Scott Mescudi, under the alias “Kid Cudi,” is a big name in the rap scene and has recently made his debut on the big screen. His recognizable appearances in the films “Don’t Look Up” (2021) and “X” (2020) have left audiences wondering, “wait, was that Kid Cudi?”. Now, Mescudi has produced his own projects, with the September release of the film “Entergalactic.” It features a conjoining album and a cast of characters animated in a sense reminiscent of comic books, but novel to the adult-animation scene. 

“Entergalactic” is immediately distinguishable from other adult-animation films on the basis of its comic-like character and set design. It mirrors an art style introduced by Sony Pictures’ 2018 “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse,” which has led audiences to question whether the film is a copy or a new development. Personally, I’d call the film an evolution of the art style introduced by the 2018 Spiderman film. Where the original introduced a comic-like, pop-art style that empowered and illuminated a cast of primarily Black actors, “Entergalactic” is a similar, yet more complex work, which is geared towards adults instead of children. Mescudi’s ideation of pink and purple sunsets, which are consistent throughout the cover art of his three “Man on the Moon” albums, take a breathing form in the animator’s depictions. They’re set as a backdrop to intimate love scenes between Mescudi’s voice-acting as “Jabari” and Jessica William’s “Meadow.” Williams has established a career largely within the acting scene and as a co-host for the podcast, “2 Broke Queens.” 

The cast also features a variety of rappers who are friends of Mescudi, including Jaden Smith, 070 Shake and Ty Dolla $ign. On the conjoining album released under the title of the film, Ty Dolla $ign is featured on two songs: “Willing to Trust,” and “Can’t Shake Her.” The titles are thematic of the scenes they depict. As “Willing to Trust” fades into the film, a montage of New York City neighbors Jabari and Meadow’s early encounters points to their increasingly intimate relations. Though Jabari and Meadow attempt to remain friends on the basis of their neighborship, their mutual attraction overwhelms them—the film depicts scenes of intimate holding and sexual intercourse that establish their situationship. 

Jabari and Meadow remain in this situationship until a conflict arises: Jabari’s ex-partner Carmen sends him a racy text message. Carmen is voice-acted by Laura Harrier Meadow; her character design is stunningly resemblant to the breathtaking model’s soft brown eyes and symmetrical smile. Throughout his relations with and revisits to Carmen, Jabari ultimately decides that they should remain friends and nothing more. But when Carmen sends him a suggestive message, Meadow sees it and leaves Jabari the next morning. Meadow, who is designed as a Minnie-Ripperton-listening-sage-burning, spiritual Black woman, reminds Jabari of what he should have done after things got serious: blocked his ex-girlfriend!

Social media such as dating apps are discussed in “Entergalactic,” and Jabari’s male friends drive this plot. Jabari’s friend, “Jimmy,” voiced by Mescudi’s companion, Timothee Chalamet, stumbles into neon clubs wearing OFF-WHITE apparel, which serves as an ode to the deceased Virgil Abloh. In a series of psychedelic scenes, Jimmy and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Ky” glorify dating apps, which Jabari will not download. He meets Meadow organically and falls in love at first sight. Though the film falls into the misogynistic trope of men’s mysticism of women, it cannot be mistaken that Meadow is a hard-working and defined woman whose professional career is of independent acclaim. Her photography is enhanced by her love for Jabari, which she realizes as they reunite at her exhibition. 

Jabari’s art, which is creating comics, serves as a racial commentary alongside the film’s other themes. When he is commissioned by a comic corporation to produce his character, “Mr. Rager,” he fears the corporation might whitewash his work. Though Jabari fears this theft in a series of terror scenes, he ultimately remains steadfast to the influence his race has on his art and succeeds. 

 Mescudi’s “Entergalactic” film features a soundtrack that relaxes its neon NYC atmosphere. It depicts intimate scenes in an unforgiving pink and orange light, comments on the integrity of dating apps and empowers artists to embrace their identities.