"King of Staten Island" Soundtrack Lyrics

"The King of Staten Island (Music from the Motion Picture)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What does a Staten Island coming-of-age sound like when the hero isn’t quite ready to grow up? It’s Kid Cudi bookending the story, early-2000s mixtape DNA, New York radio staples, and a lean score that breathes like a summer window fan. Michael Andrews’ cues (with Nosaj Thing and Emile Haynie) keep scenes moving; the licensed cuts sketch Scott’s headspace—hype when he fronts, melancholy when he’s honest.

The official music presence splits in two: a short digital score EP (Music from the Motion Picture) and an “official film playlist” compiling the licensed songs used and referenced onscreen. The film opens with Cudi and closes with the “Nightmare” remix of “Pursuit of Happiness”; in between you’ll hear Lizzo, Salt-N-Pepa, DNCE, Sinatra, Lil Wayne, Fivio Foreign, CCR, and The Band—South Shore basement party meets dad’s car radio, on purpose (as summarized by soundtrack roundups and the studio playlist).

Questions & Answers

Is there an official album?

Yes—Back Lot Music issued a 6-track digital EP of Michael Andrews’ score. The licensed songs appear on the studio’s official playlist rather than a single VA album.

Who composed the score?

Michael Andrews. Several cues were produced/performed in collaboration with Nosaj Thing and Emile Haynie.

What plays in the opening scene?

Kid Cudi’s “Just What I Am.” It sets Scott’s cruising-with-his-eyes-closed opener.

What plays over the end credits?

Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” (with Ratatat & MGMT) and, after it, the score cue “Wake Up Staten Island” reprises.

Any classic standards in the film?

Yes—Frank Sinatra’s “You Make Me Feel So Young” drops in as a Staten Island-coded wink.

When and how was the film released?

PVOD on June 12, 2020; later theatrical play in select international markets.

Notes & Trivia

• The score EP runs ~12 minutes across six tracks; it’s the leanest Apatow-era Andrews release to date.
• Music supervision is credited to Jen Malone (Black & White Music); local-flavor hip-hop like Fivio Foreign’s “Big Drip” sneaks in during restaurant ambience.
• Two Kid Cudi placements bookend the film—opening (“Just What I Am”) and closing (“Pursuit of Happiness – Nightmare”).
• The studio published an “Official Film Playlist” with ~30+ songs used/featured around the release.

Genres & Themes

• Contemporary rap/R&B → bravado and momentum (Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Fivio, Lizzo).
• Radio-friendly pop → hang-outs and parties (DNCE, Salt-N-Pepa).
• Staten Island standards & dad-rock → neighborhood identity (Sinatra; CCR; The Band).
• Minimal score electronics + guitars → day-to-day connective tissue (Andrews with Nosaj Thing/Haynie).

Tracks & Scenes

Timestamps are approximate and can shift slightly by platform/edition.

"Just What I Am" — Kid Cudi feat. King Chip
Scene: Cold-open highway drift (~00:01). Non-diegetic; Scott tries to keep his eyes closed while driving, the beat thudding like reckless calm.
Why it matters: Announces his defense mechanism—numbness with a soundtrack.

"Wake Up Staten Island" — Michael Andrews & Emile Haynie
Scene: Morning montage—Margie making breakfast; the firehouse starting its day (~00:10). Non-diegetic cue that returns near the end and into credits.
Why it matters: Establishes the score’s pulse: modest, local, unhurried.

"Juice" — Lizzo
Scene: Backyard hang and pre-party confidence beats (~00:18). Non-diegetic; cuts ride the hook like swagger edits.
Why it matters: Fun first-act energy before consequences pile up.

"Push It" — Salt-N-Pepa
Scene: House party background (~00:23). Diegetic speakers; Scott flirts, then fumbles.
Why it matters: Classic chorus telegraphs a good-time veneer over messy choices.

"You Make Me Feel So Young" — Frank Sinatra
Scene: Staten Island interstitials and family beats (first act). Non-diegetic needle-drop; a borough-coded smile between arguments.
Why it matters: Places the movie—this is here, not a generic outer borough.

