The Pursuit of Happiness: The Buddhist Messages Hidden Behind Kid Cudi’s Famous Lyrics
By Katie Tsuchimoto | She/Her/Hers | Tri-State Denver Buddhist Temple
October 20, 2021
The origins of hip hop and rap music started from the idea of relatability. The first rap groups of the 70s and 80s poetically tied societal issues into their lyrics, leading people to become instantly connected to this new genre of music. This is why many famous hip hop artists of today try to tie in relatable emotions and feelings. You look at early Kanye West, and you feel connected to his messages and lyrics. In his song, All Falls Down from 2004, he tackles three intense issues: college privilege, image insecurity, and police brutality. These issues resonate with millions of people, which is why Kanye was able to gain momentum in the rap industry.
Another mainstream artist that uses relatability within his lyrics is Kid Cudi. Though he tackles less social issues than other rap lyricists, he addresses more emotional struggles that people face. Through this emotional journey that Cudi takes us on, we can discover many hidden Buddhist themes behind his lyrics. Though this is most likely not intentional, it is still meaningful to look at these connections.
Possibly Kid Cudi’s most famous song, Pursuit of Happiness, has an abundance of Buddhist ties hidden within the verses. In the main chorus Cudi raps, “I’m on the pursuit of happiness and I know, everything that shine ain’t always gonna be gold.” This line connects to the first noble truth, the truth of suffering. Cudi addresses how there will be things in his life that aren’t perfect and beautiful; there will be times of difficulty and weakness. All of mankind experiences pain and suffering, and it is important to acknowledge this in order to not feel alone during times of discomfort.
The only way you can escape this suffering is by attaining Nirvana, which Cudi sings about in the same chorus, “I’ll be fine once I get it, I’ll be good.” Here he is explaining how once he finds this happiness, he will end his suffering, which is the third noble truth: cessation of suffering. The path Buddhists are instructed to follow in order to attain Nirvana is the Eightfold Path. The pursuit of happiness that Cudi is on can be comparable to the pursuit of Nirvana, which is reached by following the steps of the Eightfold Path.
The essential idea behind Buddhism stems from the idea of how living beings are hindered by suffering, and there needs to be a way to free oneself from this anguish. Even for people who do not consider themselves Buddhist, these lyrics are still engaging. Every living being experiences a type of adversity at some point in their life. Hearing music that dives into this idea of pain and struggle can allow for some relief and connection among its listeners.
This presents the argument of how this is Kid Cudi’s most famous song because of how relatable the lyrics are. Sure, the song has a very unique track, but the thing that brings people back to the song, is the lyrics. The same goes with many other songs and artists. People today listen to old school Kanye West from 15 years ago because it resonates with them.
Overall, these connections to rap and hip hop music that people feel will always be there as long as creators continue to associate with their audience. It is important to observe these connections, as they often can hold immense value to each person in a unique matter. Even though Kid Cudi most likely did not intend to relate his lyrics to core Buddhist teachings, pointing out these ties can help remind us that Buddhism can be found almost anywhere. Buddhism is truly full of profound teachings that followers can find comfort in, knowing how versatile and empathetic the core messages are.
COVER IMAGE CREDIT: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
