Kid Cudi Talks Wale, Reebok, Shia Labeouf & Being Bigger Than Kanye
Complex: In the blog post where you announced your mini-retirement, you brought up the video with Wale where he and Joe Budden and everybody else was talking about you in the studio. How did that make you feel?
Kid Cudi: After I saw that video, Wale and I got into an intense screaming match on the phone. But, that's what friends do. We yelled at each other, and after all the yelling was over we spoke and then it was basically down to “Yo man, come on, you know me, I know you, you my nigga.” If you felt that way, just tell me. But he had been trying to reach out and granted, I felt like I should of reached out to him sooner. Every time I would try to talk to him, it was on the go. Also, I don't want to get into sensitive deep conversations about stuff that's just not important. You know, if somebody feels a certain way about me and I feel like they're misunderstanding me, I don't need to explain myself. I just try to shy away from it and just pretend like it never happened, and try to rekindle the friendship and let him know that its not like that.
Complex: What about the comments other people made who were in the room?
Kid Cudi: I definitely sensed a little bit of “I don't understand Cudi” in that room. Not from Wale, but from everybody else because Wale understands me. Everybody else, I don't expect them to understand it. I don't even know half of the people in that room. I know Joe Budden. I'm a fan of Joe Budden. Will I expect Joe Budden to understand me? Maybe. If not, oh well. No sweat off my sack. Does 9th Wonder understand? Maybe. Do I like his production? Yeah. Would I love for him to be on my album? Yeah. But if he doesn't get it, oh well. No sweat off my sack. It's not something I'm going to cry over. The only reason why I reacted off of that video is because of Wale. But I didn't solely decide to fall back on music because of that video. If niggas wanna have a team summit about Kid Cudi, I must be popping, to even be the subject in a dope conversation. Or I could be like, “Man, muthafuckas don't need to be speaking my name if they ain't got anything positive to say,” 'cause I don't do anything wrong to anyone. I wouldn't harm a fly, I'm not trying to be tough, and I'm not trying to pull nobody's card. I'm already a person that is very reserved'that lonely stoner shit isn't just a song. I'm reserved.
Complex: Where does that part of your personality come from?
Kid Cudi: My family is all reserved types of people. One of my cousins, I spoke to him a week ago, and he was talking about how everyone in the family is distant, but there is still a mutual respect there. My uncle just passed away last month and it has been really hard for everyone. I flew my brothers in, I wanted all of us to get together. I haven't seen my older brother since 2004. It was crazy to bring everyone back, and the last thing you want to do is have to see your siblings that you haven't seen in a while, for a situation like a funeral. My mom is a single parent, raising four kids, my dad was involved up until he passed away in 1995'and we saw him on weekends and he would pick us up from school somedays'but it was really my mom in that house 24/7. There was a lot of shit happening that I didn't know until recently that was going on while I was a kid.
Complex: Like what?
Kid Cudi: My mom missed meals on several occasions because there was only enough food to feed all of us. My mom didn't have a bed until I was 15 years old. She slept on a couch. I remember one Christmas going to the tree and seeing her on the couch next to the tree. I remember laying with her, like I used to sleep with my mom until I was like 12. I was a big baby; I'm a momma's boy. But my mom is my best friend, and never let me down, ever.
C: Wow, that's deep. On a lighter note, were you ever opposed to Jim Jones hoping on the “Day N Night” beat?
Kid Cudi: I was opposed to muthafuckas saying it was Jimmy's single, because that's not true. People didn't have their Google game up. You got to Google it, baby! The track record is there. That song has been out since February 2008, and it's been leaked online since 2007. I think Angie Martinez was the first one to say, “This is Kid Cudi's record.” The song had legs before Jimmy jumped on it. I was never opposed to him jumping on it, it was an honor. But that was my baby, and I let him baby-sit for a weekend [laughs].
CLICK NEXT TO READ ABOUT WHAT REALLY WENT DOWN WITH REEBOK, SURPRISES ON CUDI'S ALBUM AND WHY HE'LL NEVER RESPOND TO ANY RAPPERS
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willie March 24, 2009 at 2:20 pm
call me a hater or a realist.
I don’t see the lyrical talent with Cudi. He doesn’t produce like kanye (i know he will soon because everyone does)…but cudi has one single. thats it. hes not wack, but in no way will he ever be bigger than wayne or kanye. im sorry. we talking about rap. not being rich.
