Kid ’N Play’s Christopher “Kid” Reid Opens Up About Life-Saving Heart Transplant

Hip-hop icon Christopher “Kid” Reid is sharing a powerful personal story after surviving a major health crisis that nearly claimed his life. The Kid ’N Play frontman revealed that he underwent a life-saving heart transplant in 2025 following a diagnosis of congestive heart failure.

Reid discussed his ordeal during a recent appearance on Good Morning America, explaining that the situation began last summer with what he assumed was a routine emergency room visit in July. Instead, doctors discovered his heart was operating at a dangerously low capacity, a revelation that marked the start of a rapid and frightening decline.

Although initially treated with medication, Reid’s condition worsened. Seeking further answers, he consulted specialists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where additional testing revealed that his heart failure was beginning to affect other vital organs. At that point, doctors moved swiftly, admitting him to intensive care and informing him that a transplant was no longer optional but urgently necessary.

Reid was placed on an emergency donor list as his condition became critical. Just over a week later, 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 successfully performed.

REID’S RECOVERY

Now recovering, Reid says the experience has profoundly changed his outlook on life. “I hope that I’m the same person, but a better version of myself,” he shared. “This is a beautiful life.”

The hip-hop pioneer also expressed a renewed sense of responsibility to raise awareness about heart health, particularly in communities disproportionately affected by heart disease. He encouraged fans to prioritize regular medical checkups and preventative care.

“A lot of people be walking around with heart disease because they don’t go to the doctor,” Reid said. “So I’m urging all of my fans, all of y’all’s loved ones too—get it checked out.”

Reid is currently working on a forthcoming book, Heart of the Matter, which will chronicle his transplant journey, recovery process, and renewed perspective on life.

For generations who grew up witnessing Kid ’N Play’s influence across music, film, and pop culture, Christopher “Kid” Reid’s survival story stands as a powerful and deeply human new chapter in his legacy.