Ye apologizes for antisemitic remarks, blames brain injury and bipolar disorder
The rapper also apologized to the Black community, acknowledging that his words and actions had let down people he cared about.
Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, has taken out a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal apologising for a series of antisemitic comments that have haunted him for years.
In the letter, titled “To Those I’ve Hurt”, Ye insisted he is “not a Nazi or an antisemite” and blamed his controversial behavior on a previously undiagnosed brain injury and bipolar-1 disorder.
“I am deeply mortified by my actions and the pain I caused,” Ye wrote, adding that he is committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful personal change. The rapper also apologized to the Black community, acknowledging that his words and actions had let down people he cared about.
Ye’s apology comes after a long history of inflammatory remarks, including declaring himself a Nazi and expressing admiration for Hitler, as well as releasing a 2025 single called Heil Hitler. These actions resulted in the suspension of his social media accounts, the termination of lucrative partnerships—including with Adidas—and the removal of his Yeezy online platform, which had sold products featuring swastika imagery.
The 48-year-old explained that a 25-year-old car accident had caused brain damage that went undiagnosed until 2023. He says the injury contributed to a bipolar-1 diagnosis he received in 2016, and that in early 2025 he experienced a four-month-long manic episode characterized by “psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior” that spiraled out of control. “I lost touch with reality,” he wrote.
Ye admitted that during this period, he hurt the people closest to him and became “detached from my true self.” He credited his wife with encouraging him to seek help and said he is now focused on creative projects in music, fashion, and design that he hopes will make a positive impact.
Closing the letter, Ye asked for understanding and patience as he attempts to “find [his] way home,” and reaffirmed his commitment to repairing the harm caused by his previous statements.
Campaign Against Antisemitism responded cautiously, acknowledging the apology but warning that past patterns make it hard to know if Ye will sustain change. “Apologies are meaningful only if they are followed by lasting action,” a spokesperson said, urging him to educate his large online following on why antisemitism is harmful.