"Uproar" — Lil Wayne feat. Swizz Beatz
Scene: College-kid party Scott stumbles into (~00:45). Diegetic (speakers) as he tries and fails to look older than his choices.
Why it matters: Sonic mismatch that underlines his social drift.

"Big Drip" — Fivio Foreign
Scene: Denino’s pizzeria ambience after-hours (~00:50). Diegetic; a blink-and-you-miss-it slice of local rap culture.
Why it matters: Texture—Staten Island now, not just nostalgia.

"Pharmacy Heist" — Michael Andrews & Nosaj Thing
Scene: Botched robbery attempt (~01:15). Non-diegetic; dry pulse and sub-bass as the plan unravels.
Why it matters: Score turns up when bravado fails—process, not heroics.

"Step Up" — Michael Andrews & Nosaj Thing
Scene: Scott begins to choose better—first stabs at responsibility (~01:40). Non-diegetic cue, small but decisive.
Why it matters: The movie’s moral micro-theme.

"Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)" — Kid Cudi with Ratatat & MGMT
Scene: End-credits opener (~02:12 →). Non-diegetic; catharsis with a wink—the lyric reads different after Scott’s pivot.
Why it matters: Bookend that reframes pursuit as slow, not loud.

Also heard / notable placements — DNCE “Cake by the Ocean” (party cut); CCR and The Band (car/home needle-drops); J.K. the Reaper & Drayco McCoy “Z.I.P.” (argument aftermath); Rob Simonsen “Promise Me You Won’t Disappear” (tender grace note). Trailer spots leaned on Cudi and contemporary pop.

Music–Story Links

• Cudi = compass. His songs bracket Scott’s arc—from drifting impulse to tentative focus.
• Score cues (“Wake Up Staten Island,” “Step Up”) mark growth beats; the film saves orchestral “big feelings” for character choices, not spectacle.
• Sinatra and classic rock ground the family world; Wayne/Fivio/Lizzo mark Scott’s peer sphere and attempted swagger.

How It Was Made

Judd Apatow tapped longtime collaborator Michael Andrews for the score; Andrews brought in Nosaj Thing and Emile Haynie on select tracks to keep textures modern and minimal. Back Lot Music released the six-track score EP ahead of PVOD. Music supervision (Jen Malone) steered a blend of borough staples and present-tense rap/pop; the studio amplified this with an official playlist instead of a traditional VA album.

Reception & Quotes

Coverage called out the needle-drops’ split personality—nostalgia in one ear, 2020 in the other—and the neat Cudi bookends.

“Kid Cudi starts the movie and ends it—fitting for a story about stumbling toward some kind of peace.” — soundtrack roundup

“Andrews keeps the score a whisper so the characters can talk.” — album detail note

Additional Info

• Score EP tracks include: “Wake Up Staten Island,” “Pharmacy Heist,” “Step Up,” “Tattoo Reveal,” “The Ferry.”
• Official playlist clocks ~32 tracks (~1h41m), mixing the film’s rap/pop with standards.
• PVOD release: June 12, 2020; composer credit on the film is Michael Andrews.
• End-credits order begins with “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” then returns to Andrews’ cue.
• Select needle-drops appear as diegetic source in restaurants/parties; others are montage drivers.

Technical Info

• Title: The King of Staten Island (Music from the Motion Picture) — score EP; plus official film playlist (licensed songs)
• Year: 2020
• Type: Feature film soundtrack (short original score + licensed songs)
• Composer: Michael Andrews (with contributions by Nosaj Thing & Emile Haynie)
• Music supervision: Jen Malone (Black & White Music)
• Label: Back Lot Music (digital)
• Key placements: Kid Cudi “Just What I Am” (opening); Lizzo “Juice”; Salt-N-Pepa “Push It”; Frank Sinatra “You Make Me Feel So Young”; Lil Wayne “Uproar”; Fivio Foreign “Big Drip”; Kid Cudi “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” (end credits)
• Release context: PVOD June 12, 2020; later limited theatrical abroad

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: studio playlist & score EP listings; soundtrack detail notes; film credits; release timeline coverage; contemporary track-by-track guides.

November, 12th 2025