Semiotic Analysis

• At the beginning of the video we see Kid Cudi turn a record player on and the music starts. This implies that the song is the diegetic sound that is heard by everyone at the part in the video.
• Immediately, the whole scene is moving in slow motion, apart from Kid Cudi himself. This may be done to reflect the alcohol and drug use described in the lyrics of the song. This gives the idea that he is under the influence of drugs and alcohol and everything around him is moving at a strange pace.
• We also see Drake in the video, a huge global star. However, Drake does not feature in the song. This highlights Kid Cudi's superstar status as he is seen to be in the presence of other stars.
• Everyone around Kid Cudi is enjoying the party going on. This reflects the 'pursuit of happiness' that Cudi is trying to achieve and he may be suggesting that this is achievable through this lifestyle.
• In the verses, where Cudi begins to discuss the negative elements of this lifestyle, we see an even slower and more subdued video. People around do not appear to be enjoying themselves as much as they did during the chorus. However, once the chorus returns, along with the upbeat sound, the enjoyment also returns.
• At the very end of the video, Kid Cudi enters the bathroom and sees himself clearly drunk and not in a good state. His shocked reaction to the way his drunk self is acting may be shown to be a realisation that this life may not be beneficial to him.