Kanye West Issues Public Denial of Nazi Allegations and Apologises to Black Community
In a striking public statement, the rapper and fashion designer Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has vehemently denied accusations that he is a Nazi or holds antisemitic views. The 48-year-old artist placed a full-page advertisement in the prominent US publication The Wall Street Journal to address the controversy directly, while also issuing a heartfelt apology to the Black community for what he described as letting them down.
Attributing Behaviour to Bipolar Disorder and Undiagnosed Brain Injury
The Atlanta-born star made the extraordinary claim that a serious car accident twenty-five years ago, which resulted in a broken jaw and an injury to the right frontal lobe of his brain, ultimately led to his diagnosis of bipolar type-1 disorder. Ye stated that the possibility of a brain injury was "never raised" and not "properly diagnosed" until 2023, describing this as a critical medical oversight that caused significant damage to his mental health.
"In that fractured state of my bipolar diagnosis, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the Swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it," Ye wrote in the advert. "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 behaviour that often feels like an out-of-body experience."
A Detailed Apology and Explanation of Manic Episodes
Ye expressed deep regret for his actions during what he described as a four-month-long manic episode in early 2025, characterised by psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behaviour that he said destroyed his life. He explained that bipolar disorder comes with its own defence system of denial, where during manic phases, individuals feel they are seeing the world more clearly rather than recognising their illness.
"I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change," he stated. "It does not excuse what I did, though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people."
Addressing the Black community specifically, Ye wrote: "To the black community—which held me down through all of the highs and lows and the 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."
Current Treatment and Future Intentions
The musician revealed that he was urged to seek help "a few months ago" by his wife, Australian model Bianca Censori, after the condition left him in a "state of constant mental illness." He is now following an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living, which has provided him with newfound clarity.
"My words as a leader in my community have real global impact and influence. In my mania, I lost complete sight of that," Ye acknowledged. "As I find my new baseline and new centre... I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world."
He concluded by stating he is not asking for sympathy or a free pass, but aspires to earn forgiveness, simply requesting patience and understanding as he finds his way back.
Context of Previous Controversies
This public statement follows numerous controversies involving the artist. In May last year, Ye released a single titled Heil Hitler, and he faced significant criticism from organisations including the Campaign Against Antisemitism for posting tweets of an antisemitic nature and describing slavery as "a choice" on social media platform X in February 2025.
Major brand Adidas severed its lucrative partnership with Ye in 2022 following his controversial statements, donating more than 150 million dollars to anti-hate groups. The rapper, who has achieved three UK number one singles and three UK number one albums with hits like Black Skinhead, Gold Digger, and Stronger, has faced ongoing scrutiny for various statements relating to Adolf Hitler, Jews, and Zionism.
