Pete Davidson’s feud with Kanye West has reignited the spotlight on the comedian, who is somewhat of a hip-hop connoisseur, and he thanks one rapper for saving his life.
The comedian has always been an open book when it comes to his mental health struggles, and music has always been something that he’s turned to while at his lowest ebb. He got diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in 2017, and since then, Davidson has grown to understand the intricacies of his mind more, but his battle is still ongoing.
“I got diagnosed with BPD a few years ago, and I was always just so confused all the time, and just thought something was wrong, and didn’t know how to deal with it,” he said in 2020. “Then, when somebody finally tells you, the weight of the world feels lifted off your shoulders. You feel so much better.”
Davidson also announced in 2019 on SNL that to deal with his mental health and addiction problems, he was “going on a little ‘vacation.’ You know, the kind of vacation where insurance pays for some of it, and they take your phone and shoelaces. And you have roommates but it stills costs like, $100,000.”
When he was growing up, hearing Kid Cudi speak about his similar issues made Davidson feel less alone, and it’s likely a key reason he also approaches these subjects so frankly, in the hope that it’ll also help others.
“Cudi is the best out of all of them,” he once told The Breakfast Club. “He saved my life. I would’ve killed myself if I didn’t have Kid Cudi. If you’re 25 and under, I truly believe that Kid Cudi saved your life.” The comedian continued, “I truly believe if Man on the Moon didn’t come out, I wouldn’t be here.”
“It’s comforting to know your hero goes through the same stuff you do,” he added. “I think that’s why a lot of kids my age can relate to Cudi and people love him so much is because he’s a very emotional dude, and he saves all of us.”
Furthermore, Davidson expressed his love for Cudi in the feature film, The King Of Staten Island, a semi-autobiographical take on his own life, which came out in 2020.
Not only does ‘Just What I Am’ by Cudi open up the picture, but, during an emotional scene as it draws to a close ‘, Pursuit of Happiness’ plays out. It’s a fitting, tear-jerking tribute to an artist whose music made it possible for Davidson to still be here and become ‘The King Of Staten Island’.
