Christopher “Kid” Reid Says Ignoring Early Heart Failure Symptoms Nearly Cost Him His Life — Transplant Came Just in Time [Video]

The hip-hop world was hit with some heavy news this week as Christopher “Kid” Reid, half of the iconic duo Kid ‘N Play, sat down with “Good Morning America” to share a private health battle that almost cost him his life.

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In a candid interview with Michael Strahan that aired Thursday, the 59-year-old rapper revealed he is currently recovering from a life-saving heart transplant. The journey began back in July when Reid started noticing a serious drop in his energy levels, something he initially tried to brush off.

I think sometimes you kinda just chalk it up to, you know, ‘I’m gettin’ older,’ you know, ‘The road is harsh,'” he told Strahan.

The “House Party“ star eventually realized the exhaustion was more than just aging when his breathing became difficult, leading to an emergency room visit where he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. While doctors first attempted to manage the condition with medication, a follow-up visit just three weeks later showed the situation was rapidly deteriorating. His cardiologist, Erika Jones, told GMA that his body wasn’t responding to the treatment as expected.

“He came in very swollen again, and that is a little unusual in somebody who’s been started on treatment, for the swelling to come back that quickly,” Jones explained.

Things moved fast from there. Instead of boarding a plane for a scheduled performance, Reid was sent back to the ER and rushed into the ICU as his heart began to shut down his other organs. Dr. Jones noted that the situation was critical, stating, “The blood work confirmed my suspicion. It showed that his heart was failing, and it was starting to affect his other organs.”

Surgeons informed Reid that a transplant was his only shot at survival. Dr. Laura Dichiacchio, one of the surgeons on his team, described the urgency, saying he was placed on the waitlist because it was “a kind of life or death situation.” Despite the terrifying news, she praised his resilience, describing him as “warm” and “incredibly calm.”

Against all odds, Reid only spent eight days on the transplant list before a match was found. He underwent a seven-hour surgery the following evening and emerged with a new lease on life. Now that he’s on the mend, the rapper is soaking in every moment, telling the show, “This thing is … a beautiful life. It’s great. And, you know, I wanna be around for it.”

Reid isn’t just sharing his story for the headlines; he wants to save lives. He specifically called on people of color to prioritize their health and stop letting the “hustle” get in the way of a doctor’s visit.

“A lot of times, we don’t go because we don’t want the bad news, or we too busy just hustlin’, trying to make it from day to day,” Reid said. “And we … feel like we don’t got time, or we’ll get over it. Well, you might not.”

According to the CDC, roughly 6.7 million adults in the U.S. are living with heart failure, a condition where the heart can’t pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. With hypertension and diabetes listed as major risk factors, Reid’s story is a wake-up call that your health is the one thing you can’t afford to put on the back burner.