The rapper reflects on a traumatic brain injury, bipolar disorder and a "four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour,” while apologizing to Jewish and Black communities.
Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) is addressing his unprovoked racist comments and battle with bipolar disorder in a new full-page Wall Street Journal ad.
In the Jan. 26 edition of the newspaper, the rapper issued a detailed apology for his “psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour,” which included dishing out antisemitic comments and “letting down” the Black community.
The letter, titled “To Those I’ve Hurt,” sees Ye crediting some of his erratic behaviour to a 2002 car crash that broke his jaw and injured the right frontal lobe of his brain. It would take over two decades for the “deeper injury,” he claims, to be discovered and properly diagnosed.
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“That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis,” the Chicago native writes.
“Bipolar disorder comes with its own defense system. Denial. When you're manic, you don't think you're sick,” he shares. “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.”
Ye detailed data from the World Health Organization and Cambridge University, which found that on average, people with bipolar disorder have a shortened life expectancy by 10-15 years and a higher all-cause mortality rate, compared to the general public. Ye's initial bipolar disorder came in 2016, but didn’t become public knowledge until 2018’s Ye.
“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,” Ye explained. Due to the disorder’s overpowering nature, he claims that ignoring his bipolar disorder caused major repercussions.
“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.”
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In late 2022, Ye first faced massive backlash after doing an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, during which he praised Adolf Hitler. He later doubled down on the comments and sold t-shirts featuring the swastika and recorded a track named "Heil Hitler." Later that year, Ye wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt at Paris Fashion Week. In 2023, he issued an apology to the Jewish community.
Still, his reputation remained tarnished. Amidst his period of turbulent comments, brands including Adidas, Balenciaga and Gap decided to sever ties with the rapper, while his Australian visa was cancelled over the antisemitic comments last July. A few months later, he met with Rabbi Yoshiayao Yosef Pinto and apologized for his hateful remarks.
Ye'sletter details a “four-month-long manic episode” that majorly affected his life. “As the situation became increasingly unsustainable, there were times I didn't want to be here anymore,” he shares. After hitting rock bottom, West says, his wife, Bianca Censori, encouraged him to seek help.
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The WSJ letter contains another apology y to the Jewish community for his hurtful behaviour and comments: “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people,” he says. Additionally, he shared a seemingly heartfelt sentiment to the Black community, which he says is “unquestionably” the foundation of who he is. “I am so sorry to have let you down. I love us.”
After seeking solace in Reddit forums, Ye found that his bipolar illness was a misdiagnosis for “symptoms of autism,” something he says he was professionally diagnosed with last year.
“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.”
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He continues: “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.”
