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Kid Cudi and Kanye “Ye” West’s relationship has long been a blend of creative magic and public tension, marked by both groundbreaking collaborations and headline-making fallouts. The two first connected in the late 2000s. West signed Cudi to his G.O.O.D. Music label and helped with the launch of his debut album, Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Over the years, they shared stages, traded verses, and even formed the duo Kids See Ghosts. But their friendship has weathered multiple rifts. Here’s what Cudi said about the straw that broke the camel’s back in terms of his friendship with West.

Kid Cudi said Kanye ‘Ye’ West can’t come back from his comments about Virgil Abloh

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Kid Cudi opened up about the end of his friendship with Kanye “Ye” West after the release of his memoir, Cudi: The Memoir. The two stars have had moments of reconciliation through the years. But their ups and downs have left fans wondering if their once-electric creative partnership can ever return to its former harmony.

“It’s a sad thing — the freedom that we experienced when we were creating, it just will never happen ever again,” Cudi told CBS Mornings. “And that is the heartbreaking side of things.”

Cudi added that he believes West broke his heart “over and over, multiple times.” West “said some things” that he can never return from, especially about fashion designer Virgil Abloh.

Abloh and Cudi met in the early 2010s — when Abloh was already making waves as West’s creative director — and quickly formed a friendship that extended far beyond professional collaborations. Abloh styled Cudi for major appearances, designed custom pieces for his performances, and even crafted the floral Off-White dress Cudi wore on Saturday Night Live in 2021 as a tribute to Kurt Cobain.

“Every time he took a dig at Virgil, it just made me super angry,” Cudi continued. “Virgil was an angel to everyone. … It breaks my heart, because I loved Kanye. … At some point, he was a really good friend.”

Kanye ‘Ye’ West had a 2-word response to why he dissed Virgil Abloh

Kanye “Ye” West and Kid Cudi had a great relationship with Virgil Abloh before his death in 2021. Meeting in the early 2000s while working as interns at Fendi, West and Abloh quickly bonded over their shared vision to merge streetwear with high fashion. Abloh went on to become West’s creative director, shaping iconic album aesthetics and tour designs before launching Off-White and eventually leading Louis Vuitton’s menswear division. Their friendship weathered moments of tension, particularly when Abloh’s meteoric rise sparked rumors of professional jealousy. But both publicly celebrated each other’s successes.

In a revealing and contentious sit-down with DJ Akademiks, Kanye West, donned in a black KKK-inspired robe, was pressed about his disparaging comments toward his late friend and collaborator. He responded with a blunt, unsettling self-assessment: “I’m evil,” when asked why he continued to criticize someone who could no longer defend himself, according to Vibe. His remarks suggested a simmering resentment rooted deeper than the public fallout.

Kid Cudi had an opportunity to speak to the fashion designer before his death

In 2022, Kid Cudi reflected on his friendship with Virgil Abloh to Esquire. He explained how he talked to the fashion designer the day before his death.

“I’m happy I had contact with him, that it wasn’t months since I’d talked to him, and then this happened. Then maybe I’d be destroyed,” Cudi said. “Over the months, I found peace with it because I got a chance to tell Virgil how I felt about him, and he knew. It gets hard sometimes. I think about him a lot. I get emotional. But what pushes me through that is knowing.”

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