THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
601-Kid Cudi vs. Crookers-Day ‘n’ Nite.
2009-Number 2 single.
Best Bit-At 1.14. This is one of a handful of songs in this countdown that has been chosen because of it’s remix.
Kid Cudi was born Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, on January 30th, 1984, in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, he is a singer, songwriter, record producer, and an actor. He first caught the attention of the public when publishing the original version of ‘Day ‘n’ Nite’ on his ‘MySpace’ page, the song became popular on line, leading to Kid Cudi teaming up with the music producers Plain Pat and Emile Haynie, to record his first full-length project, a mixtape titled ‘A Kid Named Cudi,’ in 2008. This in turn led to him coming to the attention of the American Rapper Kanye West, (see also best songs 1049-849-636-477 and 267) who signed him to his ‘Good Music’ record label later that year. Kid Cudi has also had an acting career running concurrently with his music career, having appeared in 23 films between 2010-2023. He has also acted in several television series, including ‘One Tree Hill,’ (2010) and ‘Westworld’ (2020.)
The discography of Kid Cudi includes 10 studio Albums released between 2009-2024, and 32 singles released between 2008-2023, there is also one official compilation Album, one box set, and one mixtape available. In America on Billboard, five of his Albums have reached the Billboard 200 Album chart top five, while as the lead artist, five of his singles have reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 40, with ‘The Scotts,’ with ‘Travis Scott as The Scotts,’ making Number 1 in 2020, and ‘Day ‘n’ Nite’ peaking at Number 3. He has also charted on a further six occasions as a featured or guest artist. In the UK, Kid Cudi has charted twice on the top 40 singles chart as the lead artist, with ‘Day ‘n’ Nite,’ and ‘The Scotts,’ (Number 11-2020) he has also charted a further five times as either the featured artist, or as a guest artist, with both ‘Memories,’ by David Guetta, featuring Kid Cudi, and ‘All of the Lights,’ by Kanye West, featuring Rihanna, Kid Cudi, and Fergie, both making Number 15 in 2010.
‘Day ‘n’ Nite’ was co-written by Kid Kudi, and the American music producer Oladipo Omishore, who is better known by his working name ‘Dot da Genius,’ the pair also co-produced the track. ‘Day ‘n’ Nite’ first appeared on Kid Kudi’s ‘MySpace’ page in 2007, and then in 2008 on his mixtape ‘ A Kid Named Cudi.’ The song was next issued as the debut single from his debut studio Album ‘Man on the Moon: The End of Day,’ from September 2009, it was the first of three singles released from the Album.
The original version of ‘Day ‘n’ Nite’ is a ‘Hip-Hop’ track. In March 2008 the Italian production duo of Francesco ‘Phra’ Barbaglia, and Andrea ‘Bot’ Fratangelo, who worked together until 2012 as the ‘Crookers,’ remixed the track, and first publishing it as a free download, before releasing it commercially in the United States in August 2008. The Crookers remix of the song is very different from the original, and can be filed under the genre of ‘Electro House.’ On first hearing the Crookers remix, Kid Cudi said that he ‘Immediately loved it,’ adding, ‘I thought they did an amazing job. I didn’t think it was going to be as ill as it was. Before I heard it I thought, ‘Ah, it’s ‘Techno’ so it’s going to be cheesy,’ but it came out really ill.’
Kid Cudi is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve musically, often ‘Rapping’ about his own personal feelings, and this is very much the case on ‘Day ‘n’ Nite.’ He has stated that when he wrote the song he was not in a great place emotionally, ‘I was going through a lot of stuff at the time in my life, and so I felt like I needed to write those things down just to get them off my chest. I wasn’t really thinking about making a hit record or anything like that, I was just making the song to get my feelings out.’ In 2004 Kid Cudi had moved from his Cleveland hometown to New York City, where he stayed with his uncle, Kalil Madi, until he was kicked by him. ‘We were actually beefing because he forced me out the house when I didn’t have another situation set up, so I was bitter.’ Kid Kudi’s uncle passed away in 2006, and he wrote this song inspired by his feelings of regret at not patching up differences before his death. ‘I never apologised for it, and that kills me,’ he has said.
‘Day and night I toss and turn, I keep stressing my mind, mind. I look for peace, but see I don’t attain, what I need, for keeps this silly game we play, play.’