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Kid Cudi Opens Up About “Heartbreaking” Split With Kanye West: “I Don’t Know That Version of Him”
Kid Cudi has spoken candidly about the emotional end of his long and complicated friendship with Kanye West, revealing that repeated betrayals and hurtful comments have made reconciliation impossible. Appearing on CBS Mornings on Wednesday, the Pursuit of Happiness rapper reflected on the rise and fall of their relationship, describing the breakdown as both “sad” and “heartbreaking.” Once signed to Kanye West’s GOOD Music label in 2008, Cudi credited West as a key influence on his career — but says the man he knew no longer exists.
“The freedom that we experienced when we were creating, it just will never happen again,” Kid Cudi told interviewer Anthony Mason. “That is the heartbreaking side of things. I loved Kanye… he was a part of my life changing. But the man that he has become, I just don’t know that guy anymore.”
When pressed on whether Kanye West had broken his heart, Kid Cudi didn’t hesitate: “I think he has over and over, multiple times.”
A significant turning point, Kid Cudi revealed, came after Kanye West’s inflammatory remarks about the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who passed away in 2021 after a battle with cancer. “The comments that he’s had about Virgil Abloh are some of the most evil, vile, disturbing things I’ve ever heard,” Kid Cudi said. “Virgil was an angel to everyone; there’s no coming back from that.”
While the two artists have tried to reconcile in the past, Kid Cudi admitted those efforts always ended in fresh conflict. Public spats have been frequent over the years — from a dispute in 2014 when Kanye West used Kid Cudi’s vocals on Yeezus without permission, to their February 2022 feud after Kanye West’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, began dating Kid Cudi’s friend Pete Davidson.
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At the time, Kanye West declared on Instagram, “Just so everyone knows Cudi will not be on Donda because he’s friends with you know who,” tagging both Kim Kardashian and Kid Cudi. Cudi fired back on X, accusing West of lying: “We talked weeks ago about this… You ain’t no friend. BYE.”
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Despite the acrimony, Kid Cudi still acknowledged the impact Kanye West once had on his life and career. But as he made clear in the interview, that chapter is firmly closed. “We’ve tried [to fix things], but there’s just no coming back,” he said. “At some point, he was a really good friend, but that version of him… I don’t know anymore.”
With this latest revelation, one of hip-hop’s most celebrated creative partnerships appears to have reached its final, irreparable end.
