Kid Cudi Defends Ye Reunion After Chicago Stage Performance

Views 2 Published by September 7, 2026

Kid Cudi performed with Kanye West at Soldier Field in Chicago on September 4, marking their first live collaboration in years. Cudi responded to criticism of the reunion, citing their two-decade relationship and West's mental health recovery.

Kid Cudi joined Kanye West on stage at Soldier Field in Chicago on September 4 for a surprise performance, their first live collaboration in years. The pair performed “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1,” “Ghost Town,” and “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” during West’s three-hour set at the second night of his homecoming concerts.

The reunion sparked mixed reactions. While many hip-hop fans celebrated the appearance, others criticized Cudi for aligning with West, who has faced backlash for antisemitic remarks and hate speech in recent years. West apologized for his actions in January 2026 in a Wall Street Journal advertisement, citing his bipolar disorder diagnosis and stating, “I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state.”

Cudi responded to the criticism on X on September 5, defending his decision. “That man is my brother,” Cudi wrote. “U dont have a relationship w him like I do. Damn near 2 decades of art and friendship.” He added that West’s mental health had improved and that “everyone deserves some grace when they family.”

Cudi noted that he had previously distanced himself from West, stating in a 2025 CBS interview that West “had said some things that there was no coming back from.” However, Cudi said that after speaking with West recently, “talking to him now is how it use to be when I first signed to him, but even better.”

The two artists, who first met in 2006 and collaborated on the 2019 joint album Kids See Ghosts, have been rebuilding their friendship over the summer, according to Cudi’s social media posts.