Kanye West issued a public apology for years of anti-Semitic remarks and controversial behavior in a full-page advertisement published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday, January 26, 2026.

The rapper, now known as Ye, addressed his letter "To Those I've Hurt" and attributed his offensive actions to bipolar disorder and an undiagnosed brain injury from a 2002 car crash that fractured his jaw. West stated that the frontal lobe injury went unnoticed until 2023, when he was properly diagnosed.

"I lost touch with reality," West wrote in the 750-word apology paid for by his Yeezy brand. "I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst," according to Perez Hilton.

West acknowledged that during his mental health struggles, he "gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts bearing it." The swastika merchandise was controversially advertised during a 2025 Super Bowl commercial, drawing widespread condemnation from Jewish organizations.​

"I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change," West stated. "It does not excuse what I did, though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people."

The 48-year-old artist revealed he experienced a four-month manic episode of "psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behavior" in early 2025 that "destroyed my life." West said he hit "rock bottom a few months ago" and credited his wife, Bianca Censori, with encouraging him to finally seek help, the Rolling Stone reported.

West also apologized directly to the Black community, stating, "The Black community is, unquestionably, the foundation of who I am. I am so sorry to have let you down. I love us."

The apology comes as West prepares to release his new album "Bully" on January 30, 2026. West shares four children—North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm—with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, with whom he finalized his divorce in 2022.

"I'm not asking for sympathy, or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness," West concluded. "I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home."

This marks not West's first apology for anti-Semitic comments, as he previously issued a Hebrew-language apology on Instagram in 2023. However, he later backtracked and released controversial content, including a song titled "Heil Hitle,r" in May 2025, as per the Boston Globe.

Tags
Kanye West, Rapper, Comments, Album