Rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has issued a fresh apology for his past antisemitic remarks, taking out a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal.
In the ad, Ye said he had “lost touch with reality”, attributing his behaviour to untreated bipolar disorder and an undiagnosed brain injury stemming from a car accident 25 years ago. He wrote that the injury was not properly identified until 2023.
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state”
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state,” Ye said. “I am committed to accountability, treatment and meaningful change.”
Ye has made multiple antisemitic statements in recent years, including social media posts that appeared to reference Jewish control narratives, swastika imagery, and expressions of admiration for Adolf Hitler. In October 2022, he wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt at Paris Fashion Week and later posted that he would go “death con 3 on Jewish people”, leading to the suspension of his Twitter and Instagram accounts at the time.
His accounts were reinstated eight months later following Elon Musk’s takeover of the platform now known as X.
In the Wall Street Journal ad, Ye stated that his diagnosis does not excuse his behaviour.
“I am not a Nazi or an antisemite,” he wrote. “I love Jewish people.”
He also expressed regret for past praise of Hitler and use of Nazi symbolism, and described the effects of bipolar disorder, writing that manic episodes can create a false sense of clarity while a person is “losing [their] grip entirely”.
Ye said a four-month manic episode in early 2025 involving “psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour” had “destroyed” his life, adding that he had recently “hit rock bottom” and experienced thoughts of not wanting “to be here anymore”.
Last year, Australia’s federal Immigration Minister Tony Burke confirmed Ye had been denied an Australian visa following the release of an antisemitic song.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) described the apology as overdue, noting that it does not erase the impact of Ye’s previous actions.
“The truest apology would be for him to not engage in antisemitic behaviour in the future,” an ADL spokesperson said.
Ye also addressed the Black community in the ad, apologising for past actions.
Ye’s next album, Bully, is currently listed on Spotify as due for release on Friday.
Further Reading
Kanye West Banned From Australia Indefinitely Over Nazi-Praising Track ‘Heil Hitler’
