Jim Jones has stood by his assertion that he helped launch Kid Cudi’s career by remixing his breakout song “Day ’n’ Nite.”
Earlier this month, the Dipset rapper made the claim while appearing on the No Rap Cap podcast, saying the Cleveland artist wasn’t widely known until he jumped on the remix of Cudi’s 2008 single. “You wouldn’t have never known Kid Cudi if I didn’t remix the record in New York City. Nobody knew [who] Kid Cudi was,” Jones said during the interview.
The statement didn’t sit well with Cudi, who pushed back in a series of social media posts and a video response, telling Capo to “stop lying” to fans. “‘Day n Nite’ was already a hit record before you touched it, my n***a. I put it on my MySpace, it blew up, OK?” Cudder said in the clip.
“I had an entire mixtape. I was on my way. Motown was courting me. Kanye wanted to sign me — all because of ‘Day n Nite,’ because I put it on my MySpace and it blew up, my. It blew up. I can promise you that Sylvia Rhone did not listen to your remix and say she wanted to sign me.”
In an Instagram post shared on Friday (January 23), Jim stood firm on his version of how “Day ’n’ Nite” gained traction, especially in his hometown.
“If u not from ny u wouldn’t understand lol,” the Harlem rapper wrote. “Just a fact check I love cuddy also but when this dropped this no one ever heard of you it wasn’t played on th radio or any bet mtv it wasn’t on mixtapes u wasn’t hot in ny streets as th new rapper.”
Jones went on to say his “Day ’n’ Nite” freestyle is still considered a “classic” in New York City, even though its music video currently has 957,600 views on YouTube, compared to the most-watched official “Day ’n’ Nite” video, which sits at 261 million views.
“U didnt have a deal yet at all when I did this freestyle,” Jones claimed, adding that Cudi’s original version wasn’t getting airplay on Hot 97 until he jumped on the remix. “Then yal put th record out nationally th original version wit juts u on it and u were on fire,” he wrote.
The “We Fly High (Ballin’)” rapper said he remembers the situation clearly because Cudi’s manager at the time had previously been one of his interns. “But we wont have slander on the truth lol,” he added.
Cudi also took aim at DJ Vlad for backing Jim’s claims about the remix after the media figure said the New York rapper was “absolutely right.” Reacting on X, Cudi brushed off the comment, writing, “Hahaha ain’t nobody tryna hear what this bum has to say.”
