Besides the flawless beat switch, the weak hook doesn’t do the song any factors. Obviously, there’s a lot of Cudi in Travis’ musical DNA, but it’s clear the two influence each other, especially after “The Scotts.” “She Knows This” is the most overtly Travis Scott-esque song on the album, and it also happens to be one of the weakest. At times, Cudi channels a bit of Travis Scott with his ad-libs and Auto-Tuned croons. Cudi’s singing on the album sits in a slightly husky baritone that adapts excellently to any style of production thrown its way.
That finality feels more wistful towards the end of the record, but the drama is upped in the first half. There’s a sense of finality that hangs over most of Man On the Moon III: The Chosen. “This time I’m ready for it/This fight, this war in me,” Cudi sings, with all the passion and determination in the world. The song has more singing than one would expect given the beat, but that booming bass doesn’t make it any less of a battle cry. The production duo takes the helm of “Tequila Shots,” the strongest Act I song and the album’s first full-length track. Many of Cudi’s longtime collaborators join him for the finale of this trilogy, but the very beginning of this album is highlighted by Take a Daytrip ( “Mo Bamba,” “Holiday”). The album’s opening act, “Return 2 Madness,” soundtracks Cudi’s descent into the place of darkness and cold solitude that so much of his discography exists in. Split into four acts, Man On the Moon III: The Chosen begins with a return that is anything but victorious.