Kanye West has issued a public apology for his past antisemitic statements, describing his actions as reckless and harmful while linking them to long-standing mental health struggles and an undiagnosed brain injury.
In a full-page advertisement published Monday in The Wall Street Journal under the headline “To Those I’ve Hurt,” the controversial rapper said he was deeply remorseful for comments and actions that caused widespread outrage in recent years.
He stated clearly that he does not hold antisemitic beliefs.
“I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people,” he wrote.
West acknowledged that his past behavior included praising Adolf Hitler, identifying himself as a Nazi, and even selling clothing featuring a swastika. He described those actions as the result of a severe mental health crisis.
According to the rapper, the right frontal lobe of his brain was damaged during a car accident 25 years ago, but the injury went undiagnosed until 2023. He said the oversight contributed to significant mental health challenges, including a diagnosis of bipolar type-1 disorder.
“I lost touch with reality,” Ye wrote, adding that he became detached from his sense of self.
He explained that during what he described as a prolonged manic episode in early 2025, his behavior became psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive. In that state, he said, he gravitated toward extremist symbolism as a form of self-destruction.
West said he reached what he called “rock bottom” months ago and, with encouragement from his wife, Bianca Censori, sought professional help. He credited a structured routine of medication, therapy, exercise, and lifestyle changes for helping him regain stability.
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change,” he wrote.
While emphasizing that he is not seeking sympathy, Ye asked for patience as he continues his recovery, saying he hopes to eventually earn forgiveness. His apology comes ahead of the release of a new album scheduled for Friday.
The Anti-Defamation League previously reported that Ye’s comments had fueled at least 30 antisemitic incidents across the United States in 2023. Although he issued an apology later that year in a Hebrew-language Instagram post, he reversed course months later with renewed inflammatory remarks on X, stating he would never apologize.
