Kid Cudi Reveals He Had a Stroke 2 Weeks Into Rehab: ‘Everything Was F–ked’
Rappers must bring a distinct vision to stand out in one of music’s most competitive genres. But since his debut studio album in 2009, Kid Cudi has easily set himself apart. The rapper even matches his vocal delivery with a frank openness about his own insecurities.
The latter in particular has made him something of a role model. But even Kid Cudi’s biggest fans might not know he suffered a stroke during one of the toughest times in his life.
Rapper Kid Cudi has become a mental health advocate
Bolstered by hit singles “Day ‘n’ Nite” and “Pursuit of Happiness,” Kid Cudi’s first album, Man on the Moon: The End of Day, became one of 2009’s most notable hip hop titles. Since then, the rapper has kept his profile growing both on the music side of things and beyond.
Cudi has become a record producer and an actor since then. Though he once carried a net worth of $4 million, Kid Cudi’s currently worth closer to $16 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
But there’s much more to his success than just smooth rhymes and catchy beats. Through his music, Kid Cudi has gradually opened up about his struggles with mental health.
As he told Esquire recently, he’s embraced his status as a mental health advocate, proclaiming himself “ready to wear those shoes and be a role model.” Knowing he has others looking up to him helps motivate Kid Cudi to push forward through all the adversity he has faced.
Kid Cudi shocked fans when he said he’d had a stroke
In the same Esquire interview, Kid Cudi revealed something that some of his fans might not realize. During a 2016 stint in rehab for suicidal thoughts, the rapper reached out to his mother for help.
She stood by him through recovery. But two weeks into rehab, Kid Cudi was hospitalized after having a stroke. His speech and even his movement suffered. Eventually, Kid Cudi returned to work. He credits an audition for a Broadway show called Lobby Hero for helping him refocus on work.
Because of the amount of dialogue involved, it challenged him just when he needed it. Though Kid Cudi didn’t star in the show, the audition served its purpose. “I proved to myself that I could do it,” Kid Cudi stated.
Kid Cudi has several new projects currently in the works
Since 2009, Kid Cudi has released a wealth of new music. That includes seven full-length studio albums, two collaborative albums, and even a greatest hits album. He made his feature film debut in 2014’s Need for Speed and has appeared — as either himself or a character — in movies like Bill and Ted Face the Music, Don’t Look Up, and X.
Now in 2022, Kid Cudi is as busy as ever. The rapper has yet another new album, this one titled Entergalactic. It will serve as his eighth studio album and an audio companion to his upcoming animated series on Netflix.
The show, also called Entergalactic, debuts on the streaming service on September 30, 2022. Kid Cudi is also set to write, direct, and star in a new Netflix movie titled Teddy, too.
