Cleveland rapper and singer Kid Cudi has returned to the spotlight after releasing his 10th solo album “INSANO” on Jan. 12.

Since the release of his 2009 debut album “Man On The Moon: The End Of Day,” Cudi has cemented himself as a unique trailblazer for hip-hop, covering topics of depression and mental health in his music at a time when such topics weren’t widely accepted in the genre. 

The artist, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, has always had a knack for melodic tracks. His voice and iconic hums have made him a strong feature artist, especially throughout Kanye West’s discography on songs like “Ghost Town” and “Gorgeous.”

However, while Mescudi was a golden child of hip-hop through his first two albums, his strong reputation didn’t always hold up. Albums including “Indicud” and the disastrous “Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven” tarnished his reputation for solo works.

When all hope seemed lost, Mescudi bounced back in a major way. His 2018 collaboration project with Kanye West, “KIDS SEE GHOSTS,” and the final installment in his “Man On The Moon” series, “Man On The Moon III: The Chosen,” saw the artist back in his textbook melodic bag. He also took a new step in his creative journey by producing 2022 animated Netflix special “Entergalactic,” which was accompanied by a soundtrack.

So, after what has seemed like a roller coaster ride of a career, we’ve arrived at his newest project: “INSANO.”

With excellent production, a fantastic selection of guest artists and a fun hype man presence from DJ Drama, “INSANO” shows Mescudi still has a strong creative vision for his soundscape. 

Yet, what seems to consistently hold back the album throughout its one-hour runtime are the performances from Cudi himself.

Track one, “OFTEN I HAVE THESE DREAMZ,” is a fitting opener for the record, as many other songs have a similar formula. Cudi raps in a low, monotone cadence over a hard-hitting beat after a hype intro from DJ Drama, who played a similar role on Tyler, The Creator’s 2021 record “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST.”

Cudi’s lyrics are uninspired and don’t seem to hold any deep meaning. He shifts from an artist who was once known for being introspective to a bland lyricist who doesn’t seem to do much besides flexing his possessions.

That’s the formula for most of the songs throughout the tracklist: great production but subpar performance.

“INSANO” has just a few exceptions to this with songs like “X & CUD,” “TORTURED” and “AT THE PARTY,” which are carried by the guest artists and beats — besides “TORTURED,” which excels with a strong chorus from Cudi.

Features from Travis Scott, XXXTENTACION, Young Thug and A$AP Rocky take what would otherwise be a completely boring record up a notch as they all fit much better with the sound.

With the exception of just a few tracks, “INSANO” isn’t worth returning to for quite a while after the first listen. Mescudi is the album’s greatest weakness, as he is consistently uninspired with bland lyrics and boring flows, making the album monotonous by its eighth track.

With rocky chapters in Mescudi’s discography, the artist has still put out far worse music than that of “INSANO.” This album isn’t good or bad — it’s the epitome of mediocrity.

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