Kanye West has issued an apology for his antisemitic behaviour over recent years.
In a letter published in The Wall Street Journal, titled To Those I’ve Hurt, the Grammy-winning rapper declared: “I am not a Nazi or an anti-Semite. I love Jewish people.”
The musician, who legally changed his name to Ye, expressed deep regret for his actions, stating: “I said and did things I deeply regret.”
His apology addresses a series of offensive incidents, including posting “I am a Nazi” and “I love Hitler” on X in February 2025.
Kanye West issued an apology letter on Monday
|
GETTY
Mr West also apologised to the Black community, writing: “I am sorry to have let you down.”
The rapper attributed his behaviour to a four-month manic episode that began in early 2025, which he described as involving “psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.
During this period, Mr West said he became drawn to the most harmful symbol he could find, the swastika, even selling merchandise bearing the Nazi emblem.
Commerce platform Shopify subsequently removed his webstore, while a track he released called Heil Hitler was banned in Germany.
Kanye West posted a series of anti-Semitic, racist and sexist X posts in February 2025
|
GETTY
In his letter, Mr West explained that bipolar disorder creates its own defence mechanism through denial, writing: “When you’re manic, you don’t think you’re sick. You think everyone else is overreacting.”
He admitted there were moments during this time when he “didn’t want to be here anymore”.
Mr West has connected his mental health difficulties to a car accident that occurred 25 years ago, which shattered his jaw and damaged his right frontal lobe.
The neurological injury remained undetected at the time, with the rapper writing: “The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed.”
Kanye West penned a letter of apology
|
GETTY
He explained that comprehensive brain scans were not conducted and neurological assessments were limited following the crash.
The frontal lobe damage was not properly identified until 2023, which West believes contributed to his subsequent bipolar type I diagnosis, first made official in 2016.
This marks the first occasion the artist has publicly linked his mental health condition to the accident.
Mr West acknowledged that many “disconnected moments” he cannot recall led to “poor judgment and reckless behaviour that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body experience”.
The rapper stated he is “committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change”
|
GETTY
West credited his wife, Australian model Bianca Censori, with encouraging him to seek professional help after he reached his lowest point.
He revealed he has since established a new baseline through “effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living”.
The rapper stated he is “committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change”, whilst acknowledging his diagnosis does not excuse his actions.
Mr West wrote: “I’m not asking for sympathy, or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness.”
This is not the first time the artist has apologised to the Jewish community. He previously issued apologies in 2023 and again in 2025 on X, before subsequently releasing the controversial Heil Hitler track.
Adidas terminated its partnership with West in 2022, describing his anti-Semitic remarks as “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous”.