It also featured contributions from Anthony Kilhoffer, Blended Babies, Chuck Inglish, Dot da Genius, Jim Jonsin, and Rami Beatz, among others.

The album features guest appearances from CeeLo Green, Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Cage, St. Vincent, GLC, Chip tha Ripper, and Nicole Wray.

Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, selling 169,000 copies during its first week of release.

On March 27, 2018, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of more than a million copies in the United States.

He stated he had already recorded songs with Snoop Dogg, Travis Barker, Clipse, Cage and Pharrell, and would also like to work with Drake, Green Day, Kings of Leon, Robin Thicke, The Killers and The Postal Service on the album.

He stated: "A lot of you have read the news and think they know Cudi, got slick shit to say amongst your peers or just flat out hate me but you haven't the slightest clue of who I am.

"[12] In September 2010, in an interview with Spike TV, Cudi spoke on the album's guest appearances: "Man, when it comes to features, I kinda just stick to my homies.

"[13] Though Kanye West (on his 2008 album, 808s & Heartbreak) and Drake also can play the brooding loner pretty persuasively, Cudi takes the persona several steps further on "Man on the Moon II".

Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager expands on the spacey, atmospheric aesethetic of its predecessor, The End of Day.

[19] The album's elements consist of; electro-grooves,[20] minimalist beats,[19] somber strings,[21] woozy synths,[21] ghostly samples,[22] distorted guitars,[22] and melancholy melodies.

[16] Spin writer Charles Aaron noted "His cautionary journey takes the music in a makeshift '90s-alt-rock direction, jacked up on jittery beats that eerily mirror the rush and crash of someone who's been given way too much access to way too much ass.

"[16] Matthew Cole of Slant Magazine wrote "it finds that Cudi burrowing deeper into the black hole of spacey psychedelia, fusing the clinical, synthetic hip-hop of 808s & Heartbreak with rock sounds derived from Hendrix, Pink Floyd, and Zappa.

"[23] Sputnikmusic writer Channing Freeman commented on the production saying "the beats are slower, they feel somehow more claustrophobic, as if the walls of the songs are closing in around Cudi and he's trying to reach the end before being crushed.

"[24] Lyricially, it continues on the autobiography track series like its predecessor, and follows the themes like depression,[25] loneliness,[24] detachment,[24] and isolation,[24] but in a darker context.

Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune commented "He plunges into a world of bravado and after-parties, with their endless supply of drugs and women.

"[14] Cudi's lyrics on Man on the Moon II address his former cocaine addiction,[26] newfound fame,[27] family issues,[28] alcoholism,[29] and women.

[27] Throughout the album, the subject matter of doubt shines, with songs that display emotions of uncertainty ("These Worries", "The End") and the dark experiences that Cudi had ("Maniac", "Mr.

[47] On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the same night, Cudi along with rapper Cage and musician St. Vincent would perform and debut the track "Maniac".

[48] On the night of the release, there was news that Cudi was going to hold an album signing session at the Bape Store in New York, where he'll also unveil a new, limited edition "Mr. Rager" T-shirt for the clothing line.

When Cudi arrived, he was kneeling on top of a truck as the driver rode through the crowd until the front of the store, then he proceeded to perform "Revofev" and "Pursuit of Happiness" for the fans.

Also it comes packaged alongside a DVD featuring a short film entitled The Journey of Mr. Rager which is a full-length 20-minute documentary that gives a glimpse into Cudi's life.

[56] On October 31, 2011, the short film Maniac was released, it features a 10-minute clip of a couple of cold-blooded killers as they go about their business some snowy holiday season.

"[16] AllMusic writer David Jeffries said that, "just like on his debut, the soundscape is spacy and far-reaching, making this interstellar therapy session a much more interesting transmission.

"[76] Slant Magazine's Matthew Cole expressed that "the hybrid production style proves an atmospheric and eerie delight" and commended Cudi for his unconventional musical approach, writing in conclusion, "Pursuing genius at the expense of consistency might work out just fine for Cudi: I'm not convinced that he's a good rapper, but I'm pretty sure he's an important one.

"[78] Pitchfork's Jayson Greene called Man on the Moon II "a bumpy listen", but found it "more fully realized" than Cudi's debut album.

"[77] Dave Heaton of PopMatters viewed that its "subject matter" is not "delved into as creatively as on the debut album" and stated "Sometimes [Cudi] seems to be falling into the typical trap of sequels: replicating instead of moving forward.

"[82] Rolling Stone's Jonah Weiner commended its "dramatic, breathtakingly stark production", but ultimately panned Cudi's performance and stated "he's grown rote in his self-pity and flat as a singer.

"[81] Jon Pareles of The New York Times viewed that Cudi's rapping "wander[s] away while the track continues without him" and stated "In its utter self-absorption, the album teeters between fascinating and numbing.

"[27] Nitsuh Abebe of New York called it "a weary and sometimes beautiful catalogue of trying times and overindulgence [...] a melodic take on hip-hop that feels woozy and genuinely passionate, inviting you as deeply into his head as the lyrics.

[94] On March 27, 2018, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of more than a million copies in the United States.