Kid Cudi Recalls 2016 “Cocaine Run” As “Pursuit Of Happiness” Goes Diamond

Lil’ Wayne wasn’t the only rapper to receive a RIAA certified Diamond plaque this week — so has Kid Cudi as of Thursday (Dec. 15). Sharing his excitement and gratitude on Twitter, the Entergalactic rapper also took the time to reflect on darker times in his life, like when he battled with cocaine use.

“Pursuit of Happiness is certified DIAMOND!!” he tweeted in celebration. “THANK U to everyone who connected w this song and played it over and over all these years. I love you all!!”

Speaking to how proud he is of his debut album Man on The Moon: The End of The Day that boasted the Diamond certified single, and his sixth-studio album Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’ — the Cleveland native recanted a time when he went on a cocaine bender for two-weeks after shooting a video.

“I was in rehab when the frequency video came out,” he tweeted about the PPDS single. “I shot it, then went on a 2 week cocaine run. Edited the video sneaking into the bathroom to do bumps. Then, I woke up one day and said, ‘Ima die if things don’t change’. So, I made sure things changed.”

He added: “Sometimes, u gotta fight for ur life because its the greatest gift we all have.”

Cudi has been open about his past struggles with drugs and mental health. In October of 2016, Cudi checked himself into a rehab facility after expressing suicidal urges and depression on Facebook. At that time he said he felt “ashamed of himself.”

“Yesterday I checked myself into rehab for depression and suicidal urges. I am not at peace,” he wrote at the time. “I haven’t been since you’ve known me. If I didn’t come here, I would’ve done something to myself. I simply am a damaged human swimming in a pool of emotions everyday of my life. There’s a ragin’ violent storm inside of my heart at all times.”

However in 2022, Cudi appears to be in a better space, as he’s pursuing other passions.

“The Kid Cudi stuff, I think I want to put it on the back burner and chill out with that,” The 38-year-old revealed to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe upon the release of his eighth studio-album. “I think, I want to be done with it. I think, closing the chapter on Kid Cudi. The goal for Entergalactic, I was bored of making albums. Just, doing an album, two music videos and that’s it. And I was like, ‘Man, I went into this wanting to do something epic and different.’ And now that I’ve done that, I just… I’ve made a lot of music, man.”

Having recently premiered his Netflix rom-com Entergalactic, Cudi added: “I’ve said a lot and I have other desires, I have other things I want to do and I do not see me never making music, I’ll always f**k around in the studio, or make something here and there. But, as far as getting in the studio and working on an album, and then going and touring it, I just don’t have it in me. I don’t have the desire.”

“I really want to spend more time with my daughter. You know what I’m saying?” he said.

Revisit Kid Cudi’s now-Diamond certified mega-hit “Pursuit of Happiness” below.

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