Cudi: The Memoir

by Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi

A raw, fearless memoir from the Grammy Award–winning artist, actor, and designer Kid Cudi about a kid from Cleveland who found purpose in the darkness and became a guiding light for a generation.

The Memoir is Scott Mescudi’s most personal work yet. Across a trailblazing career, he’s turned pain into poetry with anthems like “Day ’N’ Nite,” “Pursuit of Happiness,” and “Mr. Rager.” His music gave voice to the unheard and hope to the unseen. But while he was ascending to cultural dominance, he was quietly unraveling.

Written during a time of deep self-discovery, Cudi is a story of survival—through depression, addiction, isolation, and doubt. In his own words, Scott charts the journey back to himself, offering hard-earned lessons on vulnerability, reinvention, and the courage to keep going.

Genres: Memoir, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Music, Biography, Biography Memoir, Autobiography

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2025

Reviews

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

protect Cudi at all costs.

[Anna Wenninger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this up! I love this man so much I almost cried twice! I listened to the audiobook and he reads it for us which I love his voice and he doesn’t the mmm mmm mmmm mmmmmmmm thing he does and it is goosebumps to me! So humble and I want him!

The beginning of the book he had his mom write the intro and she says something like “you are no longer on the pursuit of happiness, because you are happy now” 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹😍😍😍😍♥️♥️

[Kevin Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool Memoir. Felt lazy towards the end - can’t knock a book about someone’s personal life tho it was cool

[Anjali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love kid cudi but after reading this memoir I can’t say I necessarily like him

[Allyson Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good I would read it again. Well written, had me crying, laughing and just relating to some parts so much. His moms introduction was so precious 🥹
Kid Cudi’s music helped me so much in a rough time and it’s so fantastic to hear that he’s loving his life now 🫶

[Stephanie Wilen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to rate a memoir poorly but I could never recommend this to anyone. The writing was basic, the editing was terrible and the overall structure was a mess. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Taylor Penn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Cudi fan, listening to the audiobook is the only way to go. Feels like you’re in conversation with your buddy, Scott.

[Spencer Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Cudi has helped shape even a small part of your life - as I know he has for so many in my generation - this is a must read. Hearing about his journey directly from the source, diving into both his darkest and brightest moments, is incredibly moving. There’s something special about reading his story and thinking, “Damn, I remember this,” recalling exactly where you were in your life at the time. Even something as simple as a street name can unlock a flood of lyrics and memories. That alone makes it more than worth the read.

[Margarida CR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the book but regret not listening to it instead. It’s written as he speaks - while it’s not a lyrical type of writing, it feels intimate and raw, as if this was a friends conversation. It’s a simple read despite all the complexity of this incredibly talented artist, who pours into these pages his human side that feels so honest and vulnerable. Scott tells us - at times forcefully attempts to convince us - that he’s not a bad person. That he’s the good guy, a good dad, a good lover, a good son, brother and friend, loyal to his many talents, to his people, and to his truth. He wants us to know he has grown through the grief, anger, and sorrow, while remaining very much himself in all his talent, and we have watched and heard it all. Cudi has all my respect and admiration

[janisjay · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You are no longer on the pursuit of happiness. You are happy.”

listening to Cudi on the audiobook tell his story was so compelling & nostalgic. i’ve been a day 1 fan & his music has been an escape for me. glad to hear he has finally found the light ⭐️🫀

[Danisha Dumornay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been following Scott since he came on the scene and it’s been a beautifully imperfect and deeply inspirational journey to witness. To hear him speak his truths and share so vulnerably is nothing new to his fans. I’m just grateful for another platform for him to share with us.

[Breeze Horr · Rating 4 out of 5]

another artist who was the soundtrack to my life in early college (see what i did there) so enjoyable! kid cudi is funny. he does not hold back on good stories. felt like he was just chatting with me about his life - love when a memoir feels like that. good dude that that hustled successfully and came out of some dark mental shit. recommend if you’re a fan.

[Paul]

solid 3.5 - I wish he dove deeper into his music making but overall this a decent read from one of my biggest influences during the teenage years! Probably would have enjoyed it more as an audiobook because well its Kid Cudi’s voice

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read this, do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook. Kid Cudi brings his story to life as he narrates, laughing and humming melodies throughout.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not everyone needs to write a book.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a longtime fan of Kid Cudi’s and it was awesome to hear his story in his own words. A tortured artist with a decent grasp on his flaws and issues. We grew up not far from each other in Cleveland in the 90s and I enjoyed references to our shared childhood places. Not a memoir that would appeal to non-fans, but a solid one for anyone interested.

