The first rapper to have his car blown up and release an album in 2025.

Kid Cudi is ready to soar once again. The genre-bending artist has officially announced his new album FREE, set to arrive on August 22, and from the looks of it, this one is about liberation, both sonically and spiritually.

The Man on the Moon creator took to social media to reveal the album’s title, cover, and inspiration, pairing it with a powerful photo of himself literally leaping into the clouds. The image was shot by the acclaimed @normanjeanroy and inspired by The Truman Show, the cult classic film about breaking free from a manufactured world. In Cudi’s own words:

“I wanted something that really expressed freedom, so the concept of me leaping into the clouds made so much sense… I can’t WAIT for you guys to hear this album and really see the album art brought to life. You’re in for a beautiful ride. Promise ???????”

FREE follows his 2022 album Entergalactic, which doubled as a Netflix animated special and was praised for its emotional storytelling, slick production, and romantic themes. While Cudi has maintained a lower profile musically since then, his name has remained in headlines this year, most notably, due to being mentioned in the ongoing Diddy legal saga.

Now, with FREE, Cudi appears ready to return to music with clarity, vision, and renewed purpose. Though I prefer a melancholy Cudi, you have to be happy for anyone who is happy.

??KID CUDI
?FREE
?AUGUST 22 pic.twitter.com/ScdDv3ApgE

— Ratings Game Music (RGM) (@RATINGSGAME) July 9, 2025

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.