As one of hip-hop's breakthrough artists of 2009, Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi appeals to a new type of listener, and perhaps embodies America's youth better than any veteran artist.

As most hip-hop stars continue to be plagued by repetitive, recycled lyrics that revolve solely on materialistic lives of fame and fortune, Cudi has been thrust into the spotlight for embodying an "anti-rapper" style, earning the respect of hip-hop purists who have been displeased with the current direction of the genre.

Cudi's breakthrough single, "Day 'n' Nite," focuses on a main character — perhaps a creative alter-ego of Mescudi himself — who suffers from lack of sleep due to anxiety, pressure and stress. In contrast, rappers like Lil Wayne and Cudi's labelmate Kanye West continue to release songs about money, fame and expensive champagne.

"Day 'n' Nite - Kid Cudi"

Now, Cudi's highly-anticipated debut album is officially on sale, titled "Man on the Moon: The End of Day." Mescudi continues to explore himself on this album, bravely adventuring into his creative imagination, with tracks narrated by hip-hop heavyweight Common.

On "Pursuit Of Happiness," Cudi teams up with rock/electro/pop band MGMT to bring forth an upbeat medley accompanied with dark lyrics. This stark contrast is atypical of Cudi's appeal; flashy, new-wave beats draw attention to the fatalistic verses Cudi rhymes over top of them. Not all of Cudi's musical experiments will please hip-hop purists, like the rock-based track "Up, Up, And Away", but just the sheer variety is refreshing to a listener who is tired of cliche songs by artists like Wayne and West.

On "Soundtrack 2 My Life," Cudi candidly details the birth of his depression with the chorus: "I've got some issues that nobody can see/And all of these emotions are pouring out of me." The song's lyrics fill in listeners on turning points in Cudi's life, like the death of his father at a young age, and an early cause of stress for Cudi, his mother's hardships as a single parent.

"Soundtrack 2 My Life" - Kid Cudi

Perhaps the larger message that can be drawn from Cudi's success is what it says about America's youth. As teenage listeners gobble up Cudi's mix tapes, and now his album, a growing trend in musical taste is being shown. More and more listeners can identify with darker lyrics, as they are growing up in a different America. Recession, war and exponential challenges face this generation of Americans — and perhaps, like Cudi, America's youth is overwhelmed by the uncertainties of the future.

Alex Everard is editor of The Squall at Dexter High School.