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

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

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  16. @KidCudi (October 3, 2015). "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.
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  18. "Confused (Acoustic One Take)".
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