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Kanye West has apologized for his antisemitic rants as he detailed how his bipolar disorder caused him to lose 'touch with reality' in a page-long advertisement published in the Wall Street Journal.
West's hateful messages about the Jewish people have sparked outrage and condemnation, however in the past year, he has been issuing apologies over the vile statements.
His latest statement attributes his behavior to the effects of his health battle, one which he says was caused by a 2002 car accident.
In a statement appearing in the January 26 print edition of the WSJ, West alleged he sustained a brain injury during the accident that went 'unnoticed' at the time - with the 'medical oversight' sparking his bipolar disorder.
West, 48, said the illness made him 'detached from my true self' and caused him to be drawn 'toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika.'
The advertisement, which was paid for by Yeezy and authored by West, was headlined 'To Those I Hurt' and described how, after 'hitting rock bottom' several months ago, he decided to seek help at the encouragement of his wife, Bianca Censori.
Kanye West has issued another apology for his antisemitic outbursts in a page-long advertisement published in the Wall Street Journal
West alleges a 2002 car accident he was in ultimately led to his bipolar disorder; pictured 2002
'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,' the advertisement begins. 'At the time, the focus was on the visible damage - the fracture, the swelling, the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed.
'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 ten to fifteen 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, and unstoppable.
'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. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to love someone who was, at times, unrecognizable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self.
West said the illness caused him to be drawn 'toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika' (pictured wearing a swastika necklace in May 2025)
The statement was published in the January 26 print edition of the WSJ
His latest statement attributes the messages to the effects of his mental illness
'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 lead to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body experience.'
West stressed he is not a 'Nazi or antisemite' and loved the 'Jewish people.'
'I regret and 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 antisemite. I love Jewish people,' he said.
He also issued an apology to the 'black community' for letting them down.
'To the black community - which held me down through all of the highs and lows and darkest of times,' he wrote. 'The black community is, unquestionably, the foundation of who I am. I am so sorry to have let you down. I love us.'
West said that he descended into a 'four month long manic episode' last year - one which saw him at times no longer wanting 'to be here anymore.'
'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.'
West's wife Bianca Censori pushed him to seek help after he hit 'rock bottom' several months ago.
'Having bipolar disorder is not a state of constant mental illness. When you go through the 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.'
Reddit provided West with a source of solace during this difficult time.
'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 real 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.'
West said he finally sought help at the encouragement of his wife, Bianca Censori
The message was signed off by West and indicated the advertisement had been 'Paid for by Yeezy' along with an email for the CFO of Yeezy.
The Anti-Defamation League, whose mission is to eradicate antisemitism in the US, responded to West's apology in a statement obtained by The Daily Mail.
'Ye’s apology to the Jewish people is long overdue and doesn’t automatically undo his long history of antisemitism – the antisemitic ‘Heil Hitler’ song he created, the hundreds of tweets, the swastikas and myriad Holocaust references – and all of the feelings of hurt and betrayal it caused. The truest apology would be for him to not engage in antisemitic behavior in the future. We wish him well on the road to recovery,' an ADL spokesperson said.
Ye's string of antisemitic remarks began in late 2022, including a tweet that he was planning to go 'death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.'
He embraced conspiracy theories that 'Jewish people' control the media, the music industry and finances, saying, 'The Jewish media blocked me out. This is not hate speech, this is the truth.'
He also praised Adolf Hitler and Nazis.
His remarks prompted Adidas, Balenciaga and his talent agency CAA, to stop doing business with him in 2022.
Most recently, the rapper released a song entitled 'Heil Hitler.'
Ye attributing his rants to bipolar disorder comes as a curveball in his evolving understanding of his mental health condition.
The rapper's infamously uploaded this tweet during an antisemitic rant in 2022
West shares four children with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian
He said for years that he struggled with bipolar until asserting last winter that he had been misdiagnosed and has autism, instead.
Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings between periods of high energy, known as mania, and low-energy, or depression.
It is often referred to as manic depression.
A 2013 study found that those who suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) were at a higher likelihood of developing a mental illness - including bipolar disorder, according to Psychology Today.
