Kid Cudi is trading his mic for a paintbrush as he takes on a role as iconic New York artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, handled public relations duties himself and announced details about his upcoming film Jean on Instagram Wednesday, Oct. 21, saying he is also writing and directing the project.
“This ones for all those dreamers out there,” he shared.
The multi-hyphenate revealed filming is scheduled to begin in 2027, and included photos of himself in costume as the late artist, complete with a wig recreating Basquiat’s signature hairstyle.
“Did a wardrobe test, got a wig made (this isn’t the final just a rough, trust me we gon get it perfect),” he wrote. “But I wanted to tease what we been cooking a bit.”
Cudi said fans have been clamoring for him to play Basquiat for years, so he decided to make it happen himself.
“For years people have asked me about playing Jean Michel Basquiat in a film. But no project actually came to be. This year, I finally said f–k it, ima write it myself,” he explained.
The Ohio native noted developing the screenplay required extensive research, and described the film as a personal tribute to the artist and the New York scene that helped shape his own work.
“This one im so proud of and excited about. To write a film about someone who existed was a challenge, but it was a welcomed one. A lot of research, books, talks with people that knew him,” he wrote. “This film will be a love letter to Jean, the 80s and NY city.”
Basquiat rose to success during the 1980s as part of the Neo-expressionism movement. He became one of the most influential artists of his generation before dying from an overdose in 1988 at age 27.
His 1982 painting Untitled sold for a record $110.5 million in 2017. It was the highest price ever paid at auction for a work by an American artist and for any artwork created after 1980, according to Sotheby’s New York.
For Cudi, the opportunity to play the groundbreaking artist carries special meaning.
“Jean has inspired me all through out my career, and it will be the biggest honor to tell his story in a way we haven’t seen before,” he continued. “I know a lot of yall gon be like FINALLY hahaha I love it.”
The role adds to Cudi’s growing list of acting credits, which includes the 2023 films House Party and Silent Night, along with an appearance as an FBI agent in Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2, released in 2025.
He will make his feature directorial debut with Doe about a man living on the streets of Hollywood, and is also directing the horror thriller Wrong Number.
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