The Pursuit of Happiness
When I came across this song by Kid Cudi, I was floored by what a
clear representation it was of our current cultural predicament. It
seems to comment on the search for fame and fortune and materialist
gratification – for ‘happiness’ – and the desperate sense of isolation
and misery that lingers beneath the surface when you’re looking for
meaning in your life in all the wrong places. It seems Mr. Cudi is
aware of this sense that something is amiss in our culture and is
commenting on it with this video.
Here this guy is at a glamorous party drinking fancy champagne,
singing about how life is about living free and being able to do what
he wants – pursuing dreams and living on the edge. He seems to be successful, dressed well and surrounded by beautiful women and people
who looks like stars, and you get the sense that he has everything that someone might want in a materialistic sense. Yet he’s singing.. “I’m on the pursuit of happiness .. I’ll be fine once I get it, I’ll be good.”
Watch the video and let me know what you think.
September 6, 2010 - 1:23 pm
Nice post Jeremy, and great song!
I think this song really captures something about our generationtimeKid Kudi has seen through a lot of the materialist values that other mainstream rappers would sing about–cars, bub, women, bling. It seems like the song is a satire of that lifestyle, showing the dream of money and fame isn’t real.
But at the same time, seeing through all of that doesn’t actually give you any direction either. Just deconstructing the problems doesn’t build a solution. It reminds me a lot of the Lilly Allen song that Tom Huston posted on this blog called “The Fear.” ( http://mergeproject.com/2009/12/03/lily-allen-the-gen-y-condition/ ) It really makes me see how important for all of us to not just see through cultural illusions but actually create new paths to live lives of meaning, purpose and deeper happiness.
September 6, 2010 - 5:14 pm
Hey Jeremy, great song/video & blog!
It’s refreshingly surprising to see some depth and reflection in a song like this. He’s actually lived out the fame dream and sharing with everyone that whatever ultimate happiness we imagine in that fame world is completely fake.
It’s actually pretty profound when you think of how many people our age see fame as the goal that would alleviate all their problems, and actually replicate the kind (empty) lifestyle they see in a mediated fame in the way they live their lives. It’s pretty cool to imagine some Gen Y celebrities busting that bubble… I’ll try to play the song at the next campus party
September 6, 2010 - 5:28 pm
Just btw, Kid Cudi’s new single is called Rev of Ev. Short for… Revolution of Evolution! It sounds like he’s asking us to wake up for the revolution… http://worldfamousnaijablog.com/2010/06/kid-cudi-rev-of-ev/ to listen. (Sounds like we need his album for our next road trip!)
October 11, 2010 - 3:02 pm
Awesome song emily! Thanks for the link. I’m so down for the Revolution of Evolution… it’s burning through my soul. God, need more theme songs like this.
September 6, 2010 - 9:40 pm
This is great, thanks for sharing Jeremy!
I love the self reflective moment in the bathroom at the end of the video, it’s a great example of a conscious awakening and the sense of objectivity that it conveys is really cool. The entire video portrays the “ideal” life but then you see that the moment of objectivity at the end allows for a questioning as to what exactly is so great about the “good” life?
I heard the term “conscious rap” the other day and I was a little perplexed at exactly what that would be, but I think this is a great example.
September 7, 2010 - 10:27 am
there’s something really tender and fierce and yearning about this song, especially in this cover by lissie, which makes me tear up whenever i watch/listen to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ1XkbjFS0
September 7, 2010 - 7:07 pm
Awesome cover. That is a powerful song! Thanks for the link
September 8, 2010 - 8:46 am
that’s awesome megan.. shows it’s just a really good song, translates so well into a cover