Kanye West Apologizes for Antisemitic Remarks and Blames Bipolar Disorder in WSJ Ad: ‘I Lost Touch with Reality’
- News Blend 360
- Jan 26
- 3 min read
After years of unpredictable behavior and strongly antisemitic comments, Kanye West has issued an apology.
The rapper and entrepreneur, now 48, published an apologetic open letter titled “To Those I’ve Hurt” as a full-page ad (sponsored by his Yeezy brand) in the Monday, Jan. 26 edition of The Wall Street Journal. He attributed his erratic behavior and antisemitic remarks to bipolar disorder.
West started the letter by recalling the well-known 2002 car accident that “broke my jaw and caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain,” noting that the internal neurological damage “went unnoticed” until 2023. “That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis,” he explained.
He shared his experiences with bipolar disorder, describing how it led him into a manic state that he couldn't comprehend. "You think everyone else is overreacting," he explained. "You feel like you're seeing the world more clearly than ever, but in reality, you're completely losing your grip."
In recent years, West has made numerous antisemitic comments targeting the Jewish community. In 2022, sportswear company Adidas ended its partnership with Yeezy after West threatened to go "death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE."
In 2025, West faced a lawsuit from a former Yeezy employee, who claimed he compared himself to Hitler, threatened her due to her Jewish identity, and fired her a day after she reported his conduct to her supervisor. West was ordered by the court to pay over $76,000 for the employee's legal fees in September, although the case is still pending.
Also in 2025, West defended Sean "Diddy" Combs (currently in prison after being convicted on two prostitution-related charges in July) and made antisemitic comments in a slur-filled rant praising Adolf Hitler on X. As a result, he was dropped by his talent agent, Daniel McCartney of 33&West.
In a letter published in The Wall Street Journal, West discussed being labeled “crazy” and feeling as though he couldn't “contribute anything meaningful to the world,” as people “joke and laugh” about the condition. He referenced research from the World Health Organization and Cambridge University indicating that individuals with bipolar disorder have a shorter life expectancy than the general population, highlighting its seriousness.
He stated that the disorder led him to believe seeking help was unnecessary, thinking he was “powerful” and “unstoppable.”
“I lost touch with reality,” wrote West, who shares four children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian: North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm.
“Things worsened the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret,” he continued. “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 explained his “fractured state” led him to gravitate “toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika.” He wrote about previously selling merchandise featuring the offensive symbol, citing “poor judgment and reckless behavior” and saying he “cannot recall” many of those moments due to his bipolar disorder.
West wrote in his WSJ open letter, “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 an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”
He turned his focus to the Black community, “which held me down through all of the highs and lows and the darkest of times.” Emphasizing that the community is “the foundation of who I am,” West apologized for letting them down. “I love us,” he said.
West recounted a four-month period in 2025 when he experienced a “long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behavior that destroyed my life,” noting that he felt suicidal at times. He explained that bipolar disorder affects him in episodes and mentioned that his wife Bianca Censori encouraged him to seek help after “hitting rock bottom.”
The “Through the Wire” artist mentioned he “found comfort” in Reddit forums, where he learned about others’ experiences with bipolar disorder, making him feel less isolated.
West wrote, “My words as a leader in my community have a global impact and influence. During my mania, I completely lost sight of that,” adding that he is now adhering to “an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living” and experiences a sense of “much-needed clarity.”
He continued, “I am channeling my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world.”
West’s letter concluded, “I’m not asking for sympathy or a free pass, though I hope to earn your forgiveness. I write today simply to request your patience and understanding as I find my way home.”
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