Juan Ramirez

Kid Cudi performs one of his hit songs on the Miami stop of his Cud Life Tour.

Ask anyone under the age of 25 to sing you the immediately recognizable first lines of “Pursuit of Happiness” and you’ll see just how influential Kid Cudi has been. Considering his penchant for remaining under the radar, Cudi’s return to the stage with the Cud Life Tour was possibly the most unexpected comeback of the year. Joining forces with up-and-coming rapper Logic, and alternating between former G.O.O.D. Music label-mate Big Sean and the always mysterious Tyler, the Creator, the Cud Life Tour took the United States by storm in the latter half of 2013.

Cudi fell off the grid after the release of his critically-acclaimed album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, the sequel to his debut album MotM: The End of Day. Fans were left confused and angry, with several unanswered questions. In 2011, after many promised videos and songs went unreleased, Cudi announced he would be taking a new artistic direction with his career and starting a rock duo named WZRD. That venture would not last long, and Cudi released his third hip-hop album, “Indicud” in April 2012.

The Miami concert of the Cud Life Tour featured rappers Logic and Big Sean at the AmericanAirlines Arena on Oct 8. Known by some as Young Sinatra, Logic showed off his speedy flow and ability to freestyle as the crowd gathered. Once the first few “Oh Gawd’s” from Big Sean’s set started emanating through the arena, the crowds poured into the general admission pit. Known for his up-tempo and hype songs, Big Sean delivered a 45-minute compilation of his greatest hits. The crowd seemed to go wildest for the G.O.O.D Music cuts, including a remix of “Mercy” and “Clique,” as well as his new single “Beware,” for which he brought out special guest Jhené Aiko.

After closing out Big Sean’s set, the collective heart rate of everyone in the stadium seemed to be at an all-time high. The curtains closed and a giant screen featuring psychedelic flowers covered the crew members working on the new stage. Anticipation had long reached its peak when the lights dimmed and Cudi’s trademark deep voice groaned onto a microphone. The screen dropped, revealing an awe-inspiring giant moon crater in the center with several giant moon rocks scattered across the stage. Cudi emerged from an opening in the crater and sent the crowd into an ecstatic rage.

After performing several songs, including the autobiographical “Soundtrack 2 My Life,” Cudi set himself apart from most other artists by stating that he will not focus too much on his new songs, but give fans the show they had been waiting for by performing classics from his older albums. This announcement pleased the crowd, as most fans initially fell in love with Kid Cudi during his Man on the Moon series.

Despite his deeply personal and sometimes depressing lyrics, as well as his infamous shyness, Cudi was a very energetic performer, jumping around and joyfully harmonizing with his own beats. The audience’s attention never faltered as he delivered memorable performances of “Erase Me,” “Memories,” “Up Up & Away” and the incredibly heartfelt “Mr. Rager,” which brought down the mood of the audience while never making them feel tired. Cudi surprised everyone by performing an acoustic version of one his earliest mixtape hits, “Maui Wowie.” Rapper and frequent collaborator King Chip made an appearance and joined Cudi on two songs near the end of the show.

 Cudi’s joy was infectious and all throughout the show, he jumped, spoke to the audience in a sing-song voice and explained the meaning behind his lyrics in a way that made everyone feel as if they were the only ones in the room. His down-to-earth charisma added a new level of respect to his acclaim. Cudi made it clear that he missed performing live and vowed to work on his rap career for his fans.

Suddenly, Cudi stepped back and let the hypnotic synth beats of his signature song, “Pursuit of Happiness,” ring through the arena, immediately causing a frenzy. Giving his all, Cudi sang, rapped and powered through the song before going into the Steve Aoki mix of the song, popularized by the movie “Project X.”

The once mellow vibe of the concert transformed into a rave for the song as everyone in the audience jumped and sang along. Cudi retreated back into the crater and let the audience pull themselves together before returning to the stage with Big Sean to perform their collaborative song “First Chain.” With the crowd’s heads about to explode, Sean finished his verses as Cudi’s signature groans faded.

At this point, it was unclear who was thanking whom. Cudi expressed his gratitude for the support and love the fans gave him as the audience roared and pumped their fists in the air. Exiting the venue onto the Miami street, it seemed clear in everybody’s mind that the Kid Cudi everyone knew and loved was back.