Controversial rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, has issued a public apology for his history of antisemitic remarks, describing his past behaviour as “reckless” and attributing it to an undiagnosed brain injury and serious mental health challenges.
Over the years, Ye has made several antisemitic and racist statements, including publicly declaring himself a Nazi and praising Adolf Hitler—comments that sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.
In a full-page advertisement published on Monday in The Wall Street Journal and titled “To Those I’ve Hurt,” the rapper said: “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”
In the message, Ye expressed regret over his actions, writing: “I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and I am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change.”
He revealed that he sustained an injury to the right frontal lobe of his brain during a car accident about 25 years ago, which he said was not properly diagnosed until 2023. According to him, the medical oversight contributed significantly to his mental health decline and later diagnosis of bipolar disorder type 1.
“I lost touch with reality,” Ye wrote, adding that he became “detached from my true self.”
He also acknowledged adopting extremist symbols during what he described as a fractured mental state. “In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it,” he wrote, referring to the symbol widely associated with Nazi Germany and modern white supremacist movements.
Ye said he experienced a four-month manic episode marked by psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour in early 2025, before hitting what he described as “rock bottom” months later. He credited his wife, Bianca Censori, for encouraging him to seek professional help.
According to the rapper, he has since found stability through medication, therapy, exercise and lifestyle changes.
“I’m not asking for sympathy or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness,” Ye said. “I write today to simply ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home.”
The apology comes ahead of the release of a new album scheduled for Friday.
In 2023, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported that it had documented at least 30 antisemitic incidents across the United States that directly referenced Ye.
Ye has previously apologised for antisemitic remarks. In December 2023, he shared a statement on Instagram written in Hebrew, saying he did not intend to offend or demean Jewish people and regretted the pain he caused. However, he later appeared to reverse that position during a tirade on X in February, where he stated: “I’m never apologizing for my Jewish comments.”
His latest statement marks his most extensive apology to date and signals what he says is a renewed commitment to accountability and change.
