Hip-hop legend Christopher 'Kid' Reid is opening up about a deeply personal health battle that nearly cost him his life. During a recent appearance on Good Morning America, the Kid ‘N Play frontman revealed that he underwent a heart transplant in 2025 after being diagnosed with congestive heart failure last summer. According to Reid, the ordeal began with what he thought was a routine emergency room visit in July, only to learn his heart was functioning at a dangerously low level.
Initially treated with medication, his condition soon worsened. Concerned about his declining health, Reid sought further evaluation from specialists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Additional testing revealed the heart failure had begun impacting other organs, a turning point that escalated the situation to critical.
Doctors quickly admitted him into intensive care, where he was told a transplant was no longer optional, it was urgent. Medical staff placed him on an emergency donor list as his condition became increasingly life-threatening.
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Kid 'N Play Interview On Good Morning America
Just over a week later, Reid said he received the call that would save his life. Within nine days of being listed, a donor heart became available and the transplant surgery was performed successfully. Now in recovery, Reid says the experience has reshaped his perspective entirely.
"I hope that I’m the same person, but a better version of myself," he shared during the interview. "This is a beautiful life."
Beyond gratitude, the hip-hop pioneer says he feels a responsibility to use his platform for awareness. Particularly within communities that statistically face higher rates of heart disease. He urged fans to prioritize regular checkups and preventative care.
"A lot of people be walking around with heart disease because they don't go to the doctor," he said during the interview. "So I'm urging all of my fans, all of y'all's loved ones too, get it checked out." Reid is currently channeling his experience into a forthcoming book titled Heart of the Matter, where he plans to detail his transplant journey, recovery, and renewed outlook.
For fans who grew up watching Kid ‘N Play’s cultural impact across music and film, Reid’s survival story adds a powerful new chapter.
