Kid Cudi took to Instagram to honor Virgil Abloh on what would have been his 45th birthday, reflecting on their bond with a heartfelt tribute.
Sharing a throwback photo of the two smiling together, Cudi wrote:
“Happy Birthday to my big bro, the master, the visionary, Virgil!!! We miss u!!! Today we celebrate YOU!!! LOVE YOU V!!!”
He closed the post with a string of emojis, showing love to his late friend and collaborator.
In recent years, Kid Cudi has openly expressed his deep gratitude for Virgil Abloh, with whom he collaborated on “Leader of the Delinquents” T-shirts and LPs. Following Abloh’s passing in 2021 after a battle with a rare, aggressive cancer, Cudi penned an emotional tribute honoring his friend.
“It’s taken me a few days to make this post,” Cudi wrote at the time. “Tryna find the right words. Virgil was the kindest most warmest soul I’ve ever met. He was a true visionary, genius, disruptor, epic DJ and artist, but he was also just truly a beautiful human.
“I’ve never known anyone quite like him. And I know i never will. Once in a lifetime,” he continued. “Virgil, I thank u for being a true friend and always makin me feel special when u sent a text, made time for me to hang or sent some shoes w my name on them. I love you endlessly. Til we meet again my friend. I hope u see what you’ve done. You changed the world forever. You did that. I love you Virgil. Goodbye my friend Your brother, Rager.”
Cudi’s loyalty to Abloh even led him to cut ties with Kanye West, who he says made cruel remarks about the late designer.
In an interview with CBS Mornings, Cudi explained why his friendship with Ye came to an end.
“[Kanye] said some things that there’s just no coming back from,” Cudi said. “The comments that he’s had about Virgil Abloh are just some of the most evil, vile, disturbing, fucked-up things I’ve heard. Every time he took a dig at Virgil, it just made me super angry. Virgil was an angel to everyone.”
“There’s no coming back from that, man. I’m done with you,” he added. “And it breaks my heart because I loved Kanye. I really loved him. He was part of my life changing and at some point he was a really good friend but the man that he has become, I just don’t know that guy anymore. I don’t know him. I don’t know that version of him and it’s really heartbreaking.”
