NEWS
Kid Cudi performs "Tequila Shots" on 'Saturday Night Live' April 10, 2021.
Will Heath/NBCKid Cudi opened up about his friendship with late designer Virgil Abloh in a series of posts on Wednesday (Dec. 1), in which he shared his thoughts on the pioneering fashion figure, as well as the final texts the two shared before Abloh’s death from cancer on Nov. 28.
“It’s taken me a few days to make this post. Tryna find the right words,” Cudder wrote on Instagram alongside a series of photos of the two together and the rapper wearing some of Abloh’s Louis Vuitton designs on stage. “Virgil was the kindest most warmest soul I’ve ever met. He was a true visionary, genius, disrupter, 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.”
The second part of the post featured a heartfelt dedication to Abloh, who Cudi thanked 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.”
Cudi, who walked in this week’s Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2022 show — where he performed his song “Moon” — also shared the pair’s final text exchange from last week. “I’m glad I got to tell u how I felt about u,” he tweeted. “Im happy u didn’t leave here not knowing. I love you Virg FOREVER.”
In the text exchange included below that note, the friends casually talked about the show, with Cudi writing, “Miami gon be a feature film n—a!,” with Abloh responding, “MAJORRRRRR… action movie.” A few days later, Cudi had more on his mind, adding, “Yo willis whats good! Wanted to connect w u about the show and see what u had in mind for me to wear. Im gettin my hair colored today and wanna have a color that goes w the fit… Hope u had a great thanksgiving w the fam!! So thankful to have u in my life. Love u brother.”
Abloh shared the love, responding, “Mad love for you my G… Did you get a fitting time yet?”
Fashion house Louis Vuitton’s first-ever U.S. fashion show was a somber, whimsical tribute to Abloh, just days after his death. The Miami menswear event, an unofficial kickoff to the prestigious Art Basel fair, had been in the works for months and guests including Kim Kardashian West and her daughter North, Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, model Bella Hadid, Joe Jonas, Maluma and Pharrell, arrived in sleek LV monogrammed silver speedboats. Cudi and Erykah Badu performed at an after-party.
See Cudi’s posts and video of his performance below.
NEWS
Even StubHub wants to get in on the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef. StubHub revealed that ticket spiked on Thursday afternoon (June 12) for Kendrick Lamar's Grand National Tour at Toronto's Rogers Centre. In a X post, the company announced that Kendrick's tour has made Toronto one of the top five best-selling cities. The new record was based on total ticket sold.
The Toronto stop was always an anticipated show because of Kendrick Lamar's 2024 rap battle with hometown hero Drake. The two exchanged chart-topping diss tracks towards each other, including "Euphoria," "Family Matters," and "Not Like Us." Lamar would release the GNX album at the end of the year.
Kendrick's Toronto stop on the tour includes a two-night event co-headlined by SZA. The new Toronto record follows Wednesday's announcement of the Grand National Tour headed to Australia this summer. Kendrick Lamar has broken concert attendance records cities across the nation, including Dallas, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National Tour has shattered several historic records, solidifying his status as a dominant force in hip-hop and live music. The tour’s Minneapolis opener set a new benchmark as the highest-grossing hip-hop concert of all time, pulling in over $9 million from more than 47,000 fans. In Atlanta, he and SZA drew a massive 45,000 attendees at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, setting a single-night hip-hop stadium attendance record, even as Pearl Jam played across town.
Streaming numbers mirrored the tour’s explosive impact. Lamar became the first rapper in history to surpass 100 million monthly Spotify listeners, joining the elite ranks of global pop icons. His album GNX also broke records, debuting with over 44 million first-day streams on Spotify and notching the largest opening streaming week for a hip-hop or R&B release in 2024.
Spanning 21 stadiums across North America between April and June 2025, the tour added extra shows in Los Angeles and Toronto due to overwhelming demand. The Grand National Tour isn’t just a concert series—it’s a cultural moment. With unmatched scale and reach, it redefines what's possible for hip-hop artists on a global stage.
