Kid Cudi‘s reunion on stage with Kanye West in Chicago — which marked the pair’s first live performance together in years — was celebrated by many hip-hop fans, but not everyone was thrilled by the enthusiasm for Ye.
Ye brought Cudi out for three songs toward the end of his three-hour set at Soldier Field on Friday (Sept. 4), the guest-filled second night of two homecoming concerts. The two rappers, whose relationship spans two decades (Yeezy signed Cudi to G.O.O.D. Music in 2008, a few years after meeting him), delivered “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1” and “Ghost Town,” plus “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare),” in one of the show’s most unforgettable moments.
Following the show, Cudi reacted to several positive comments coming through on social, from fans reveling in the surprise appearance — which appeared to be a reconciliation between the once-frequent collaborators, who’d even released a joint album in 2019 (Kids See Ghosts).
He also responded to criticism of realigning with Ye.
It’d been a minute since anyone had seen the pair together in public, as Cudi had distanced himself from Ye in recent years amid the star’s erratic rants, antisemitic remarks and hate speech, for which West has since apologized. This wasn’t their first fallout.
Cudi quoted a post from New York radio personality Peter Rosenberg on X this weekend; Rosenberg expressed disappointment that “a lot of people I love are being openly lame about Kanye” on his feed during West’s weekend in Chicago. Rosenberg continued, “I am not saying no one deserves forgiveness or empathy but this man sang Heil Hitler ONE YEAR AGO.”
“I understand ur frustration Peter, I f—s w u, but I dont really care if ur disappointed in me,” Cudi wrote in response on X on Saturday (Sept. 5).
“That man is my brother,” Cudi said of Ye. “U dont have a relationship w him like I do. Damn near 2 decades of art and friendship. U not family. So I get it. Ive been around Ye, and I can honestly say talking to him now is how it use to be when I first signed to him, but even better. He was dealing w mental health struggles for years and now hes good. Everyone deserves some grace when they family. I was the hardest on him out of anybody. I held him accountable. He apologized and it was sincere. But like I said, u not family so I get it.”
Rosenberg replied, “well i wasnt disappointed in you @KiDCuDi (i meant fans) but if you saw me running out to support an artist a year after they made a song called “all hail the klan” you would prolly feel a way. I am ALL for forgiveness and empathy but this man is being hailed as a HERO … f that. go get real help and sit down for a few years then lets talk before im going to run to put money in ur pocket.”
In 2025, Kid Cudi spoke of his fractured relationship with Ye in an interview with CBS, noting that West had said some things that “there was no coming back from.” He added, “I’m done with you. And it breaks my heart because I loved Kanye. I really loved him. He was part of my life changing and at some point, he was a really good friend, but the man that he has become … I just don’t know that guy anymore.”
Ye, who suffers from bipolar disorder, apologized for his actions in early 2026, referencing his mental health struggle. In a full-page ad taken out in the Wall Street Journal in January, Ye wrote, “You don’t think you’re sick. You think everyone else is overreacting. You feel like you’re seeing the world more clearly than ever, when in reality you’re losing your grip entirely … One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments — many of which I still cannot recall — that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body-experience. I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did, though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”
Over the summer, Cudi revealed they were rebuilding their friendship.
After this weekend’s reunion with Ye on stage, he wrote on X, “Tn was just another epic night on a list with many other epic nights w my big bro,” adding, “love u Chicago.”
In another note posted after performing at Soldier Field, Cudi said, “Love u big bro. Family s—tt.”
