Confused!

Last updated
"Confused!"
Confusedcudi.jpeg
Single by Kid Cudi
from the album Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven
ReleasedAugust 1, 2015
Recorded2015
Genre Grunge [1] [2]
Length3:56
Label
Songwriter(s) Scott Mescudi
Producer(s) Kid Cudi
Kid Cudi singles chronology
"Girls"
(2013)		"Confused!"
(2015)		"Frequency"
(2016)

"Confused!" (stylized in all caps) is a song written and recorded by American musician Kid Cudi, taken from his fifth studio album Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven (2015). The song was officially released on August 1, 2015 as the album's lead single. [3] The song features production, guitar and bass from Cudi. [4]

Contents

Background and release

On April 4, 2015, Cudi announced via Twitter, that he would soon be releasing a new album titled Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, prior to Man on the Moon III . [5] When speaking on the album in early July 2015, Cudi stated: "This album is 100% the purest form of my artistic self". [6] He also added: "I've ripped my heart out and carved it into tiny pieces of musical madness". [6] On August 6, 2015, Cudi dedicated the album to "everyone struggling with mental disorder all around the world." [7] On July 4, Cudi gave an update on the project, which he announced would be entirely self-produced (with some assistance from Plain Pat), as well as hinting towards a rock album, when he revealed there would be a complete absence of electronic sounds, as the instrumentals will consist entirely of his own guitar and bass playing. [8]

On July 4, 2015, Cudi announced a single for the album would be released "before the end of the month." [9] [10] The single, titled "Confused!", was released on August 1, 2015. [3] On September 29, 2015, Cudi released the cover art for "Confused", which he designed himself. [11] On October 2, 2015, Cudi released two new songs, "Wedding Tux" and "Judgmental Cunt". [12] [13] [14] The songs were originally supposed to be released on iTunes, in a single pack, along with "Confused", however the iTunes release failed to materialize, forcing Cudi to release it via his official SoundCloud page. [15] [16]

On January 5, 2016, Cudi released an acoustic version of the song via his official SoundCloud account, which he recorded in one take. [17] [18] The original song was later included on Cudi's first greatest hits album The Boy Who Flew to the Moon, Vol. 1 (2022).

Critical reception

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Confused!"
The album's lead single contains confessional, stream-of-consciousness songwriting. Cudi intones ponderous rhymes over post-punk guitar and clicking percussion.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Upon release, Dean Van Nguyen of NME , wrote "Featuring a heavy, grunge-like guitar riff, the track continues Cudi’s recent move away from his alt-hip-hop origins towards a more rock-orientated sound," referring to his 2012 collaborative effort WZRD , which was also a departure from his previous work. [19] David Jeffries of AllMusic noted "For outsiders, ‘Confused!’ is the track to pick, as it sticks in the head with the ‘Who am I? Who are we?/All I want is to feel complete’ chorus, and then resonates with ‘I hate the drugs but I love the numb.’" [20]

B.R. of the Urban Daily wrote "‘Confused!’ still finds Kid Cudi in his rock star lane, pushing his sobered, dry vocals over a simplistic chord progression. He’s still straying away from hip-hop, but this single is far more accessible than his work on Satellite Flight. ‘Confused’ is a personal track, too: ‘I hate the drugs but I love the numb/ I hate the gun but I want the sun.’" [21] Brennan Carley of Spin wrote "It's much in line with the sound the rapper's been carving out the past couple of years – drawling singing atop melancholic, head-in-hands melodies – but he sounds totally on his game here." [22]

Live performances

Kid Cudi provided a live rendition of "Confused!" on August 1, 2015 during his set at the Lollapalooza music festival. [23] [24]

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabel
United StatesAugust 1, 2015 [3] Digital download Republic Records

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References

  1. ↑ "Kid Cudi – Confused". HNHH. August 2015.
  2. ↑ "Listen to Kid Cudi Get Grunge-y on His Latest Single 'Confused'". August 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 "Kid Cudi – Confused | Listen [New Song]". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2015-08-01. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  4. ↑ "Listen To Kid Cudi's "Confused"". Complex.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "Kid Cudi Announces New Album 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven'". Rap-Up. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  6. 1 2 "Allow Kid Cudi To Explain His New Album To You". MTV. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  7. ↑ @KidCudi (2015-08-06). "This album is dedicated to everyone strugglin with mental disorder all around the world" (Tweet). Retrieved 2015-11-30– via Twitter.
  8. ↑ "Kid Cudi Says "Speedin' Bullet To Heaven" Is 98% Done, Single Out This Month". HotNewHipHop.com. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  9. ↑ Elias Leight. "Kid Cudi Revealed Details About His Next Album On Twitter". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  10. ↑ "Kid Cudi Wants to Start a Supergroup | Pigeons & Planes". Pigeonsandplanes.com. 2015-07-20. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  11. ↑ J'na Jefferson (2015-09-29). "Kid Cudi Has Double-Disc Plans For His New Album". Vibe.com. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  12. ↑ William, Trace (2015-10-03). "Kid Cudi Shares Two New Tracks From 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven'". News.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  13. ↑ "You Can Listen To Two Strange New Kid Cudi Songs Right Now". MTV. 2015-10-04. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  14. ↑ Vance Brinkley (2015-10-03). "Hip-Hop News, Rumors, Rap Music & Videos |AllHipHop » Kid Cudi Releases Two New Songs in Wake of Album Update". AllHipHop. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  15. ↑ "Kid Cudi to Release a 'Speedin Bullet To Heaven' Single Pack Today". Emptylighthouse.com. 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  16. ↑ @KidCudi (2015-10-02). "Im not sure what the issue is everyone. Seems like itunes is bullshittin and my label is too. Ima put them on my soundcloud. Gimme a bit" (Tweet). Retrieved 2015-11-30– via Twitter.
  17. ↑ "Kid Cudi Shares an Acoustic Rendition of "Confused"". 5 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "Confused (Acoustic One Take)".
  19. ↑ Nguyen, Dean Van (2 August 2015). "Kid Cudi posts new single 'Confused'". Nme.com. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven – Kid Cudi – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic". AllMusic . Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  21. ↑ "Kid Cudi Finally Returns With A New Single "Confused"". Theurbandaily.com. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  22. ↑ "Kid Cudi Returns Sounding 'Confused' on New Single". Spin.com. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  23. ↑ "Exclusive: Kid Cudi performs "Confused" for first time at Lollapalooza!" . Retrieved 8 July 2022– via YouTube.
  24. ↑ "Video: Kid Cudi Performs "Confused" For First Time at Lollapalooza". Pursuitofdopeness.com. 2 August 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
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