Posted by Kid Cudi is set to release two new albums this year — including the long-awaited Entergalactic, which will be accompanied by an animated Netflix series — but his first musical offering of 2022 comes courtesy of A Bathing Ape founder NIGO.
The Japanese streetwear icon is gearing up to drop his own new project called I Know NIGO featuring a bevy of big names — from Tyler, The Creator and Lil Uzi Vert to Pusha T and the late Pop Smoke — on March 25.
After grabbing A$AP Rocky for the lead single “Arya,” NIGO follows up by blessing his BAPE followers with a brand new collaboration between Kid Cudi and Pharrell.
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Titled “Want It Bad,” the latest I Know NIGO single finds Mr. Rager lending his soaring vocals and rhythmic raps over spacey, pulsating production from Skateboard P as he invites listeners into his late-night fantasy. The dance floor-friendly feel evokes some of Cudi’s earlier, more club-oriented efforts such as David Guetta’s “Memories.”
“I wanna sleep good tonight/I wanna temple that’s right/Can I get it, man?/Ooh, do you feel it, babe?/I want it bad/This is my dream fantasy/Step in my world, you won’t believe,” he croons over Pharrell’s subterranean bass kicks and starry keyboard notes.
“Want It Bad” is Kid Cudi and Pharrell’s first collaboration since the trifecta of tracks they recorded for 2016’s Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’, including “Surfin.’” Following the album’s release, Cudi (incorrectly) believed he didn’t think The Neptunes hitmaker would work with him again.
“I don’t know if Pharrell will work with me again, because those songs didn’t do what they were supposed to do,” he told GQ in 2018. “The label didn’t do the right thing.”
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In addition to starring on “Want It Bad,” Kid Cudi also unveiled the first item from his forthcoming debut clothing line on Friday (February 18).
The first offering from the collection is a series of T-shirts featuring a “Members of the Rage” spaceship logo designed by Cudi and NIGO, available in various black and white colorways.
The T-shirts drop at 9 a.m. PT on Friday via the official Members of the Rage website, which was also designed by Cudi and was inspired by Microsoft’s Windows 98, he revealed on Twitter.
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Website design by me. Wanted a Windows 98 feel. Some of yall kids wont know what the hell is goin on but embrace it haha
— The Chosen One : I ? YOU FRESHIE 4EVER (@KidCudi) February 17, 2022