Danish scientists found that those who had suffered a TBI (concussions included) were four times more likely to acquire a mental illness.
Those who suffer from a TBI were 28% more likely to develop bipolar disorder, the study found.
West confirmed his bipolar diagnosis in his 2018 album, Ye.
'That's my bipolar shit, ni**a, what? That's my superpower, ni**a,' West rapped in the song Yikes. 'Ain't no disability. I'm a superhero! I'm a superhero!'
The diagnosis is not one that he has shied away from discussing publicly either.
Kardashian claimed in October 2025 that the family hadn't heard from West for 'a couple months' but they all reportedly reunited for Christmas
'You know the best thing about being an artist and bipolar? Anything you do and say is an art piece,' he said in his 2025 documentary In Whose Name?
His mental health issues impacted his marriage with first wife Kim Kardashian, whom he shares daughters North, 12 Chicago, seven, and sons Saint, nine, and Psalm, six, with.
West's outburst on X prompted Kardashian to release a statement regarding his diagnosis in 2020.
'As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand,' she wrote in the beginning of her statement.
During an October 2025 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Kardashian claimed that they had not heard from West for 'a couple months', however TMZ reported he reunited with the family a few months later over Christmas.
'Whenever he'll call for them and ask. It's probably been a couple months since we've heard from him,' Kardashian said on the show.
Kanye West's apology for his antisemitic rants in full
'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,' West says in his apology, which appeared as an advertisement in the print edition of the Wall Street Journal on January 26. 'At the time, the focus was on the visible damage - the fracture, the swelling, the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed.
'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 ten to fifteen 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, and unstoppable.
'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. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to love 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 lead to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body experience. I regret and 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 antisemite. I love Jewish people.
'To the black community - which held me down through all of the highs and lows and 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.
'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.
'Having bipolar disorder is not a state of constant mental illness. When you go through the 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 real 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.'
Kanye West's Controversies
GAP
Kanye West has formally notified Gap that he is terminating their partnership.
The artist's lawyers sent a letter to the company on Thursday, September 15 to notify them of the termination, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The letter alleged that Gap breached their agreement by not releasing apparel as planned, or opening stores.
The contract with Gap, signed in June 2020, is good for for another eight years.
Drama: Kanye West has formally notified Gap that he is terminating their partnership
The Wall Street Journal viewed the letter.
The Yeezy Gap merchandise already available in stores will remain there and still be available for purchase, per the letter.
It also said that the company was required to sell 40% of the Yeezy Gap merch in stores during the latter part of 2021.
Only one item from the collection went on sale last fall, and it was only available online and not in a store.
No Yeezy Gap store has opened yet; the company was required to open five retail shops by July 31, 2023.
The Yeezy Gap by Balenciaga merch debuted in stores in July with more coming this fall.
Merchandise made in collaboration with Balenciaga for Gap will not be affected.
Three months after he signed the deal, Kanye threatened to withhold his line unless he got a board seat.
In August, Kanye criticized Gap and spoke to its executives directly: 'You have to really give me the position to be Ye and let me do what I'm thinking, or I have to do the thinking somewhere else.'
That same month, Kanye came under fire after he made the decision to display his new Yeezy line in garbage bags at GAP stores after critics complained that he was mocking homeless people.
The rapper told FOX News’ Eric Shawn at the time that he was just trying to challenge conventional traditions in the way we dress and make clothing that's more egalitarian and not pretentious.
'I'm an innovator and I'm not here to sit up and apologize for my ideas,' Kanye said.
Kanye West 's Yeezy Gap collaboration engineered by Balenciaga was released earlier this year
He also pointed out that the bags are not 'garbage' bags but actually construction bags and the reason for the bags is so people can informally reach in and grab what they want to buy - adding that the goal is to make life easier and informal so we can all, basically, dress in the dark.
Twitter users expressed confusion over his bizarre vision after photos were posted of his clothing stuffed in large black bags, rather than on hangers or neatly folded in piles.
The father-of-four sparked controversy for saying on his Instagram account that inspiration behind his fashion label, Yeezy, was 'the homeless.'
