Reborn (song)

The song was produced by the latter of the two members and Dot da Genius, while co-produced by Plain Pat and Evan Mast, with additional production from Benny Blanco.

[1] 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".

The producer was a college student at the time when he first met Kid Cudi in 2007, reminiscing in a 2018 interview on how he was new to production when the rapper "came by my studio setup in my parents' living room".

[4] Despite Dot da Genius asserting their "immediate vibe" continued from the meeting onwards, he admitted West "was a very big unifier in our interests as musicians" while painting him as "on another level" the two took notice of.

Commenting on recording with Kids See Ghosts in Wyoming, Dot da Genius explained that he simply "tried to make everything as epic sounding as possible" and lauded the duo as "two of the best".

"[7][8] He went on to explain in a July 2018 Billboard cover story that the song is intended "to sound like a continuation" of questions asked in his past work, representing where things are "at now" for Kids See Ghosts and where it "go[es] from here".

[9] Detailing the song's recording in an October 2018 interview with GQ, the member recalls himself having had the hook immediately and taking a while to write any verses due to it being "so good" that following up felt like a challenge.

Referring to working at his house with Dot da Genius, Kid Cudi states the idea for the song kind of "came to us", crediting the producer's input for making it better.

The member cites West as having gone "crazy for it" and himself as having been "really happy that he liked that joint" due to "rooting for it", specifically expressing admiration for the melodies and the hook.

[10][20] The song is a mission statement that conveys a message of experiencing rebirth from mental illness, with Kids See Ghosts addressing personal issues that have been overcome by them.

[12][19] West's verse sees him alluding to his bipolar disorder and the resulting controversies, as well as acknowledging his antisocial tendencies and opioid addiction.

[6][35] American comedian Pete Davidson shared a blurry picture of him and his then-girlfriend Ariana Grande at the listening party for Kids See Ghosts on June 8, 2018, which he captioned with the song's title alongside varied emojis.

[39] For the performance, the backing visuals of pulsating bright colors that were present for the previous song transformed into the Kids See Ghosts cover art.

[45] For his weekend two set at the 2019 Coachella Music Festival, Kid Cudi brought out West as a surprise, with them performing a rendition of the song from the Sahara Tent.

[15] Jayson Greene of Pitchfork, in a review of Kids See Ghosts, described the song as "the most unhurried and atmospheric music of [the album's] chaotic cycle", specifically calling West's verse one of his best in years and writing that it is preceded by a lengthy "spacious breath of a drum track", as well as valuing the calmness and coolness of Kid Cudi's presence.

[18] Writing for The Line of Best Fit, Eoin Donnelly considered the song to provide proper coverage of Kids See Ghosts' "travails", stating it is "clearly ordained as the emotional centrepiece of KSG" while applauding the duo's "iconic" display of vulnerability.

Club labeled the song "a clear-eyed mission statement" that features Kid Cudi utilizing a "soft but assured" voice, being taken aback by his gentleness and stating it "rubs off" in the form of West being "more direct than he has been" since the track "Real Friends" (2016).

[31] Andreas Hale of Billboard hailed the song as the "spiritual successor" to "Pursuit of Happiness", attributing the resemblance to the former of the two members' "captivating" hook, West's "strong" lyrical performance and "the magnetic production".

[22] For Exclaim, Riley Wallace asserted that Kids See Ghosts appear to shed "the demons, shackles and negativity" they are "plagu[ed]" by so the duo can move forward "with a clear state of mind", adding praise of the intro.

[55] Okayplayer selected it as the fourth best song of 2018 and for the publication, Elijah Watson complimented the opening keys as well as seeing the track as "redemptive and optimistic" enough to be "a shining light among the darkness" the rap scene was dominated by that year.

[33] Complex listed the track as the 43rd best song of 2018; the magazine's Edwin Ortiz said Kids See Ghosts move "an extra step" towards establishing "new perspectives on maneuvering through hardships" with it.

[57] Even though he was impressed by West's verse due to the lyrics, Ortiz viewed it as inferior to Kid Cudi's "hook of the year contender" and "sobering realization" that represents change beginning from within, finishing his comments by expressing the feeling the song is "as therapeutic as it is inspirational".