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Scott Dudelson / Contributor via Getty Images and Kevin Winter / Staff via Getty Images
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Kid Cudi and J. Cole
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Kid Cudi’s album from 2013, Indicud, featured collaborations with ASAP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, and Too Short, along with the fan-favored track “Just What I Am.” On Wednesday (Sept. 18), the Cleveland artist disclosed that a feature from J. Cole might have appeared on the album, but the “No Role Modelz” rapper “couldn’t write” to the beat he crafted.
Responding to a Twitter user suggesting a joint effort between them, Kid Cudi remarked, “It was a letdown, and I always wished to collaborate, so I reached out for INSANO [and received] no reply. So, there’s that.”
The artist’s INSANO was released in January, boasting an extensive tracklist and collaborations with Lil Yachty, Travis Scott, and Pharrell Williams. The following month saw the launch of INSANO (NITRO MEGA), branded as “essentially another album” instead of merely a deluxe edition.
It seems there’s no animosity between the two artists, given that Cole referenced the creator of “Day ‘N’ Nite (nightmare)” in his 2021 track “9 5 . s o u t h” from The Off-Season: “My young n**gas nutty, they blastin’ / Bullets be hummin’ like Cudi, but one of yo’ hoodies Spaghetti-O splashin’ / All over the driveway, y’all talkin’ all sideways.”
Additionally, it’s noteworthy that Kid Cudi initially intended to feature Dreamville Records’ EARTHGANG on his “INSANO WORLD TOUR.” Unfortunately, the entire tour was canceled after he suffered a broken foot while jumping off the stage at Coachella in April.
“[I’ve] still got a long way to go, but this was the first time I’ve walked in four months, and I was incredibly happy to witness the progress,” the rapper shared in a recovery update in July. “My mom recorded this video in tears, haha. She was overjoyed to see me walk again.”
Conversely, J. Cole has been enjoying a thriving run of features. He recently contributed to Rocky’s “Ruby Rosary,” shortly after joining forces with Cash Cobain and Metro Boomin and Future on “Grippy” and “Red Leather,” respectively.