Kid Cudi is opening up about a fresh phase of his creativity — this time stepping away from music and acting to focus on visual art.
On Thursday (Jan. 15), Cudi shared an Instagram video of himself painting in a studio, using the moment to reveal a new documentary titled Echoes of the Past. The project follows his growing journey into fine art. As the footage plays, Cudi reflects on what painting has come to represent in his life, making it clear it’s far more than a casual hobby.
“The joy I get from painting, it’s like no other joy on earth for me — which is why I’m diving in headfirst,” Cudi says in the audio. He explains that many of his pieces lean into “dark undertones,” with several works serving as personal reflections shaped by lived experiences. Themes like “self-sabotage” and being “your own worst enemy” appear throughout his art.
“I wish I had that in mind like 10 years ago,” he adds. “I wish I knew that I was literally putting the wrench in my bike spokes on my own life when all I had to do is wake up and make the right decisions.” Cudi also shares how painting has become a stabilizing force for his mental health, saying, “Painting does help me stay in the light. It’s very therapeutic.”
In the caption, he laid out the film’s release plans and gave credit to director Joshua Charow, writing: “Tomorrow, 9am PST: I debut my documentary about my visual arts journey, ECHOES OF THE PAST.” He also mentioned that he’d be posting it straight to his Instagram feed for fans. The documentary is currently available to watch on YouTube.
Cudi followed up the next day with another post confirming the project’s full title: ECHOES OF THE PAST: A PORTRAIT OF SCOTTY RAMON. He once again credited Charow and described it as a MADSOLAR production. Cudi framed the film as a gateway into his latest creative universe, noting that it also includes an original score composed by him.
The documentary and its release arrive as Cudi gets ready to officially introduce his painting alter ego, Scotty Ramon — the name he’s adopting as he steps into the fine art world. His first exhibition, also called Echoes of the Past, is scheduled to open in Paris at Ruttkowski;68 in the city’s 3rd arrondissement, with an opening reception set for January 30. The show will remain on display through early March.
