‘I Lost Touch With Reality’ - Kanye West Issues Public Apology Over Anti-Semitism

On January 26, 2026, the artist legally known as Ye (formerly Kanye West) published a stark, full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal titled "To Those I've Hurt," issuing a comprehensive apology for years of antisemitic rhetoric and erratic behaviour.

In the open letter, Ye explicitly denied being a Nazi or an antisemite, declaring, "I love Jewish people". The 48-year-old rapper expressed deep mortification for his past actions, specifically citing his use of the swastika and the sale of merchandise bearing the symbol, describing them as products of a "fractured state" where he gravitated toward "the most destructive symbol I could find". 

The full statement in Ye’s Wall Street Journal advert, reads:

“25 years ago, I was in a car accident that broke my jaw and caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain. At the time, the focus was on the visible damage – the fracture, the swelling, and the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed.

“Comprehensive scans were not done, neurological exams were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised. It wasn’t properly diagnosed until 2023. That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis.

“Bipolar disorder comes with its own defence system. Denial. When you’re manic, you don’t think you’re sick. You think everyone else is overreacting. You feel like you’re seeing the world more clearly than ever, when in reality you’re losing your grip entirely.

“Once people label you as ‘crazy’, you feel as if you cannot contribute anything meaningful to the world. It’s easy for people to joke and laugh it off when in fact this is a very serious debilitating disease you can die from. According to the World Health Organisation and Cambridge University, people with bipolar disorder have a life expectancy that is shortened by 10 to 15 years on average, and a two-to-three-times higher all-cause mortality rate than the general population. This is on par with severe heart disease, type-1 diabetes, HIV, and cancer – all lethal and fatal if left untreated.

“The scariest thing about this disorder is how persuasive it is when it tells you: You don’t need help. It makes you blind, but convinced you have insight. You feel powerful, certain, and unstoppable.

“I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to love someone who was, at times, unrecognisable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self.

“In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it. 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. I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did, though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.

Ye also addressed the Black community, apologizing for letting down the foundation of his identity. 

“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.

“In early 2025, I fell into a four-month long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life. As the situation became increasingly unsustainable, there were times I didn’t want to be here anymore. Having bipolar disorder is not a state of constant mental illness. When you go into the manic episode, you are ill at that point.

“When you are not in an episode, you are completely ‘normal’. And that’s when the wreckage from the illness hits the hardest. Hitting rock bottom a few months ago, my wife encouraged me to finally get help.

“I have found comfort in Reddit forums of all places. Different people speak of being in manic or depressive episodes of a similar nature. I read their stories and realised that I was not alone. It’s not just me who ruins their entire life once a year despite taking meds every day and being told by the so-called best doctors in the world that I am not bipolar, but merely experiencing ‘symptoms of autism’.

“My words as a leader in my community have real global impact and influence. In my mania, I lost complete sight of that. As I find my new baseline and new centre through an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise and clean living, I have newfound, much-needed clarity. I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world.

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

While the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) acknowledged the apology as "long overdue," they cautioned that it does not automatically undo the damage caused by his history of hate speech. 

Ye’s statement addresses his past antisemitic remarks and actions, attributing much of his behaviour to an undiagnosed brain injury from a 2002 car accident and his bipolar type-1 disorder. This comes after a series of controversies that severely impacted his career, including being dropped by his agents in February 2025 following social media posts praising Adolf Hitler and declaring himself a Nazi. His online shop on Shopify was also shut down after he sold merchandise featuring swastikas.

Ye's apology highlights the profound effects of untreated mental health issues, detailing how they led to regrettable actions. Prior scandals include wearing a "White Lives Matter" T-shirt at a 2022 fashion show and collaborating with Marilyn Manson during the promotion of his album Donda. He first publicly disclosed his bipolar disorder in 2018 on his album Ye, but the new statement reveals the long-overlooked frontal lobe injury. Despite maintaining a lower profile recently, the 24-time Grammy winner has continued releasing music, with singles expected on his upcoming album Bully. However, further controversy arose in May 2025 with the release of the song "Heil Hitler," which resulted in his travel rights to Australia being revoked.

In late 2025, Adidas officially concluded its "Yeezy sunset" phase. After the catastrophic split in October 2022, the brand was left with over $1.3 billion in unsold inventory. The last remaining stocks of Yeezy Boost 350s and Slides were sold off in August 2025, with a significant portion of profits (roughly $150 million) donated to anti-hate groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

In late 2024, the long-standing "secret arbitration" and multi-million dollar legal battle between Ye and Adidas officially reached a settlement. According to a statement from Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden in October 2024, both parties reached an amicable out-of-court agreement to end all legal proceedings.  The settlement was finalized without any money changing hands. Gulden stated, "No one owes anybody anything anymore. So whatever was is history". 

All pending claims from both sides, including the dispute over the $75 million in marketing funds and Ye's previous public claims that he was being sued for $250 million, were withdrawn as part of the deal.

Immediately following his public apology today, Ye will take centre stage in Mexico City with a high-stakes weekend of live music and the launch of his next solo era.

Ye will perform back-to-back shows at the Monumental Plaza de Toros México on Friday, January 30, and Saturday, January 31, 2026. The first concert on January 30 doubles as the official release event for his 11th studio album, Bully.