KIDS SEE GHOSTS by KIDS SEE GHOSTS

Kids See Ghosts is the eponymous debut studio album by American hip hop duo Kids See Ghosts, composed of Kanye West and Kid Cudi. It was released on June 8, 2018, through GOOD Music and distributed by Def Jam Recordings. Prior to the release, West and Cudi enjoyed a strong relationship as close friends and musical allies since meeting in 2008, and expressed a desire to record a collaborative album. However, an album never initially materialized, with the duo instead experiencing brief fallings-out in 2013 and 2016. They reunited a year later, when the first studio sessions for the album began. Kids See Ghosts features guest contributions from Pusha T, Yasiin Bey and Ty Dolla Sign, as well as a vocal sample of Louis Prima, who is credited posthumously as a featured artist. Prominent production is featured from both members of the duo, with further contributions by Dot da Genius, Mike Dean, Evan Mast, Plain Pat, BoogzDaBeast, Benny Blanco, and Noah Goldstein, among others. The lyrical content includes references to mental health issues, which both members had suffered from and mentioned previously in their respective music. The cover art was designed by Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, and was based on the landscape series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai. Murakami's artwork received praise from critics, with it being noted for its striking appearance. The album was the third of five albums produced by West in Jackson Hole as a part of the "Wyoming Sessions", each being released weekly in the summer of 2018. Kids See Ghosts succeeded the release of Pusha T's Daytona and West's Ye, and preceded the release of Nas' Nasir and Teyana Taylor's K.T.S.E. The album received widespread acclaim, with a number of music critics pointing out the chemistry of West and Cudi in praise. It was named as one of the best albums of 2018 by multiple publications, including Complex, NME, and Slant Magazine. On the Billboard 200, Kids See Ghosts debuted at number two, standing as West's tenth top-five album and Cudi's sixth top five album in the United States. The album also attained top five positions in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Norway. A number of the tracks charted in various countries, including "Reborn" and "4th Dimension".