Don't Play This Song

Album: Man On The Moon 2: The Legend Of Mr Rager (2010)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This anthemic, slow-moving track is from Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, the second album by American rapper Kid Cudi. Mary J. Blige provides guest vocals on the song.
  • The genesis of this collaboration was an accidental meeting between the two stars on a flight to New York, when they discussed working together. Cudi told MTV News that he was surprised the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul was open to working with him and found a record he thought she would fit. "She liked it, but she asked to hear other stuff," Cudi recalled. "I was immediately standoffish. I was like, 'Man, I don't want to play all of these other songs, me talking about cocaine and wilin' out and stuff. I don't want to disrespect Mary, and I know these topics are really intense, and the song I wanted her on was an upbeat, 'Family Affair,' happy. It's a completely different vibe, and I just didn't know how she would respond.

    I played her 'Don't Play This Song,' and she was like, 'I want to get on that.' I was like, 'You can get on anything you want.'"

    According to Cudi, Blige stepped into the booth and nailed her vocals in one take.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Daryl Hall

Daryl HallSongwriter Interviews

Daryl Hall's TV show is a hit, and he's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - only one of these developments excites him.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

David Paich of Toto

David Paich of TotoSongwriter Interviews

Toto's keyboard player explains the true meaning of "Africa" and talks about working on the Thriller album.

Randy Houser

Randy HouserSongwriter Interviews

The "How Country Feels" singer talks Skynyrd and songwriting.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.

90s Metal

90s MetalFact or Fiction

Test your metal - Priest, Maiden, and Beavis and Butt-head show up in this one.