Kanye West Apologizes In Wall Street Journal Ad For Antisemitic Remarks

Key Takeaways:

• Ye issued a rare public apology in a full-page Wall Street Journal advertisement, calling his past antisemitic remarks “reckless.”
• He attributed his past behavior to a brain injury and a bipolar type-1 diagnosis following a 2023 evaluation.
• In the ad, Ye addressed the Black community directly, expressing regret and a desire to rebuild trust.

Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, published a full-page apology in The Wall Street Journal on Monday (Jan. 26) after years of antisemitic comments and public backlash.

In the advertisement, titled “To Those I’ve Hurt,” Ye wrote, “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.” He added, “I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment and meaningful change.” He also addressed Black fans: “The Black community is, unquestionably, the foundation of who I am. I am so sorry to have let you down. I love us.”

Ye linked his conduct to what he described as “medical oversight” from a car accident 25 years ago. In the letter, he said the crash caused “injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain” that went undiagnosed until 2023, after which he said he received a bipolar type-1 diagnosis.

He wrote that he “lost touch with reality,” adding that “in that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it.” Ye said he went through a “four-month long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior” in early 2025 and later hit “rock bottom.” He credited his wife, Bianca Censori, with pushing him to get help, and said he found a “new baseline and new center” through “an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise and clean living.” Notably, the ad ran as he reportedly prepares to roll out a reworked version of BULLY on Friday (Jan. 30).

The apology follows earlier attempts to backtrack, including a late-2023 apology, followed by renewed antisemitic statements online. In early 2023, the Anti-Defamation League said it documented at least 30 antisemitic incidents that directly referenced Ye. The fallout around his public statements also led major brands and partners to cut ties, including Adidas.

Ye ended by asking for time. “I’m not asking for sympathy, or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness,” he wrote. “I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home.”