On the anniversary of the series’ first episode, the sci-fi enthusiast promises a new song and a fashion line to arrive in the fall
Kid Cudi grew up watching Star Trek every night with his dad. He’s talked about how important the series and the paternal bond were to him many times over the years. Now, on “Star Trek Day” — the 57th anniversary of Captain James T. Kirk’s inaugural voyage into the Final Frontier — Cudi is teasing a collaboration with the storied brand.
A YouTube shows the rapper wearing Kirk’s yellow outfit and making a Vulcan-like arch over his eyebrows. He smirks and stands as the camera closes in on him. He looks pretty happy by the time the screen shows his name next to Star Trek’s with the tag “October 2023.”
The collaboration, called “Boldly Be,” will include a new song inspired by Star Trek, a gaming component, and a fashion line. The inspiration behind the “Boldly Be” name comes from the Vulcan IDIC philosophy, suggesting “infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” Details are forthcoming. “I grew up watching Star Trek with my dad who is single handedly responsible for turning me into a fan,” Kid Cudi said in a statement. “The most important thing to me is to be as authentic as possible. Star Trek’s mission has always been about having a hopeful future and when I was first approached about this project it was the perfect marriage of all the things I believe in – being brave and a hero by doing what’s right and fighting for freedom. I can’t wait to share my love of this incredible franchise with the world.”
In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kid Cudi talked about how watching Star Trek with his dad made him a sci-fi fan. “I’ve just been obsessed with space since I was a kid, ever since I entered the planetarium on a field trip,” he said. “And I’d hang out with my dad, watching Star Trek. That was a huge thing for the two of us, watching Star Trek every night. He’d tell me, ‘This is educational.’ Space fascinated me as a young kid and still does to this day. With every album I do, I like to incorporate some space theme.”