Socialites, come get a load of this: after all that hooting and hollering and disrespecting two entire communities, Kanye West is now making a formal apology… and this time, it looks like he really means it.
In a full-page ad published in The Wall Street Journal, the controversial artist issued a lengthy, deeply personal statement attempting to explain the behavior that nearly ended his career. In the message, Kanye blamed a long-undiagnosed brain injury and ongoing mental health struggles for what he described as “poor judgment and reckless behavior” over the last several years.
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According to Kanye, a car accident from 25 years ago caused damage to the right frontal lobe of his brain, an injury he says went undiagnosed until 2023. He explained that while doctors focused on his broken jaw and visible trauma at the time, no comprehensive neurological exams were done to assess internal damage. That oversight, he claims, played a major role in the deterioration of his mental health and ultimately led to his bipolar type-1 diagnosis.
In the letter, Kanye detailed how bipolar disorder manifests, particularly during manic episodes, describing denial, distorted reality, and an inflated sense of certainty that makes someone believe they don’t need help. He also addressed the stigma surrounding mental illness, writing that once people label you as “crazy,” they assume you no longer have anything meaningful to contribute. He cited data from the World Health Organization and Cambridge University showing that people with bipolar disorder have significantly shortened life expectancy and higher mortality rates.
Kanye didn’t shy away from addressing the most disturbing chapter of his recent past. He openly acknowledged embracing Nazi symbolism, including selling T-shirts featuring swastikas, calling those actions “deeply mortifying.” He attributed those decisions to what he described as dissociative moments during manic episodes, some of which he says he cannot fully recall. Still, he made it clear that mental illness does not excuse his behavior.
“I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people,” he wrote, taking direct responsibility while expressing regret and committing to treatment and accountability moving forward.
He also issued a direct apology to the Black community, acknowledging the role it has played in supporting him throughout his career. Kanye admitted that his actions caused disappointment and pain, saying he felt especially ashamed for letting down the very community that helped shape his identity and success. He revealed that in early 2025, he experienced a four-month manic episode marked by paranoia, psychosis, and impulsive behavior, which he says ultimately “destroyed” his life and left him at times not wanting to be alive.
A Quick Recap of the Comments That Nearly Got Him Canceled
Kanye’s apology comes after years of escalating controversy that pushed him to the brink of complete cancellation. His downward spiral accelerated after repeated antisemitic remarks in interviews and on social media, where he praised Adolf Hitler, denied the Holocaust, and promoted conspiracy theories targeting Jewish people. Those comments led to widespread condemnation, severed business relationships, and the loss of lucrative partnerships, including major fashion and brand deals.
At the same time, Kanye also alienated many within the Black community after making inflammatory statements about slavery being “a choice,” aligning himself publicly with far-right political figures, and minimizing the lived experiences of Black Americans. Each incident compounded the backlash, turning him from a provocative artist into a cultural pariah almost overnight.
While some fans walked away completely, others pointed to his long-documented mental health struggles as context, though not justification, for his behavior. Still, the damage was done, and Kanye found himself largely isolated from the industry he once dominated.
Now, with this public apology, Kanye appears to be attempting a reset, one rooted in accountability, medical treatment, and reflection. Whether the public is ready to accept it is another story entirely.