Rapper Ye apologizes for antisemitic comments and attributes them to bipolar disorder

New York.- The American rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, publicly apologized this Monday in an advertising page in the Wall Street Journal titled "To those I have hurt", in which he asked for forgiveness for his antisemitic comments and attributed them to his bipolar disorder.

In his letter published on a full page of the print edition of the Wall Street Journal, West, who legally changed his name to Ye in 2021, attributed his antisemitic comments to bipolar disorder type 1, which he links to a brain injury suffered in a car accident twenty-five years ago.

"In that fractured state, I leaned towards the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts with it. I regret it and nothing excuses what I did. I am not a Nazi nor an antisemite, I love Jews," the artist expressed.

Ye wrote that he fell into a "four-month manic episode of psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behavior" in early 2025, which "destroyed" his life and, "as the situation became unsustainable, there were moments when he didn't want to be here," he recounted. The artist added that his wife, Bianca Censori, encouraged him to "finally seek help" and that he has found "a new starting point and a new balance thanks to an effective regimen of medication, therapy, exercise and healthy living." In previous instances, Ye had publicly stated that he did not have bipolar disorder, but rather had been diagnosed with autism. In recent years, Ye has caused controversy with antisemitic and racist statements; for example, in a series of posts on X last year he said he was a Nazi and praised Adolf Hitler.

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The controversial American singer today labeled it as "reckless behavior" and apologized: "I don't ask for sympathy, I hope to earn forgiveness." Precisely that type of comments plunged him into an almost permanent reputational crisis and led to the sports brand Adidas breaking a contract in 2022 to market its Yeezy brand products. In his letter, Ye also apologized today to the black community, to whom he thanks for their support in the "good and bad times, and darker times", and whom he says he has "disappointed".