Kids See Ghosts
Kids See Ghosts (stylized in all caps) was an American hip-hop supergroup composed of musicians Kanye West and Kid Cudi. Formed in 2018 during West’s Wyoming sessions, the duo released their eponymous debut album in June of that year, through their respective label imprints, GOOD Music and Wicked Awesome Records.[1] The album was met with critical acclaim, debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The duo disbanded in 2022 due to personal disagreements, and although they reconciled the following year, there has been no information regarding the duo's status.[2]
For the album, see Kids See Ghosts (album). For the song, see Kids See Ghosts (song).
Kids See Ghosts
History[edit]
Background and beginnings[edit]
In 2006, then-aspiring artist Kid Cudi first met rapper-producer Kanye West in a Virgin Megastore, as Cudi recounted in a 2009 SPIN interview: “I was looking at CDs, saw the gleam of a Jesus piece in the right side of my eye, looked up, and it was Kanye West,” Cudi said, adding that he introduced himself and offered West some of his music.[3] Cudi would later run into West again, while Cudi was working at the BAPE store in NYC: "I remember Kanye coming in one time and I was helping him get a couple things," Cudi said. "I forgot to take a sensor off of one of the jackets he bought and I had to run out the store to catch him before he left. Pretty funny me chasing after him in SoHo."[4][5]
In 2008, Kid Cudi caught the attention of Kanye West's A&R at the time, Plain Pat, who had initially met Cudi at a Def Jam meeting and picked up a copy of his demo.[6] Plain Pat went on to introduce Cudi's music to West, subsequently leading West to sign Cudi to his GOOD Music imprint later that year.[6] Following Cudi's signing to GOOD, he began heavily working with West. West first called upon Cudi to reference hooks for American rapper and mogul Jay-Z, and while in the studio Cudi and West went from working on The Blueprint 3 (2009) to West's R&B-esque fourth solo album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008).[7] Cudi's assistance on the latter includes co-writing credits and/or vocals on "Heartless," "Welcome to Heartbreak," "Paranoid" and "RoboCop."[7] Kid Cudi proved to be a prominent songwriter and featured artist on 808s & Heartbreak, with "Paranoid" and "Heartless" being released as singles respectively, while "Welcome to Heartbreak" charted as an album cut and peaked at number 87 on the Pop 100.[8]