WZRD may refer to:
WZRD (88.3 FM) is the student-run radio station at Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois, US, founded in 1974. The station serves the Chicago area. The station is licensed by the FCC to Northeastern Illinois University. WZRD broadcasts on a Freeform radio format.
Unlike other formats, WZRD's freeform does not have block programming of particular genres, or styles of radio such as a news slot, a rock slot, or talk radio show (save Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations). Instead it compels the DJs to mix all of these genres together in a creative, unique, and often challenging way. It would not be unheard of to hear Tibetan Buddhist chants, early 1980s punk rock, eclectic mixes, a spoken word piece and public service announcements in succession.
"Different genres of music, spoken word, and sound effects are played side-by-side in a way that usually flows rather than jars. With a library of rare recordings that includes 15,000 records and another 17,000 CDs, cassettes, and reel-to-reels, there’s no telling what you’ll hear. 'We always say if you don’t like what you hear right now, turn us on again in five minutes and you’ll hear something completely different,' says former Program Director Dan Demchuk." - Cara Jepsen, Illinois Entertainer
WZRD is the eponymously titled debut studio album by American alternative rock duo WZRD. The album was supported by the singles "Brake" and "Teleport 2 Me, Jamie". The album was released on February 28, 2012, via Universal Republic Records, as well as Cudi's newly found label imprint, Wicked Awesome Records.
WZRD's lead singer Kid Cudi, first unveiled the project in January 2011 after returning to Twitter announcing a new album he was hoping to have out by the summer: "pushing for a summer release of the wizard album… wizard is a rock album, no raps, just singing. brand new thing… workin on some Jay and 'Ye shit… new mixtape A Man Named Scott thats this summah for all those who fucks with my raps, this is for u since ima be all rocked out with the wizard shit. also its free… oh and new york catch me if u can, i start filmin “how to make it” in march."
On May 31, 2011, Cudi released the first offering from his rock band, a song titled "Perfect Is the Word". It was the first song Kid Cudi and Dot da Genius worked on for the album. During a Ustream broadcast they revealed a song titled "Rocket" and announced it will serve as the second single. On November 10, 2011, Kid Cudi revealed that the only guest appearance on the album would be Australian indie-rock band Empire of the Sun. On November 18, 2011, Kid Cudi renamed the band once again to 'WZRD' and announced that the album, will be released on his 28th birthday, January 30, 2012. On November 20 Kid Cudi announced via Twitter that his upcoming album will not contain any profanity including the use of the word nigga. Kid Cudi released "Brake", the first offering from the album on November 21, 2011. On December 5, 2011, Kid Cudi released a snippet of "Teleport 2 Me, Jamie", the album's lead single.