Maui Wowie

Album

A Kid Named Cudi

Label

Fool's Gold Records

Genre

Electropop

Composer(s)

Scott Mescudi;John Stephens;Kanye West;Jeremy Hannah;Andre Wallace;Tony Castillo;Rick Shobin

Entered Chart

Oct 25, 2025

Peak Date

Oct 25, 2025

Released

July 17, 2008

Recorded

2007–2008

"Maui Wowie" is Kid Cudi's tribute to a Hawaiian cannabis strain of that name. Cudi raps about traveling to Honolulu specifically to smoke the weed. Cudi produced the breezy track with his longtime collaborator and executive producer Plain Pat. "Maui Wowie" floats along on a cloud of sunny optimism and smoke. "Maui Wowie" samples the vocal hook of Florida hip-hop collective Grind Mode's "I'm So High" and interpolates John Legend's "Let's Get Lifted," with Cudi doing his best John Legend impression. The song first appeared on A Kid Named Cudi, Kid Cudi's 2008 debut mixtape. The project served as Cudi's breakout, catching the attention of Kanye West, who signed him to G.O.O.D. Music later in 2008. Cudi contributed to West's 808s & Heartbreak album that same year, with recording sessions taking place in Honolulu, a fitting connection to "Maui Wowie." A Kid Named Cudi got a remastered, streaming-era glow-up in 2022. Along with a new intro and fresh cover art, John Legend's actual vocals were added to "Maui Wowie," turning the interpolation into a proper duet between the philosopher of weed and the apostle of soul. In October 2025, "Maui Wowie" became the soundtrack to one of the year's strangest viral moments. TikTok user @aaronxbrownn posted a video of himself hanging from a crosswalk sign while lip-syncing the chorus, and suddenly thousands of users were dangling from traffic lights, bus stops, and whatever else they could find, all looking for digital clout. Kid Cudi posted a video from Cleveland - his hometown - swinging off a traffic light outside Progressive Field. "Yeeaaaaaaaaa thank you to everyone for sharing my song, having fun, showing love," he wrote, clearly amused by the chaos his old mixtape track had unleashed. Authorities, unsurprisingly, were less chill about it. TikTok issued safety warnings, and even Singapore's Land Transport Authority had to remind everyone that lampposts are not gym equipment.

Goin' back to Honolulu just to get that
That Maui Wowie, that Maui Wowie
Goin' back to Honolulu just to get that
That Maui Wowie, that Maui Wowie
And I'm so high and I'm so high
And I'm so high and I'm so high
And I'm so high and I'm so high
And I'm so high and I'm so high

Yeah, back up in the mix
Aloha, nigga, Cudi lookin' for a fix
Got enough dough just to take a trip
To get a little pinch of the Maui Wowie
Oh man, here we go again
If you ever get a chance, smoke it with a friend
Me and Pat on a mission to get
Lifted like John Legend and shit
Get lifted, let's get lifted
What you gon' cop?
Maybe a dub, maybe a zone
No matter what you cop you should smoke it 'til it's gone
Walkin' on the beach with the sand between ya feet
And all the Hawaiian girls sing to the beat
Hey, what it do, boo?
You smoke good? Yeah, me too
Livin' in paradise all through the night
And even in the day, smoke it 'til I can't see
What can I say? Nothin' like this in the world, homie
Make you feel great
You forget you in the States, might relocate
So you can smoke all the Maui Wowie, you can take it like

Goin' back to Honolulu just to get that
That Maui Wowie, that Maui Wowie
Goin' back to Honolulu just to get that
That Maui Wowie, that Maui Wowie
And I'm so high and I'm so high
And I'm so high and I'm so high
And I'm so high and I'm so high
And I'm so high (uh, uh) and I'm so high

I know, I know, I know
I really need to go, go, go, go, go, go
Really need to go, go
Really need to go, go, go
Man, I need Maui Wowie
I smoke that Maui Wowie
I need Maui Wowie
I smoke that Maui Wowie
I know, I know, I know
You really need to go, go
Really need to go, go, go, man
I need Maui Wowie
I smoke that Maui Wowie