Some people were upset that Kid Cudi decided to put on a dress during his performance of “Sad People” on Saturday Night Live in April. However, SNL cast member Pete Davidson defended the Cleveland rapper/actor’s controversial outfit during a radio show appearance this week.
According to Kid Cudi, he wore the floral-printed garment as an homage to the late Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain. The day after that April 10 episode of SNL, Cudi announced the Virgil Abloh-designed dress will be part of a forthcoming collaboration with Abloh’s Off-White clothing brand.
“Virgil designed the dress for me. I told him I wanted to show love to Kurt [with] a floral print sundress and this man made a masterpiece. Thank You @virgilabloh ur a f##### genius!! Love you man we did it!!!” tweeted Cudi. “I’m [doing] a collection [with] Off-White and the dress will be included!!”
Critics blasted Kid Cudi for donning a dress on the late-night sketch comedy program. Some objectors took issue with him supposedly promoting the “feminization” of men. On the other hand, popular podcaster Joe Budden slammed Cudi’s tribute to Kurt Cobain for what he viewed as profiting off the Rock icon’s depression and suicide. Cobain took his own life at the age of 27 in 1994.
Pete Davidson took time to back Kid Cudi during an interview with The Breakfast Club’s Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God. The star of The King of Staten Island movie has repeatedly discussed being a longtime fan of Cudi. Davidson even acknowledged that the performer’s music helped him overcome depression as a youth.
“I loved it. I thought it was great,” said Davidson about Cudi wearing the Off-White ensemble. “I think when you get criticism like that, it’s just like, ‘Okay, cool. Those are people I don’t really want to associate myself with anyway – people that are that close-minded.'”
The 27-year-old stand-up comic continued, “I thought it was really cool and like a really cool tribute. Virgil [Abloh] made it, it’s sick. They’re gonna sell it as a unisex dress. I thought he killed it.” Kid Cudi, Pete Davidson, and fellow SNL comedian Chris Redd also filmed a music video called “Weird Little Flute” for Saturday Night Live.