Universal Motown has announced that emerging rapper Kid Cudi has joined the label’s roster, and is currently completing his debut album, Man on the Moon: The Guardian, which is scheduled for a late summer release on Dream On/G.O.O.D. Music/Universal Motown.  

“Kid Cudi is at the vanguard of a game-changing new generation of artists,” said Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone. “He crosses musical boundaries with an appeal that goes beyond genre, format, race, language, and culture. Cudi lives easily in the hip-hop, indie rock, pop, and R&B worlds – a diversity that shows in his innovative music and his all-embracing persona,” while the executive added, “I am thrilled to welcome Kid Cudi into the Universal Motown family.”

“Partnering Kid Cudi with Universal Motown and Sylvia Rhone couldn’t be a more natural fit,” commented Emile and Plain Pat. “They were the first major company to take notice of our movement and truly grasp our vision. We are thrilled to extend and deepen our relationship. It’s a great feeling to watch the world discover the talent we saw in Cudi over these past years.”

Led by the breakout radio and digital hit “Day ‘N’ Nite,” which is performing well in multi-formats (Rhythmic-Crossover, Mainstream Top 40, Urban, and Alternative), the Cleveland, OH native caught the attention of fellow genre-bender and rap superstar Kanye West, eventually leading to Cudi joining the G.O.O.D Music imprint.

“Cudi is a combination of constant inspiration, struggle, reality and dreams put to melody,” says West.

In addition to his own music, Cudi most recently participated on Kanye West’s album 808s & Heartbreak, co-writing four tracks, including “Heartless” and “Welcome to Heartbreak,” which featured a vocal performance by the up-and-coming artist.

“Day ‘N’ Nite” is also receiving international acclaim with success in Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, Belgium, and the U.K., where the song was remixed by the DJ/production team Crookers.

Cudi is currently embarking on a national press and radio promo tour, with stops at festivals such as Bamboozled and Rothbury. The tour is scheduled to run through late spring and beyond.

As part of a joint venture with G.O.O.D. Music, Cudi plans to launch his own label, Dream On, later this year with partners Emile and Plain Pat.