Kid Cudi Performs With Kanye West After Apology

Rapper Kid Cudi has stated that he performed with Kanye West, who legally changed his name to Ye, on Friday night in Chicago because West is now in a better mental state. Cudi's decision comes after West issued a full-page apology in The Wall Street Journal at the start of 2026, addressing his controversial statements and actions from 2025. In the advertisement, West offered a broad apology for his behavior, which included releasing a single titled “Heil Hitler” and selling T-shirts featuring swastikas. The apology also touched upon his earlier history of antisemitic comments from 2022, which led to the termination of many of his brand partnerships. West explained his actions by stating he "loves Jewish people" and had "gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find" during a manic episode. This explanation did not appear to satisfy many individuals or world governments, as French and U.K. shows were banned due to strict prohibitions on Nazi rhetoric in those countries.

Despite the widespread skepticism, Kid Cudi expressed that he has spoken with Ye and found their current interactions to be positive, even better than when Cudi first signed with West. Cudi wrote on Twitter, in response to criticism from DJ Peter Rosenberg regarding support for West so soon after his public embrace of antisemitism, that Ye "was dealing w mental health struggles for years and now hes good." Cudi emphasized that everyone deserves "grace when they family" and that he had been "the hardest on him out of anybody." He further stated that he "held him accountable" and that West's apology was "sincere."

This reconciliation marks a significant shift in the relationship between the two artists. In 2022, Cudi had previously described the possibility of making amends with West as requiring a "miracle." The performance in Chicago is part of a series of shows that have been touring across the United States. The context of West's apology and Cudi's subsequent endorsement highlights the ongoing public discourse surrounding accountability, mental health, and forgiveness for public figures who have made offensive statements. The article references Cudi's 2022 sentiment about people close to West being "burned" over the years, underscoring the depth of past issues that Cudi believes have now been addressed by West's sincerity and recovery.