jay-z – memphis bleek
kanye west – kid cudi
“as long as i’m alive hes a millionaire”
Shnoobz November 20, 2009 at 9:56 am
I gotta disagree. Bleek never had an established following. For example, nobody says “Bleeks hat dude. He’s my favorite mc.” But Cudi on the other hand has a following and he doesnt flow like bleek (the typical rapper)
LAL March 24, 2009 at 2:49 pm
and he has a mixtape out which is better than 99% of all commercially released rap-albums of ‘08…
Geico Liz March 24, 2009 at 3:22 pm
gayest guy in rap (as if the the modeling background doesn’t confirm) he wants a threesome with wale and kanye
“”we were yelling at eachother, started crying and then fell into eachothers arms”"”
*Hetero FAIL*
p.s. he cant rap for shit
Killing Em Out There They Needing First Aid March 24, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Cudi is the real deal…he’s what i picture a lot of us would be if we all of a sudden got thrust into the limelight. He’s having a few issues here and there now but it’ll settle down over time and we’ll be left with the music, because ultimately you ain’t sh’t unless you can back it up with music. i believe in this dude
hopoff718 March 24, 2009 at 9:20 pm
im mess with cudi’s music. his shit is different but its good shit. i wudnt consider him a great mc, nowhere near Ye or anyone of that caliber. but overall his music is “good music”. you wudnt hear him spittin some crazy bars n metaphors but overall his production, melodies, and lyrical content is there. he sticks to talkin bout what he knows and he doesn’t try to be someone or something he’s not. i definitely think he’ll be bigger than bleek (in opposition of the top comment). I think he’ll be somewhere around lupe’s height of success (expect that lupe actually is a great lyricist). maybe not as high, but near it. they both made good music but not everyone understands it cuz most people are ignorant n brainwashed by some of that commercial garbage. some commercial shit is hot but most of it trash. hip hop aint wat it used to be but i think it’s steadily coming back. holla
Marcus "MdB" Browder March 25, 2009 at 1:01 am
The “A KID NAMED CUDI” Mixtape was dope. He has talent. I wouldn’t classify him as just a rapper though. He sings. He sang on 808s & Heartbreak.
Don’t compare Cudi to Memphis Bleek. Thats in insult to Cudi. Kid Cudi has talent. Idk what Memphis Bleek has.. he has Jay-Z? Who knows.. I’m just not a fan of Memphis Bleek.
jockn86 March 25, 2009 at 1:04 am
stop hating on the Kid…He’s just making his mark now….give him a couple more years and he’ll be sitting pretty(no pun intended)…yeah, and on top of Wayne and Kanye…wait, hold up, I got caught up for a sec…I mean he will be right under, like mad close to where they’re at. Lil’ Wayne and Kanye are the shit.
dubs March 25, 2009 at 2:38 am
Lol @ saying “he’s not an amazing lyricist” like Kanye, damn homie if you think Kanyes an amazing lyricist you don’t know shit about hip hop. Rakim, KRS, Jay, Biggie, Raekwon, T.I., Ludacris, Lloyd Banks, Beanie Sigel, Eminem, Kurupt. Real fucking lyricists! And that aint a knock to kanye, just to heads not knowing wahtsup…
Cudi’s the future though
nolongerahater March 25, 2009 at 9:50 am
Complex gets alot of respect for this, Joe La Puma always does good interviews.
JB March 25, 2009 at 5:41 pm
You are all wak. Cudi is one of the most talented, gifted, genuine, most caring peoples you will ever meet. The only people that hate are the people that either don’t understand him, his vision and his mission, and those that aren’t artists. True creators. Because if you even had the slightest bit of ART in your body, you would understand the movement that he is trying to create. And you would appreciate it and rock hard for it. Because at the end of the day he is not a rapper, he is a dude that is trying to give back to the world not in a way that he chose to, but in a way that was chosen for him by God. It’s called Talent. And if you don’t recognize his talent, its cause you don’t have any of your own. So open your eyes. And stop fighting unconventionality.
Cool Jimmy March 25, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Kid Cudi is one of my favorite rappers/singers right now. He may not be super lyrical, but his shit just feels realer than others, which makes me connect more to that shit. If his album is like the stuff on his mixtape, he’ll be a Kanye or a Wayne to me most definately.
papo March 28, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Cudi, is irrelevant to music and doesnt deserve any kind of attention, PERIOD. He needs to retire.
Drew Mills March 28, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Name one other rapper that can sing and rap GOOD its hard as hell. Thats what Cudi does and he is good at it. Everyone is going to be on his nuts when the album comes out and he knows it thats why he might seem a little cocky.
dani April 6, 2009 at 12:01 pm
kid cudi co-wrote heartless and some other songs on 808 and heartbreaks…wikipedia his name its on there
dani April 6, 2009 at 12:03 pm
…and heartless is one of if not kanye’s biggest hits….that being said kid cudi is going places
AMD April 9, 2009 at 6:37 pm
lod cudi is qoinq to make some serious movez… fuk wat yall sayinq… he qoinq to make history…
KAxLB April 14, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Ok all of yall that had some neg sht to say about cudi yall are super wack. Cudi is the coolest person you could ever meet. i met him last year at a show. He most certainly is talented and im positive he more talented than yall. if you dont like his music thats one thing but dont come on complex talkin wreckless about’m. He is mad talented and i wouldnt be suprised if he ends up being more popular than wayne. honestly wayne aint even all that to me nomore. Plus Cudi n wayne aint even the same music genre you punanis
Capricorn12 May 10, 2009 at 12:53 pm
I think it’s sad that people are calling him ‘gay’ because he’s actually honest about his feelings instead of hiding behind some fake gangsta persona like 50 Cent. How many rappers are THAT honest about themselves?
yupyup:] August 11, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Fuck YESSS Cudi is fucking DOPE!
I do Art August 15, 2009 at 12:41 pm
HAHAHAH!!! i luagh at the haters that dont know shit about a person or listen to more then one song like the frist couple of post.. look now.. hes frist album isnt even out yet and hes already been a major factor in 808 and his mixtape is pure art. dude is mad cool, real and is a ture artist u just cant comperhend the shit he says and he aint gonna dumb it down for u any time soon. FRESH!
chillinayye October 6, 2009 at 11:26 am
mos def sings better and raps better than cudi…not sayin cudi’s shit aint tight but mos def i believe is a better artist that truly stay unique to his style and doesnt talk about the drosky all day every day