Rapper Kid Cudi (2nd-L) and Recording Artist Kanye West (R) attend the Band of Outsiders Fall 2011 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at SIR Stage on February 12, 2011 in New York City.
After some delays and technical hiccups, and after working until literally the very last minute, the long-awaited Kanye West and Kid Cudi collaborative album Kids See Ghosts is finally here. The project features, in addition to Ye and Cudi, a long list of collaborators—some old, some new, and a few who aren’t even alive anymore. Below, who’s who on Kids See Ghosts.
A note: This is a list of names we could verify as of press time. Some additional featured performers have been speculated on, but not confirmed—in particular, singer Mr. Hudson on "Cudi Montage." The list below is almost certainly not final and subject to change.
Andre 3000
Role: Producer
Song: Fire
Andre 3K was in the studio with Kanye back in early 2016. However, it’s unclear as of this writing if “Fire” dates from those sessions. Last month, the once (and future?) Outkast member released two new songs to commemorate Mother’s Day.
Yasiin Bey
Role: Composer/lyricist, featured artist
Song: Kids See Ghosts
Bey is better known by his former rap name, Mos Def (he adopted his current name in 2011). Bey and Ye have been down since the beginning, with the Brooklyn icon appearing on The College Dropout’s “Two Words.” Bey hasn’t released a solo album since 2009’s The Ecstatic, but recently teased a reunion project via his duo with Talib Kweli, Black Star.
Jeff Bhasker
Role: Composer/lyricist, producer
Song: Freeee (Ghost Town Pt. 2)
Bhasker is a producer and musician who has been working with Kanye since 808s & Heartbreak. He also had his hands in smash hits like “Run This Town” and “Uptown Funk.” Bhasker’s latest album is a remake of the Talking Heads’ 1980 classic Remain in Light with the Beninese singer and songwriter Angelique Kidjo.
Boogz
Kurt Cobain
Role: Composer/lyricist
Song: Cudi Montage
The late Nirvana frontman’s “Burn the Rain” is sampled on “Cudi Montage.” “Burn the Rain” appears on Montage of Heck: The Home Recordings, which accompanies the documentary of the same name.
Andrew Dawson
Role: Producer
Song: Kids See Ghosts
Dawson is Kanye’s longtime engineer and mixer, dating back to Late Registration. He previously received production credit on the MBDTF cut “Power.”
Mike Dean
Role: Composer/lyricist, producer
Songs: 4th Dimension, Cudi Montage, Feel the Love (both); Ghost Town Pt. 2 (composer/lyricist only)
Veteran producer/engineer/mixer Dean was all over Kanye West’s Ye, so it makes sense he would be equally involved in Kids See Ghosts. Also, as J Prince’s conduit to Kanye, he may well be responsible for ending the Drake/Pusha T beef.
Dot Da Genius
Role: Producer
Songs: Feel the Love, Reborn, Cudi Montage
Oladipo “Dot Da Genius” Omishore has been Kid Cudi’s partner in crime almost from the beginning. The pair met in 2006, and had early success with “Day ’n’ Nite,” which Dot produced. In addition to Cudi’s solo work, Dot teamed up with his friend to form the group WZRD, which released a self-titled album in 2012.
Evan Mast
Role: Producer
Song: Reborn
Evan “E*vax” Mast, half of the beloved duo Ratatat, is known for his work in electronic music. He also produced Jay Z’s confusingly-titled addition to the Great Gatsby soundtrack, “100$ Bill.”
Corin Littler
Plain Pat
Role: Producer
Songs: Kids See Ghosts, Reborn
“Plain” Pat Reynolds used to manage both Kanye and Cudi. He has produced, A&R’d, or both on everything from The College Dropout to Man on the Moon to Chicken-N-Beer to Ashanti’s Chapter II.
Louis Prima
Role: Featured artist, composer/lyricist
Song: 4th Dimension
Louis Prima is an odd choice for a featured artist, considering he died in 1978. The legendary singer, trumpeter, songwriter, and actor is best known for swing tunes like “Jump, Jive, an’ Wail.” He is included because his holiday favorite “What Will Santa Claus Say? (When He Finds Everybody Swingin')” is sampled on “4th Dimension.”
This isn’t the first time Kanye has given a posthumous feature. He did the same thing with Otis Redding, who was killed in a plane crash in 1967, on “Otis.”
Pusha-T
Role: Featured artist
Song: Feel the Love
One of the first voices you hear on Kids See Ghosts is none other than Pusha Ton. He was last heard from, of course, on the album that kicked off this G.O.O.D. Music run, Daytona.
Ty Dolla Sign
Role: Composer/lyricist
Song: Freeee (Ghost Town Pt. 2)
Ty was featured on three tracks on Ye, and now the rapper/singer/songwriter makes a return trip. Oddly enough, despite his appearance on the song’s sequel, he does not appear on the original “Ghost Town.”