Confused!

{{Infobox song

| name = Confused!

| cover = Confusedcudi.jpeg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Kid Cudi

| album = Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven

| released = August 1, 2015

| recorded = 2015

| studio = * Conway (Los Angeles)

Red Barn (Big Sur){{Cite AV media notes |title=Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven |last=Kid Cudi |year=2015 |type=booklet |publisher=Republic Records/Wicked Awesome Records |id=B0024341-02}}

| venue =

| genre = Grunge{{cite web | url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kid-cudi-confused-new-song.1965680.html | title=Kid Cudi – Confused | website=HNHH | date=August 2015 }}{{cite web | url=https://uproxx.com/music/listen-to-kid-cudi-get-grunge-y-on-his-latest-single-confused/ | title=Listen to Kid Cudi Get Grunge-y on His Latest Single 'Confused' | date=August 2015 }}

| length = 3:56

| label = {{hlist|Wicked Awesome|Republic}}

| writer = Scott Mescudi

| producer = Kid Cudi

| chronology = Kid Cudi

| prev_title = Girls

| prev_year = 2013

| next_title = Frequency

| next_year = 2016

}}

"Confused!" (stylized in all caps) is a song written and recorded by American musician Kid Cudi, taken from his fifth studio album Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven (2015). The song was officially released on August 1, 2015 as the album's lead single.{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kid-cudi-confused-new-song.1965680.html |title=Kid Cudi – Confused {{pipe}} Listen [New Song] |website=Hotnewhiphop.com |date=2015-08-01 |access-date=2015-11-30}} The song features production, guitar and bass from Cudi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2015/08/kid-cudi-new-song-confused|title=Listen To Kid Cudi's "Confused"|website=Complex.com|access-date=8 July 2022}}

Background and release

On April 4, 2015, Cudi announced via Twitter, that he would soon be releasing a new album titled Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, prior to Man on the Moon III.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2015/04/05/kid-cudi-announces-new-album-speedin-bullet-to-heaven/ |title=Kid Cudi Announces New Album 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven' |magazine=Rap-Up |access-date=2015-11-30}} When speaking on the album in early July 2015, Cudi stated: "This album is 100% the purest form of my artistic self".{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2204199/kid-cudi-new-album-tweets/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706191535/http://www.mtv.com/news/2204199/kid-cudi-new-album-tweets/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 6, 2015 |title=Allow Kid Cudi To Explain His New Album To You |publisher=MTV |access-date=2015-11-30}} He also added: "I've ripped my heart out and carved it into tiny pieces of musical madness". On August 6, 2015, Cudi dedicated the album to "everyone struggling with mental disorder all around the world."{{cite tweet|number=629462370369208320|user=KidCudi|title=This album is dedicated to everyone strugglin with mental disorder all around the world |access-date=2015-11-30|date=2015-08-06 }} On July 4, Cudi gave an update on the project, which he announced would be entirely self-produced (with some assistance from Plain Pat), as well as hinting towards a rock album, when he revealed there would be a complete absence of electronic sounds, as the instrumentals will consist entirely of his own guitar and bass playing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kid-cudi-says-speedin-bullet-to-heaven-is-98-done-single-out-this-month-news.16290.html|title=Kid Cudi Says "Speedin' Bullet To Heaven" Is 98% Done, Single Out This Month|date=4 July 2015|website=HotNewHipHop.com|access-date=8 July 2022}}

