Ye Denies Nazism, Seeks Forgiveness After Mental Health Breakdown

Kanye West has denied being a Nazi and issued a public apology for his antisemitic remarks, blaming a severe mental health crisis linked to an undiagnosed brain injury.

The rapper, now known as Ye, took out a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal titled “To Those I’ve Hurt”, saying he was not seeking sympathy or “a free pass,” but hoped to earn forgiveness through accountability and change. He also apologised to the Black community, saying he had let it down.

West said his behaviour stemmed from bipolar type-1 disorder, which he links to a brain injury sustained in a car crash 25 years ago. He claims the injury was not properly diagnosed until 2023, calling it a medical oversight that seriously affected his mental health. He was formally diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016.

According to West, he experienced a four-month manic episode in early 2025 marked by psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour. “I lost touch with reality,” he wrote. “I said and did things I deeply regret.”

The controversy follows years of backlash, including remarks such as “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi,” the sale of swastika-branded merchandise on his Yeezy platform, and the release of a song titled Heil Hitler. His actions led to Adidas severing ties in 2022, the removal of Yeezy’s online store, and Australia cancelling his visa in 2024.

West acknowledged hitting “rock bottom” and credited his wife, Bianca Censori, with encouraging him to seek help. He said he is now focused on treatment and channeling his energy into “positive, meaningful art.”

“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change,” he wrote, adding that some episodes feel like an “out-of-body experience.”

The letter ends with a request for patience and understanding: “With love, Ye.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism responded cautiously, saying apologies are meaningless without sustained change. The group said time would tell whether West was genuinely turning a corner, adding that real progress could begin with him explaining to his vast online following why antisemitism is harmful.