Kid Cudi opens up about his public falling out with Kanye West in a new interview with Esquire.
West previously announced Cudi wouldn’t be appearing on Donda 2 for being pals with Pete Davidson, who up until recently was dating West’s ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
Cudi, who signed to West’s label, G.O.O.D. Music, in 2008, says of the pair’s feud: “I’m at a place in my life where I have zero tolerance for the wrong energies. I’ve watched so many people throughout the years that are close to him be burned by him doing some f**ked-up s**t. And then they turn around and forgive him. And there’s no repercussions. You’re back cool with this man. He does it over and over.”
READ MORE: Kanye West Sends Message Of Support To Kid Cudi Following Testy Messages
Addressing West directly, Cudi goes on, “I’m not one of your kids. I’m not Kim. It don’t matter if I’m friends with Pete or not friends with Pete. None of this s**t had anything to do with me.
“If you can’t be a grown man and deal with the fact that you lost your woman? That’s not my f**king problem. You need to own up to your s**t like every man in this life has. I’ve lost women, too. And I’ve had to own up to it. I don’t need that in my life. I don’t need it.”
Cudi shares of working with West, “I’ve been on every one of that man’s albums. He’s only been on two of mine. That should tell you something… And don’t think I didn’t ask.”
West previously posted a photo of Cudi with Timothée Chalamet and Davidson, crossing the latter out, with Cudi telling the mag of the online frenzy the snap sparked. “Do you know how it feels to wake up one day, look at your social media, and you’re trending because somebody’s talking some s**t about you?
“And then you got this person’s trolls sending you messages on Instagram and Twitter? All in your comments? That s**t pissed me off.,” he says. “That he had the power to f**k with me that week. That he used his power to f**k with me. That p**sed me off. You f**king with my mental health now, bro.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Cudi speaks more about mental health, insisting he gladly accepts the responsibility of influencing young people.
“I’m ready to wear those shoes and be a role model,” he tells the mag, adding that his approach to being a big brother to many is “very, very rock and roll. And I will not apologize for s**t… I’m so in tune with my emotions. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned how to manage and control those emotions.”
Cudi also shared some shocking health news, revealing that he had a stroke during a 2016 stint in rehab, requiring months of physical therapy to regain his speech and movement. “Everything was f**ked,” he admitted.
It wasn’t until the following year, when he auditioned for a role in the Broadway play “Lobby Hero”, with Michael Cera, that he felt he had come back from the stroke. And while he didn’t get the part, he was proud that he could memorize his lines and complete the audition.
“I proved to myself that I could do it,” he explained. “I needed that at the time. I was happy. Like, damn, my brain is still strong. I didn’t lose something in that s**t that happened.”
