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Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon: The End of Day, as many fans know, revolves around his dream of becoming a success. The album is also remembered as a moody, reflective, and emotional listening experience. Its hit lead single, “Day ’n’ Nite,” sets that tone with themes of isolation and addiction.

What some people may not know, however, is the personal story behind this defining track in Kid Cudi’s career. In an interview with Complex, the Cleveland native shared that the song was connected to a falling out with his uncle.

“We were actually beefing because he forced me out the house when I didn’t have another situation set up, so I was bitter. I never apologized for it, and that kills me,” he admitted. But it was not just the conflict that shaped the record.

“[He] passed in 2006,” Cudi said. That loss became fuel for him, both as a way to prove himself and as a tribute to the uncle who helped him in his early days. “That’s why I wrote ‘Day ’n’ Nite.’ If he weren’t there to let me stay with him those first few months, there would be no Kid Cudi. It fcked me up watching him go, but it was like, ‘I have to fulfill this destiny now for sure.’ Things were moving, but they weren’t solidified yet. I had ‘Day ’n’ Nite,’ we were just getting started, and I was like, ‘This sht has got to pop off.’ I wasn’t taking no for an answer.”

The rest, of course, is history. Kid Cudi went on to become one of the most influential figures in hip-hop, with “Day ’n’ Nite” standing as the spark that started it all.

Kid Cudi "Day 'n' Nite"