In 2016, Kid Cudi found himself in a tough place, as he made the decision to enter rehab for “depression and suicidal urges.” Since he left, though, he’s been doing a lot better. Now, Cudi has reflected on the experience in a new interview, saying that recent years have been “game-changing” for him.
In an interview for T: The New York Times Style Magazine‘s 2022 culture issue, Cudi says:
“In 2016, I was in rehab. I was at the bottom. I didn’t see anything positive happening for me. I thought that maybe it was the end of my career. After so many years of feeling miserable, it’s hard to imagine anything brighter on the horizon. But the last five years have been truly game-changing for me. Ever since I left rehab, it’s been nothing but me climbing up the mountain, getting higher and higher and achieving more, doing more, seeing more, learning more.”
He also offered a message for kids, saying, “Still, I never want kids to think there’s a quick fix, and that every time people see me now, I’m going to be happy and upbeat. I like to let kids know, ‘Right now, your favorite artist, who you think is the strongest man in the world, is having a bad day — and that’s OK. So if you have a bad day, that’s OK, too.’ I know the kids think I’m superhuman. And I am superhuman in a lot of ways, like with my music. But at my core, I’m very sensitive. I’m fragile at times. And I’m always trying to write my pain.”
Check out the full interview here.