled rapper while he was down. With all that going on around him, the fact that he had time to create two albums is impressive, but this is certainly the one we’re more excited about it.
Demon Slayin’ keeps up the theme of December 2016: Rappers absolutely destroying year-end lists with buzzer-beater album drops. Since “list season” began we’ve already heard new releases from Ab-Soul, J. Cole and Childish Gambino and a new Cudi album is certain to wreck more than one meticulously crafted order.
