"While Kanye West, the Weeknd and Drake are often touted as the major inspirations for much of the current senior class of contemporary hip-hop, Kid Cudi is the original progenitor of this family tree, offspringing everyone from Travis Scott (as both his namesake, idol, and bandmate) to the late Juice WRLD. His inventions are vast and entrenched in what rap music has become in the 21st century, earning his North Star status through his recasting of vulnerability as bravado, his plain-spoken portrayal of his demons and depression, and his penchant for high-concept cosmic sing-song. Yet, even as much of the hip-hop universe oriented around a style he helped cultivate, he has remained among the most distinctive voices of his generation, leaving for himself a singular and endlessly evolving trademark."