Kid Cudi Went Back to the Drawing Board and Returned With ‘Porsche Topless’
Two weeks ago, Kid Cudi finally gave his fans what he thought they wanted: a sneak peek at the new music he’s been teasing for months. But the snippet he shared for a single titled “Flex,” scheduled for release on June 2, wasn’t embraced — in fact, they disliked the preview of the song so much that the rapper decided to scrap it altogether. So Cudi went back to the drawing board and has returned with “Porsche Topless,” the first single from his newly-announced album INSANO.
“You guys are my fans, ur my family!!! I hear yall!!! I’m pivoting,” Cudi wrote on Twitter when he pulled the initial single. “Different single June 2nd!!” When the rapper announced “Flex,” he captioned the snippet: “Introducing the song of the summer.” Where that record was weird, fast-paced, and chaotic, “Porsche Topless” more accurately captures the feeling of a late summer night.
“Imagine ur floating high up in the bright blue sky on a nice warm summers day,” Cudi wrote in response to a fan asking how they should prepare for the new single. In the song’s opening verse, he recounts the experience of fans referring to him as the G.O.A.T., rapping: “While I’m geeked, I can hardly speak/Thank ’em, take photo and as I lean/What could be next in my dream?”
INSANO will mark Cudi’s final album under his current recording contract with Republic Records, the label behind his last six studio albums. In November, he shared that he’s “not sure what ima do after that,” potentially hinting at retirement or pivot to focus on other creative projects, like his animated Netflix film Entergalactic.
But he also said at the time that the album wouldn’t be arriving in 2023, writing: “Won’t be next year. Keep u posted.” Cudi announced the album title alongside “Porsche Topless” but stated on Twitter that he’d announce the album’s release date closer to its arrival.
“I hope it just sprinkles a little love in their life. I hope it makes people feel really good,” Cudi told Rolling Stone of his new album last year. “I hope people listen to it with their lover, or crushes or whoever and just vibe and connect with it and just go.”