On July 4, 2015, Cudi announced a single for the album would be released "before the end of the month."{{cite magazine|author=Elias Leight |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6620092/kid-cudi-twitter-update |title=Kid Cudi Revealed Details About His Next Album On Twitter |magazine=Billboard |access-date=2015-11-30}}{{cite web|url=http://pigeonsandplanes.com/2015/07/kid-cudi-supergroup/ |title=Kid Cudi Wants to Start a Supergroup {{pipe}} Pigeons & Planes |website=Pigeonsandplanes.com |date=2015-07-20 |access-date=2015-11-30}} The single, titled "Confused!", was released on August 1, 2015. On September 29, 2015, Cudi released the cover art for "Confused", which he designed himself.{{cite web|author=J'na Jefferson |url=http://www.vibe.com/2015/09/kid-cudi-speedin-bullet-to-heaven-double-disc/ |title=Kid Cudi Has Double-Disc Plans For His New Album |website=Vibe.com |date=2015-09-29 |access-date=2015-11-30}} On October 2, 2015, Cudi released two new songs, "Wedding Tux" and "Judgmental Cunt".{{cite web|last=William |first=Trace |url=https://news.yahoo.com/kid-cudi-shares-two-tracks-135048196.html |title=Kid Cudi Shares Two New Tracks From 'Speedin' Bullet to Heaven' |website=News.yahoo.com |date=2015-10-03 |access-date=2015-11-30}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2338689/kid-cudi-judgemental-cunt-wedding-tux/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005055906/http://www.mtv.com/news/2338689/kid-cudi-judgemental-cunt-wedding-tux/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 5, 2015 |title=You Can Listen To Two Strange New Kid Cudi Songs Right Now |publisher=MTV |date=2015-10-04 |access-date=2015-11-30}}{{cite web|author=Vance Brinkley |url=http://allhiphop.com/2015/10/03/kid-cudi-releases-two-new-songs-in-wake-of-album-update/ |title=Hip-Hop News, Rumors, Rap Music & Videos {{pipe}}AllHipHop » Kid Cudi Releases Two New Songs in Wake of Album Update |publisher=AllHipHop |date=2015-10-03 |access-date=2015-11-30}} The songs were originally supposed to be released on iTunes, in a single pack, along with "Confused", however the iTunes release failed to materialize, forcing Cudi to release it via his official SoundCloud page.{{cite web|url=http://emptylighthouse.com/kid-cudi-release-speedin-bullet-heaven-single-pack-today-1583729969 |title=Kid Cudi to Release a 'Speedin Bullet To Heaven' Single Pack Today |website=Emptylighthouse.com |date=2015-10-02 |access-date=2015-11-30}}{{cite tweet|number=650198875890839552|user=KidCudi|title=Im not sure what the issue is everyone. Seems like itunes is bullshittin and my label is too. Ima put them on my soundcloud. Gimme a bit |access-date=2015-11-30|date=2015-10-02 }}

On January 5, 2016, Cudi released an acoustic version of the song via his official SoundCloud account, which he recorded in one take.{{cite web | url=https://hypebeast.com/2018/1/kid-cudi-confused-acoustic | title=Kid Cudi Shares an Acoustic Rendition of "Confused" | date=5 January 2016 }}{{cite web | url=https://soundcloud.com/cudderland/confused-acoustic-one-take | title=Confused (Acoustic One Take) }} The original song was later included on Cudi's first greatest hits album The Boy Who Flew to the Moon, Vol. 1 (2022).

Critical reception

{{Listen|pos = right

|filename=Confused.ogg

|title="Confused!"

|description=The album's lead single contains confessional, stream-of-consciousness songwriting. Cudi intones ponderous rhymes over post-punk guitar and clicking percussion.

}}

Upon release, Dean Van Nguyen of NME, wrote "Featuring a heavy, grunge-like guitar riff, the track continues Cudi’s recent move away from his alt-hip-hop origins towards a more rock-orientated sound," referring to his 2012 collaborative effort WZRD, which was also a departure from his previous work.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/kid-cudi-3-1225951|title=Kid Cudi posts new single 'Confused'|first=Dean Van|last=Nguyen|website=Nme.com|date=2 August 2015|access-date=8 July 2022}} David Jeffries of AllMusic noted "For outsiders, ‘Confused!’ is the track to pick, as it sticks in the head with the ‘Who am I? Who are we?/All I want is to feel complete’ chorus, and then resonates with ‘I hate the drugs but I love the numb.’"{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/speedin-bullet-2-heaven-mw0002903533|title=Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven – Kid Cudi – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=1 October 2016}}

B.R. of the Urban Daily wrote "‘Confused!’ still finds Kid Cudi in his rock star lane, pushing his sobered, dry vocals over a simplistic chord progression. He’s still straying away from hip-hop, but this single is far more accessible than his work on Satellite Flight. ‘Confused’ is a personal track, too: ‘I hate the drugs but I love the numb/ I hate the gun but I want the sun.’"{{Cite web|url=https://theurbandaily.com/3015668/kid-cudi-confused-single/|title=Kid Cudi Finally Returns With A New Single "Confused"|website=Theurbandaily.com|date=1 August 2015|access-date=8 July 2022}} Brennan Carley of Spin wrote "It's much in line with the sound the rapper's been carving out the past couple of years – drawling singing atop melancholic, head-in-hands melodies – but he sounds totally on his game here."{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2015/08/kid-cudi-confused-new-song-soundcloud-stream/|title=Kid Cudi Returns Sounding 'Confused' on New Single|website=Spin.com|date=1 August 2015|access-date=8 July 2022}}

Live performances

Kid Cudi provided a live rendition of "Confused!" on August 1, 2015 during his set at the Lollapalooza music festival.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLhqfE8dtdw|title=Exclusive: Kid Cudi performs "Confused" for first time at Lollapalooza!|access-date=8 July 2022|via=YouTube}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pursuitofdopeness.com/2015/08/video-kid-cudi-performs-confused-for-first-time-at-lollapalooza/|title=Video: Kid Cudi Performs "Confused" For First Time at Lollapalooza|website=Pursuitofdopeness.com|date=2 August 2015|access-date=8 July 2022}}