Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, has taken out a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal to apologize for his past antisemitic behavior and to clarify his stance. In the letter, titled "To Those I've Hurt," Ye addresses his bipolar-1 disorder, which he believes developed as a result of a frontal-lobe injury sustained in a car crash in 2002. He explains that the disorder caused him to "lose touch with reality," leading him to gravitate towards the "most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika."
Ye acknowledges that despite his previous apology to the Jewish community in 2023, he started selling swastika T-shirts in February 2025, which led to the commerce platform Shopify taking down his webstore. He also released a song called "Heil Hitler," which sampled a speech by Hitler and praised the Nazi leader, causing it to be banned in Germany. Ye also engaged in Holocaust denial, stating that one of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 is the "disconnected moments" that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior.
Ye writes candidly about his mental health experiences, highlighting the mortality rate associated with his condition. He apologizes to the Black community for his past comments and actions, including suggesting that slavery was "a choice" and appropriating the Confederate flag. He also expresses his gratitude for finding solace in Reddit forums, where he read the experiences of others with manic and depressive episodes.
Ye concludes by stating that he is not asking for sympathy or a free pass, but rather for patience and understanding as he works to find his way home. He emphasizes the impact of his words as a leader in his community and expresses his commitment to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change.