In January, a Yeezy GAP spokesperson told The Post: 'Ye has a deep and solution-oriented commitment to addressing issues surrounding homelessness.'
In November 2021, Kanye met with charitable organizations and came up with strategies in an attempt to ease the rampant problem in the city, according to TMZ.
Kanye West has been roasted on social media after fans complained that his new Yeezy line for GAP has been displayed in trash bags, at the rapper's own request
ADIDAS
Earlier this month, Kanye accused Adidas of seizing creative control over the Yeezy brand and stealing his design ideas to produce shoes similar to his Boost trainers.
He also claimed that the shoe company ripped off his design for slides.
'No one should be held in that position where people can steal from them and say we're just paying you to shut up,' he told Bloomberg. 'That destroys innovation. That destroys creativity. That's what destroyed Nikola Tesla.'
He's hammered Adidas executives with a series of mocking Instagram posts until, he claims, his lawyers stepped in and asked him to stop.
In some of the posts, he superimposed Adidas executive Daniel Cherry's head on another person's body and created mocking videos of the corporate leader.
Earlier this month, Kanye also posted and deleted a fake New York Times newspaper that falsely claimed Adidas CEO Kasper Rørsted had 'died' at 60.
The rapper wrote the caption: 'I'm not here to be liked I'd you don't like it leave' [sic], he said.
Yikes: Earlier this month, Kanye also posted and deleted a fake New York Times newspaper that falsely claimed Adidas CEO Kasper Rørsted had 'died' at 60
Weeks prior, Kanye posted another fake NY Times newspaper front page announcing the 'death' of Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian's relationship - after they had split.
He later reposted it and put a new caption: 'God loves Us;' it is still up on his Instagram page.
Soon after, Kanye posted a snap of Daniel Cherry, who is the SVP/General Manager of Adidas.
Earlier this month - after nearly a decade of collaborating together, Kanye fired a shot at Adidas for 'blatant copying' of his Yeezy slides.
West fired a direct shot at Kasper, stating, 'To Kasper I’m not standing for this blatant copying no more.'
'To all sneaker culture To every ball player rapper or even if you work at the store This is for everyone who wants to express themselves but feel they can’t cause they’ll loose their contract or be called crazy,' he continued.
Adidas first unveiled their new Adilette slides earlier this month, which will retail at $55, and the 45-year-old rapper is none too happy about it.
Earlier this month: West fired a direct shot at Kasper, stating, 'To Kasper I’m not standing for this blatant copying no more;' Kasper seen March 14, 2018
'These shoes represent the disrespect that people in power have to the talent. This shoe is a fake Yeezy made by adidas themselves I’m not talking to DC about this either Kasper come talk to me. Happy Monday,' West concluded.
West and Adidas' apparel and shoe deal was first announced in December 2013, with the first collection dropping in February 2015.
That line included his first shoe dubbed Yeezy Boosts, which were limited to just 9,000 pairs available only in New York City... which sold out in 10 minutes.
Adidas first unveiled their new Adilette slides earlier this month, which will retail at $55, and the 45-year-old rapper is none too happy about it.
West took to Instagram, blasting the shoe company and CEO Kasper Rorstad for the slides, which he dubbed, 'fake Yeezys.'
Fake Yeezys: Earlier this month, Kanye took to Instagram, blasting the shoe company and CEO Kasper Rorstad for the slides, which he dubbed, 'fake Yeezys'
Real Yeezys: The real Yeezys slides Kanye West sold through his deal with Adidas
JP MORGAN
Ye also went after JPMorgan Chase, where he holds much of his money after switching from a small Wyoming bank, for not backing him in his war against the popular clothing brands.
'I've went to JP Morgan but of course they won't give me no deal flow cause Jin(g) Ulrich is on the board of both Adidas and JP Morgan. What shoe company will give me control. I need to be the head of the board and chief decision maker,' he posted.
Jing Ulrich is the Chase vice chair of investment banking.
Ye also tried to get banking titan Jamie Dimon on the phone, but was ghosted by the financier.
'I feel like there's a lot of controlling and handling to suppress my ability to affect the American economy and industry,' the rapper said of Chase.
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