Kanye West, the US rapper, has issued an apology for his past “reckless behaviour, including the use of antisemitic imagery and comments in which he described himself as a Nazi.
In a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal titled ‘To Those I’ve Hurt,’ the rapper attributed his past actions to a medical oversight that failed to detect a frontal-lobe injury he sustained in a 2002 car crash.
He said the undiagnosed injury later affected his mental well-being and contributed to his bipolar disorder, which he described as a debilitating disease with fatal risks comparable to conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
West explained that the condition often impairs self-awareness, causing those affected to believe nothing is wrong even as their judgment deteriorates, while stressing the need for it to be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
Twenty-five years ago, I was in a car accident that broke my jaw and caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain. At the time, the focus was on the visible damage – the fracture, the swelling, and the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed, the letter reads.
Comprehensive scans were not done, neurological exams were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised. It wasn’t properly diagnosed until 2023. That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis.
Bipolar disorder comes with its own defense system. Denial. When you’re manic, you don’t think you’re sick. You think everyone else is overreacting. You feel like you’re seeing the world more clearly than ever, when in reality you’re losing your grip entirely.
Once people label you as crazy, you feel as if you cannot contribute anything meaningful to the world. It’s easy for people to joke and laugh it off when in fact this is a very serious debilitating disease you can die from.
According to the World Health Organization and Cambridge University, people with bipolar disorder have a life expectancy that is shortened by 10 to 15 years on average, and a 2x-3x higher all-cause mortality rate than the general population. This is on par with severe heart disease, type 1 diabetes, HIV, and cancer – all lethal and fatal if left untreated.
The scariest thing about this disorder is how persuasive it is when it tells you: You don’t need help. It makes you blind, but convinced you have insight. You feel powerful, certain, unstoppable.
The 48-year-old rapper said the mental condition caused him to lose touch with reality, leading him to hurt people close to him and behave in ways he later found deeply troubling.
He explained that it was in that state, he gravitated toward the swastika, which he described as the most destructive symbol, but insisted the actions did not represent his beliefs as he denied being a Nazi or holding antisemitic views.
The rapper added that he is now taking responsibility, pursuing treatment, and apologised to the black community for letting them down despite their continued support.
I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst, he wrote.
You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to have someone who was, at times, unrecognizable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self.
In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it. One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments – many of which I still cannot recall – that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body-experience.
I regret and I am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.
To the black community – which held me down through all of the highs and lows and the darkest of times. The black community is, unquestionably, the foundation of who I am. I am so sorry to have let you down. I love us.
West, who is also called Ye, said he found solace in “Reddit forums” and is now redirecting his focus toward positive creative work while seeking patience, forgiveness and understanding as he rebuilds his life.
In early 2025, I fell into a four-month long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life. As the situation became increasingly unsustainable, there were times I didn’t want to be here anymore, the letter continued.
Having bipolar disorder is notable state of constant mental illness. When you go into a manic episode, you are ill at that point. When you are not in an episode, you are completely normal. And that’s when the wreckage from the illness hits the hardest. Hitting rock bottom a few months ago, my wife encouraged me to finally get help.
I have found comfort in Reddit forums of all places. Different people speak of being in manic or depressive episodes of a similar nature. I read their stories and realized that I was not alone. It’s not just me who ruins their entire life once a year despite taking meds every day and being told by the so-called best doctors in the world that I am not bipolar, but merely experiencing symptoms of autism.
My words as a leader in my community have global impact and influence. In my mania, I lost complete sight of that.
As I find my new baseline and new center through an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise and clean living, I have newfound, much-needed clarity. I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design and other new ideas to help the world.
I’m not asking for sympathy, or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness. I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home.
In February 2025, West said his bipolar disorder was a misdiagnosis, claiming he was later identified as autistic after a re-evaluation.
Over the years, the rapper has faced widespread backlash for antisemitic remarks.
In 2022, he made headlines for claiming that Jewish people control Hollywood, leading to the termination of his long-standing partnership with sportswear giant Adidas.
