Singer Kid Cudi set the record straight as to why he took a break from the industry in 2016, at what seemed to be the height of his career.
In an interview with Esquire magazine, Cudi shared that he was struggling with depression. So much so, he said, that the singer was experiencing suicidal thoughts. To make matters worse, Cudi also suffered a stroke.
At the time, rumors swirled as to why the two-time Grammy Award winning singer was MIA. Some suggested it was drugs, while other sources claimed it was depression.
“My father passed when I was 11, and things started to slowly get bad after that,” Cudi told Self magazine. “I was alone a lot, not really talking to my mom about what I was feeling. How do you come up to Mom, who’s dealing with four kids and your dad died and she’s taking care of everybody on her own?”
Cudi’s mother, Elise Harriet, took part in the Esquire interview, and shared her own feelings about what her son was experiencing.
“The hardest thing I have ever had to do was to wait until they were ready for him to call me,” Harriet said. “You don’t know what they’re going to do from moment to moment, and certainly, when you get to the point where your career blew up overnight, it’s a very difficult thing.”
During these struggles, Cudi suffered a stroke, which required him to enter a physical rehabilitation facility for several months.
While healing, Cudi had an offer to audition for a Broadway show, “Lobby Hero,” alongside Michael Cera in 2017. The role was an inspiration for Cudi and allowed him to feel more like his old self.
“I proved to myself that I could do it. I needed that at the time. I was happy. Like, damn, my brain is still strong. I didn’t lose something in that shit that happened.” said Cudi.
Cudi is now back to making music and acting, but he’s also proud to be a mental health advocate vouching for those who struggle with mental health issues just like him.
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