[Linus · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Yes, my life has been one hell of a ride
There was a time when happiness was a very far off and distant thing for me to acquire
But I made it out of the darkness, I saw the light
And I know that my dad is proud of me, all my angels, they're proud of me, yeah"
- Kid Cudi - Salt Water (from his latest album "Free")

This quote from the final song on his latest album encapsulates the essence of Cudi's memoir. Reading about his life in streams of consciousness that make you feel part of the story was a deeply moving experience. Incoherent at times, funny at others, and often tragic and difficult, Kid Cudi's life has certainly been eventful so far. At least that's how it seems from reading the book in my rather simple and unsophisticated life, which pales in comparison to Cudi's experiences, gatherings, and calamities.
I was naturally very excited to learn more about his relationship with Kanye West, how he built his legacy, also thanks to his lifelong friendship with Dot da Genius and others, and how they came up with 'Day 'n' Nite', his breakthrough single that made him famous overnight. And I was not disappointed!

Every fan of Kid Cudi's music who is interested in the meaning behind his songs, which often clearly indicate the dark side of life that Cudi experienced, including thoughts about suicide and an actual suicide attempt, will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it, but be prepared to find vivid accounts of Cudi's life in this book, as he speaks about everything, sometimes in an unordered way, as life often is.

[Michael Williams]

I genuinely think if you'd have asked me who the most important people in my life were freshman and sophomore year of high school - Kid Cudi would have been top 5 probably lol. Man on the Moon 1 & 2 were everything to me back then so I've always loved him so much. He made such good, vulnerable music about being sad and lonely over great beats I was obsessed. So I was excited to read this!

This was not really a memoir I loved. I thought the writing was sporadic (as I often find in celebrity memoirs) and seemed to be catered to hardcore fans. This isn't a celebrity memoir I'd recommend to someone that doesn't know much about Cudi. Some of the stories were entertaining and wild. He's lived quite a life struggling with addiction and depression and fame, but overall I was still somewhat bored throughout. His music making stories were definitely the main highlights for me here. It does make me want to deep dive into some of the newer albums I didn't appreciate as much when they dropped but not my favorite memoir

[Tatyana Escano · Rating 4 out of 5]

everyone say thank u kid cudi!!!

obvi a big part of our generation, but was great to learn more about his rise to fame, need for creativity and the up’s and down’s of his mental health journey.

was also fun to hear some unexpected name drops (cough cough father john misty/katherine hahn) to his more public relationships (timothee, cassie, etc.).

def audiobook this one!! he narrates and sings a lil!

[juniorpalo]

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Kid Cudi’s music helped shape the man I am today. Hearing all the back stories and anecdotes behind quite literally the soundtrack to my teenage and early 20s years was such a full circle experience. Cudlife fam 🥲

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kid Cudi has always been the one artist who I felt like needed a big hug and someone to ask if he was ok.

If you have listened to any of his music then you should absolutely read this memoir. It gives insight into his creative process, addresses his demons, and sheds light on his personal life. I think this must have been healing for him and he’s finally ready to tell his story.

[Rebekah Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this! As a Kid Cudi fan, I loved diving into his life and getting to see behind the scenes. He tells his story through genuine honesty.

Audiobook is the way to go for this—he brings the story to life through his own narration and transition music throughout.

This memoir helped me gain a deeper appreciation for an already beloved artist…now to binge his newest album :)

[Rebecca Hoffman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book that should have been a documentary

[Grace Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ exposing myself as a kid cudi stan here ~
scott is a true creative! I have loved watching him share his story through so many different mediums. his music always moves me (yeah I'm a millenial like that)

caveat - there is def some rap guy ego here and some stories that had me like hmmm ... not sure if that's the most evolved or respectful take. esp about his romantic relationships. but I suppose a memoir is one person's honest story and perspective & you can only critique that so far.

[Emily Rossetto · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
This was my very first memoir and I’m glad I jumped in with Cudi’s book! Howeeveerrrr… I wish I listened to this one on audio. Honestly any memoir moving forward I will just ear-read. Nothing against my guy Scotty - just genuinely so slow to read for me. It felt like I was reading a straight text thread. BUT all said and done; I learned a lot about one of my favorite artists and it’s cool to hear the backgrounds of albums that I grew up listening to on repeat (and everything that goes with that!)

[Isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5
I have been a huge fan of his since the beginning, and his story has impressed me. He has opened up so much, and to me he is an incredibly creative person. I can hardly wait to hear and see more from him.

[Madison]

My second audiobook!! Not rating because it’s a memoir, but let’s just say, I loved this. Kid Cudi has always been one of my favorite rappers. His sound and story is pretty different than others and that’s what I like most about him. Hearing him narrate and tell his truth makes me appreciate him so much more! His music sounds different now when I listen to it, and his new album will mean so much more to me and others.

[Kirsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been a fan of Cudi. When I found out he was releasing this; I had to read it, and even better I was able to get my hands on the audiobook and listen to him read it. I feel like I always knew him through his music but I got to know him more through this memoir. He is so real on his emotions and relatable. I found his story very inspiring and gut wrenching at times. It made me love him even more! 🌕🧑🏽‍🚀

[Caroline Caroline Cullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this man and have since I was 13. This was special and I love hearing a growth journey like this in combination with how some of the best songs of a generation were made. What a special human being.

[Alex Merrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fav memoir I’ve ever read