Overview
"Kids See Ghosts" is a song by American hip hop duo Kids See Ghosts, composed of Kanye West and Kid Cudi, from their debut studio album of the same name (2018). The song features a guest appearance from Mos Def, who received credit under his real name of Yasiin Bey. It was produced by West, Kid Cudi, and Plain Pat, while additional production was handled by Andrew Dawson, Justin Vernon and Noah Goldstein. Apart from Plain Pat and Goldstein, the producers wrote the song alongside Bey. Making heavy use of synthesizers, the song draws inspiration from ambient music. Lyrically, the song reflects on the difficulties of fame and success.
The song received widespread acclaim from music critics, who generally complimented Bey's vocals. They often highlighted the presence of his feature on the album, while some critics praised the lyrical content of "Kids See Ghosts" and a few appreciated the duo's chemistry. It reached number 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while further appearing at number 53 on the Canadian Hot 100. The song was performed live by Kids See Ghosts at the 2018 Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. In June 2018, Tyler, the Creator shared his remix of the song, titled "Crust in Their Eyes". It was recorded that same month and features him rapping personal lyrics over the original. The remix received positive reviews from critics, mostly being praised for Tyler, the Creator's rapping; a number of them placed emphasis on his lyricism.
Background
On April 19, 2018, Kanye West announced a collaborative album with Kid Cudi. The album was revealed as being titled Kids See Ghosts by West, with him proposing the release date of June 8, 2018 for it, and he later announced that the album was set to include a song of the same name. Kid Cudi had been featured on a number of tracks by West prior to the announcement of Kids See Ghosts, such as "Welcome to Heartbreak" (2008) and "Gorgeous" (2010). West released his eighth studio album Ye on June 1, 2018, with vocals from Kid Cudi included on the tracks "No Mistakes" and "Ghost Town".
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