Kid Cudi and Kanye West Mend Fences with Heartfelt Hug at Album Listening Event

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images; Karwai Tang/Getty Images

Kanye West and Kid Cudi are seemingly burying the hatchet after their falling out.

Cudi, 39, and West, 46, came together on Thursday, December 14, at a listening event for Vultures, West’s collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign. The two were captured on video embracing and smiling, suggesting that any past conflicts had been resolved. Attendees also got a sneak peek of a track that may be called “Gun to My Head," showcasing Cudi's vocals. However, it's not certain if the vocals were specifically recorded for this album or taken from a previous recording session.

Cudi tweeted in April 2022 that he had originally recorded It’s Almost Dry with West, but that was before their falling out. The two rappers had a very public falling out over Cudi’s friendship with Pete Davidson, who was dating West’s ex-wife at the time. The situation led to West tweeting in February 2022 that Cudi would not be on Donda because of his relationship with Davidson.

Cudi responded to West's public criticism by saying, "I don't want to be on your album, you outdated dinosaur." The conflict between the Kids See Ghosts collaborators escalated when West withdrew from his headline performance at Rolling Loud Miami in July 2022. Cudi replaced West, but during the festival, West made a surprise appearance with Lil Durk and performed a song that features Cudi on the recorded version. After being repeatedly hit with objects thrown by the crowd, Cudi walked off the stage, ending his performance prematurely.

In August 2022, Cudi talked to Esquire about his falling out with West. “I’ve witnessed so many people over the years who are close to him being hurt by his actions,” he said. “And yet they always forgive him, and there are no consequences. You’re back on good terms with him. He repeats this behavior over and over again. ... If you can’t handle losing your woman like a mature adult, that’s not my problem.”

West’s reconciliation with Cudi comes after more than a year since Ye received widespread criticism for making antisemitic comments. Following a Yeezy fashion show where models wore clothing with the slogan "White Lives Matter," West tweeted in October 2022 that he was going "death con 3 on Jewish People."

His remarks led to the termination of his partnerships with major brands such as Adidas, The Gap, Balenciaga, and others. In December 2022, West caused further controversy when he expressed admiration for Hitler during an appearance on the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Info Wars talk show.

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At the Las Vegas listening event for Vultures, set to release on December 15, Kanye West went on a tirade, reaffirming his antisemitic beliefs and criticizing Jay-Z and Donald Trump. In a live broadcast by influencer YesJulz, West criticized celebrities for sending their kids to what he referred to as "Zionist School" at Sierra Canyon. He also exclaimed, "Jesus Christ, Hitler, Ye. Third party. Sponsor that."

Prior to his outburst, West's Vultures had already caused controversy. The project's artwork features "Landscape With Graves" by Caspar David Freidrich, an artist favored by Hitler, as noted by The Guardian. Additionally, the typography has been likened to the aesthetics of National Socialist Black Metal.