Young GG’s Perspective: A GIPHY-Guide To “KIDS SEE GHOSTS”

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Here’s your visual guide to Kanye West and Kid Cudi’s first collaborative album KIDS SEE GHOSTS, via Elyse Nichelle.

Plus, 13th Street Productions digs up the rare Marcus Garvey sample used on “Freeee” and gives some added context.

Feel the Love, Produced by Mike Dean, Dot Da Genius, and Kanye West   

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The opening track you can hear a synth paired with Cudi’s vocals screaming “I can still feel the love”.

Then comes fellow G.O.O.D Music artist, Pusha T with a lackluster verse that lost me. Kanye wakes us back up, by screaming sounds that resemble gunshots as Cudi resumes shouting.

The energy on this track sets the tone for the album and the theme of finding the light (“feeling the love”) in the darkness (the gunshots).

Fire, Produced by Boogz N Tapes, Andrè 3000, Kid Cudi & Kanye West

Andrè 3000 had a hand in making the groovy track equipped with marching band snares that are   .

The track opens with an “Old Kanye” verse, addressing his critics and how he chooses to ignore it as he “loves all your sh*t talking”. It feels spiritual with Cudi’s signature humming.

The climax of this track is hearing Cudi say “heaven lift me up….amongst the madness.”

4th Dimension feat. Louis Prima, Produced by Mike Dean & Kanye West 

The only song on the album that gives feature credit and proves Kanye is will forever be the sample God.

Jazz singer from the 1940’s, Louis Prima’s, “What Will Santa Claus Say” is sampled to a chilling effect. ‘Ye lets the sample play out for a moment before the beat drops.

Lyrically, the song that discusses everything from Lacoste, Master P, and Rick Ross, and accidentally slipping in someone’s “back door.”

Freeee (Ghost Town pt. 2), Produced by Dot Da Genius, Jeff Bhasker, Kid Cudi & Kanye West

Track 4, is a follow up to “Ghost Town” which appeared on ‘ye’, a more mellowed take to the original concept.

The song begins with an excerpt from a Marcus Garvey speech, discussing “true knowledge of self”.

The track continues with Kanye’s vocals, Cudi’s humming and crooning from Ty Dolla $ign.

Again, the song reiterates being strong enough to ignore society’s criticisms.

Jamaica’s 13th Street Promotions has some added context on the late Jamaican Scholar, Activist, Teacher, and National Hero, The Rt. Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey:

These vocals are from a speech and Interview Garvey was a part of in the early 1920’s about his trial and persecution for Mail Fraud was used in the first few seconds of the track.

Marcus Garvey’s influence and his teachings continue to reach many all over the world. If you wish to know more about this great man, check this out. Last year in celebration of his birthday, we featured a few songs that paid tribute to Marcus Garvey, you can check them out here. Know yourself. Kanye West and Kid Cudi’s album is now available online. Check out the track and speech below, and follow us on Instagram at @13thStreetPromo.

Reborn, Produced by E*Vax, Plain Pat, Dot Da Genius & Kid Cudi   

The track opens with a sound that resembles a nursery rhyme right before the beat drops with Cudi’s vocals.

One of two tracks on the album that Kanye didn’t produce, but we get an incredibly honest verse from him about why he prefers to lay low.

The song sounds like a Cudi song, with more of his signature humming and an uplifting message. Cudi even sings one of my favorite quotes, “Keep Moving Forward.”

Kids See Ghost, Produced by Plain Pat, Andrew Dawson, Kid Cudi & Kanye West 

The album’s namesake track sums the overall message of the album. Fist few seconds open up with a smooth “Ryan Leslie-esque” beat as it moves into the chorus, reiterating “Kids see ghost sometimes”, performed by Yasiin Bey. The album’s theme is reiterated, as it encourages us to overcome society’s criticism and our own demons (the ghosts).

Cudi’s Montage, Produced by Kid Cudi, Mike Dean, & Dot Da Genius 

The album’s final track samples the guitar from  Kurt Cobain’s “Burn the Rain”. The track is the most emotional the album has to offer and leaves us with both Kanye & Cudi encouraging all rely on a higher power to become free.

Elyse’s Final Thoughts:

The album was nothing that I wanted from two of my favorite rappers. I was expecting the project to consist of summer bops for radio.

After a couple listens though, KIDS SEE GHOSTS is the album I needed at this moment in my life. The album is lowkey gospel and despite what you may be going through, the album will leave you feeling inspired.

I’m grateful for KIDS SEE GHOSTS and hope it’s only the beginning for this iconic duo.