Kid Cudi has long been open about his mental health struggles and he’s a proponent of therapy and receiving treatment. But for years, he did not reveal a near-death experience he endured while seeking treatment back in 2016. In an interview with Esquire (ahead of his upcoming animated series, Entergalactic), Cudi revealed that he suffered a stroke two weeks into his rehab stint.
“Everything was f*cked,” said Cudi, noting that as a result of the stroke, his speech and physical movement were slowed down.
In addition to mental health treatment, Cudi would also enter a physical rehabilitation program. The following year, he would attempt to make a return to acting, this time, on the stage. He read with actor Michael Cera for a role in a Broadway play called Lobby Hero, memorizing a large amount of dialogue. Although Cudi didn’t land the role, he found the fact that he was able to prepare for the audition rewarding.
“I proved to myself that I could do it. I needed that at the time,” he said. “I was happy. Like, damn, my brain is still strong. I didn’t lose something in that sh*t that happened.”
Kid Cudi’s new visual album and animated series, Entergalactic, streams on Netflix on September 30.
