Kid Cudi once questioned whether or not he would retire from making music, but then the opportunity to record Kids See Ghosts came up and gave him the motivation he needed to continue.

During a recent interview with Rolling Stone Italy, the “Feel the Love” rapper told the magazine that the album “saved” him at a time when he needed it most.

“Working on that record saved me. At the time, I didn’t know if I was going to keep making music or not, and Kanye [West] was there for me, to help me get up,” he said. “At that moment, I really needed it.”

“When you make music, you tell your truth. In the same way, when it came to talking about my depression, I wanted to tell my story so that people could connect with what I was experiencing,” he continued. “After all, most of my albums were already made up of SOS messages that I launched to the world, hoping that someone would pick them up and respond to me, making me feel less alone. As far as I’m concerned, it was already evident in my songs. I did nothing, but be honest and sincere.”

Later in the conversation, Cudi discussed the potential impact quarantining could have on one’s mental health, noting he hasn’t really been affected by it.

“The lockdown has certainly changed the perception of mental health problems. Many of us have had to spend much more time in the company only of ourselves, and those who were not used to it could really end up under it,” he said. “Luckily, I already spend a lot of time alone, so I wasn’t particularly touched from that point of view, but I know how hard it can be.”

Cudi has been open and honest over the years about his struggles with mental health. His 2016 message informing people of his entry into rehab has been praised by fans and was even mentioned in a psychology textbook.