Kanye West and Kid Cudi's newest collaborative album, Kids See Ghosts, is full of allusions. The two acknowledge their past failures and successes, weaving a tapestry of pop culture and historical references.
From The Handmaid's Tale to Kurt Cobain to the obscure, see if you can catch these references when listening.
10. All the other rappers
In Feel the Love, featuring rapper Pusha-T, Push references the late rapper Eazy-E's debut album, Eazy-Duz-It. Eazy-E was one of the founding members of the 1990's hip-hop group, N.W.A. The group's story was fictionalized in the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton.
Later in 4th Dimension, West references rappers Rick Ross and Master P. West raps, "Like I'm mixing Master P and Rick Ross (uh,uh). She seem to make me always feel like a boss (uh,uh)." Ross is the head of the record label, Maybach Music Group. Master P was the founder of record labels No Limit Records and later in 2010, No Limit Forever.
In Cudi Montage, West references a line from Nas's song, One Love: "But yo, guess who got shot in the dome-piece? Jerome's niece, on her way home from Jones Beach"
9. Ric Flair and the world of wrestling
Former WWE and WCW wrestler Ric Flair gets a name drop in 4th Dimension. Cudi raps, "Kids see ghost off the ropes, Ric Flair on your b****." Retired in 2012, Flair wrestled for over 40 years and was known for his catchphrase, a guttural, "Woo!" when he was victorious. In 2017, Flair was also the subject of the rap song Ric Flair Drip by Offset.
8. Fashion
In 4th Dimension, West draws attention to the alligator logo for the luxury clothing brand Lacoste. West raps, "It feels so good it should cost. Bought an alligator, I ain't talkin' Lacoste." The Spanish luxury fashion brand, Loewe, is also mentioned in Feel The Love. Loewe is a favorite brand of the featured rapper Pusha-T.
7. The Handmaid's Tale
"She said I'm going too fast, I'm exhausted. Now drop to your knees for the offerin'," West raps on 4th Dimension. Some outlets have interpreted these lyrics as an allusion to The Handmaid's Tale and its main character Offred. The Handmaid's Tale explores women's rights in dystopian society where only select women can conceive and have their rights taken away as a result.
6. Marcus Garvey and the Black Nationalism movement
The intro of Freee (Ghost Town Pt.2) is taken from a speech by Marcus Garvey, a leader in the black nationalist movement.
5. Architecture designers and commercial art fairs
In Kids See Ghosts, West references both the Swiss architecture firm, Herzog & de Meuron, and the commercial art fair, Design Miami/ Basel. West raps, "I'ma relish on the fact vibin' on the future. Ultralight building in the building by amateur. Herzog and De Meuron in an office out in Basel. No not Miami, Switzerland (Switzerland, ahahaha)." In 2013, West did a surprise performance for Design in a building designed by Herzog & de Meuron.
4. Louise Prima and Christmas music
Louis Prima's Christmas song What Will Santa Claus Say? is sampled throughout 4th Dimension. Prima was an Italian American musician and singer, known for his jazz and blues compositions. A sample taken from Shirley Ann Lee also closes the track.
3. Super Mario Bros
The red capped plumber gets a name drop in Reborn. Since the 1980s, Super Mario Bros has been a flagship franchise for the popular video game company Nintendo. West raps, "Cardio audio, let me jog your brain. Caught in the Audy Home, we was all detained. All of you Mario, it's all a game."
2. Alice Marie Johnson's case
"All growin' up in environment. Where doin' crime the requirement. They send us off to prison for retirement. Hopefully Alice Johnson will inspire men," West closes the ending verse of the album on Cudi Montage. Alice Marie Johnson was convicted in 1996 for her involvement in a cocaine tracking organization and served 21 years of a life in prison sentence before her sentence was commuted by President Donald Trump at the suggestion of West's wife, Kim Kardashian West.
1. Kurt Cobain
Singer Kurt Cobain's Burn The Rain is sampled in the last track, Cudi Montage. Cobain was the lead singer of the grunge band Nirvana in the 1990s before his untimely death at the age of 27.
WSBTV
