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Makayla Kleiner

Professor Reynolds

ENG 1201-515

20 February 2021

Happiness is the Key to Life

While both songs share the same name and theme of finding

happiness, the stories being told through each song and video are

very different from one another. Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of

Happiness” was released in 2009 and has an electronic dance feel

to it. On the other hand, Kool & The Gang’s “Pursuit of

Happiness” was released in 2021 and is considered soul rap music.

Also, it is more relevant to what is going on in America as of

today. Kid Cudi’s version appeals to an audience that is fighting

mental illness and stresses that in order for one to be happy,

one must be happy with one’s self. Meanwhile, Kool & The Gang

targets a completely different audience, this being citizens of

America, and believes in order to be happy, we must show love to

one another.

At the start of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness”, the

viewer sees Cudi laying on his couch in his small, messy and

simplistic apartment. He shows a facial expression of exhaustion

and unhappiness, which continues throughout the entire video. As

we watch him try to leave his apartment, he always ends up back

on his couch which can be symbolic of someone who cannot win

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their fight against depression or anxiety. At one point, Cudi

opens up a window in his apartment and proceeds to hold on for

dear life; as if he is trying to commit suicide. However, it

shows that the ground and surroundings below are just a green

screen. As he attempts to drop from his window again, his couch

appears behind him. It is evident that his depression will not

let him leave his apartment, more specifically, his couch.

As he sings the chorus of the song, “I’m on the pursuit of

happiness and I know, Everything that shine ain’t always gonna be

gold”, his apartment transforms to a dark and eerie forest where

he begins to hallucinate people in costumes. It almost seems as

if the two girls he is hallucinating are supposed to be an angel

and the devil on his shoulders. This would make sense because the

devil represents the temptations one possesses and in Kid Cudi’s

case, his depression tempts him to stay in bed all day. While the

angel represents conscience one possesses. For Cudi, he

acknowledges that he knows he is unhappy right now, however, once

he finds happiness he will be alright. In the end, Kid Cudi’s

voice fades out as he continues to say, “pursuit of happiness,

yeah I’m gonna get it, and I’ll be good” which makes the viewer

feel hopeful that everyone is capable of finding happiness.

Happiness is not tactile, it is achieved within ourselves.

While Kool & The Gang’s version shares the same theme of

finding happiness and shares the use of the same lyrics, “pursuit
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of happiness”, they are telling a completely different story. One

major difference between the two videos is that Kool & The Gang’s

video is animated, which would appeal to a younger audience.

Furthermore, the song has a catchy chorus and upbeat feel to it

that makes the listener want to sing along.

The video, being shot in black and white, begins with a

robot observing his surroundings, which happen to be depressing

and decaying. He then goes into his home and builds a pair of

goggles that not only help him see color, but it shows him life

and overall happiness around him. As Kool & The Gang sing the

lyrics, “We need more Lennons, Lincolns, more Kennedys and Kings”

the robot looks up at the night sky where the star constellations

are drawings of John Lennon, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and

Martin Luther King Jr. These individuals are just a few that were

role models that helped America see that in order to be at peace

and to be happy, we must treat each other equally and love one

another.

As the main robot begins building enough goggles for

everyone around him, all of the robots get to view life the same

as him. However, in the end, the robot who created the goggles

notices that the goggles are no longer needed for them to see

color and happiness because they all began to show one another

love and became unified again. Just as the song says, “bring an

end to all confusion, and know that love is the only solution”,
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the robots began to show love to one another and appreciation for

life as it is, no longer needing goggles to see what is in front

of them.

Both songs and videos use the appeals of pathos. Kid Cudi’s

use of pathos is to bring awareness of mental illnesses that many

people struggle with. Everyone of all ages can struggle with

mental illness. On the other hand, Kool & The Gang’s use of

pathos is to spread the message that love is the solution to

finding peace. Also, Kool & The Gang’s song is informative,

therefore their song and video seems to appeal to a younger

audience.

In conclusion, it is clear that each song has a different

message for their audience. Kid Cudi’s electronic rap song that

makes one want to dance, brings the listener hope. Hope that one

will achieve happiness in life and once happiness is found,

everything will be alright. On the contrary, Kool & The Gang’s

soul rap is bringing awareness that the citizens of America must

realize that the color of everyone’s skin should not matter and

love is the only solution to finding happiness and peace.

Works Cited
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“Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness (Megaforce Version) ft.

Ratatat, MGMT.” Youtube. Uploaded by Kid Cudi. 29 March

2010,https://youtu.be/3Z_Ys3BO_4M.

“Kool & The Gang - Pursuit of Happiness (Rap Version).”

Youtube. Uploaded by KoolandthegangShow. 14 July 2021,

https://youtu.be/00AewuxT9BQ.