Kid Cudi once considered Wale a good friend. But that former good will appears to have evaporated following the Cleveland rapper’s diatribe on Wale’s merits as an artist.
Cudi explained that he was insulted by a recent Wale article where the DC native used a sports analogy to make a comparison between them. In Cudi’s view, he has no peers.
“Did you see that Wale interview that he just did, comparing us to sports? Let me clear this up: I’m incomparable to anybody,” Cudi declared in an interview with Complex magazine. “I don’t care how people take that. No one can compete with me. I’m unfuckwittable; no one can knock me off my shit. I’m an unstoppable force, I’m a bullet. My trajectory is to the sky. Niggas got to do something really spectacular to fuck with me and my realm, and niggas be so bitter that you hear it in their voice.”
Once good friends, the first inklings of an issue between the pair happened early last year. In an interview, Wale cryptically implied that Cudi had “changed” musically following the success of his “Day and Night” single. The accusation hurt Cudi deeply, and was one of the reasons for his brief retirement that was announced in March 2009.
“One of the only homies I got in this game, Wale, is worried about me ’cause of shit he hears,” Cudi said last year in his retirement blog announcement. “Like WTF? Who can say I’m being Hollywood?”
Today, Cudi has his own criticism of Wale’s skills as an emcee. He was referenced on Wale’s “Thank You Freestyle,” due to Cudi’s incident where he struck a fan (“Throwin’ round wallets like the dude that Cudi hit”). While not a diss, Cudi used the line as further proof that Wale is not on his level as an emcee.
“It wasn’t a shot, it’s just a simple-ass rhyme by a simple-ass rapper. You can’t let that shit faze you,” he said. “That’s one of those raps that just shows the world that you wack. Why would you even use that as a metaphor? Everybody think they Hov. Niggas ain’t got the magic like they think they do; there’s only a couple of wizards in this game. I’m a wizard and I know it.”
Cudi theorizes Wale has resentment towards him due to G.O.O.D. Music head Kanye West refusing to give him beats. Cudi claimed the refusal was not personal, but an example that Wale’s rhymes don’t meet the critical standards needed for West’s production. Furthermore, Cudi says his new outspokenness is due in part to receiving unprovoked attacks from Wale and others since his debut.
“Then people like Wale get mad that ‘Ye ain’t give him no beats—’Ye ain’t give you no beats because we ain’t fucking with your raps. It’s not a conspiracy theory,” Cudi stated. “We don’t fuck with you musically, so we’re not going to provide music for you. The shit is a service, it’s a quality of a certain standard. Niggas are just so thirsty it’s ridiculous. I’ve been eating humble pie forever, and people still call me an asshole. These people don’t know my fucking life—now I’m going to give them something to talk about.”
In June, Kid Cudi was arrested for cocaine possession. The rapper did not deny his substance abuse issue, even going as far to apologize to fans at concerts. He claims the addiction was initially fueled as help to get through interviews and other media requirements.
“I started doing cocaine to get through interviews, ’cause people wanted to know a lot about my personal life and I wasn’t prepared for a 60 Minutes interview every time,” he explained. “Doing bumps I was able to get through the day, but then I would smoke weed to calm me down—it was the only way I could get through the day without people noticing I was doing it.”
With the support of his G.O.O.D. Music family and self-determination, Cudi says he was able to beat the habit. Also, he cites non-label members like Lupe Fiasco and Noreaga as emcees that expressed genuine love and support.
“Every time I see that man [Lupe Fiasco], it’s nothing but love—I saw him a little after it, and he was like ‘I’m worried about you, man, just checking in,'” Cudi detailed. “He’s somebody who I know really genuinely gives a fuck. Noreaga also checked in…No more blow. People do drugs to camouflage emotions and run away from their problems. Now I’m going to deal with certain things as they come, prioritize shit—man up, so to speak.”
Cudi’s next album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, is scheduled for a November 9 release.
At press time, Wale’s only response has been a direct challenge through Twitter.
“Niggas lettin’ that liquid cocaine get to them…..let’s go then,” he Tweeted.
The entire Complex interview can be read HERE.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 