Ye, the recording artist and entrepreneur formerly known globally as Kanye West, has issued a detailed public apology for a series of antisemitic remarks and behavior that elicited widespread condemnation over the past several years.
In a full-page open letter titled "To Those I've Hurt," published in The Wall Street Journal on January 26, Ye took responsibility for his past actions, acknowledging the hurt they caused and expressing deep remorse. The statement comes as he prepares to release his upcoming album Bully later this week.
In the letter, Ye attributed much of his past conduct to ongoing mental health struggles, including bipolar type-1 disorder and the long-undiagnosed effects of a traumatic brain injury from a 2002 car accident. He wrote that periods of untreated manic episodes contributed to reckless behavior, poor judgment, and harmful public statements, though he emphasized that these explanations do not excuse his past conduct.
"I lost touch with reality," Ye wrote, expressing that he was "deeply mortified" by his actions and their impact on others. He stated that he is committed to accountability, ongoing treatment, and meaningful personal growth.
Ye explicitly denied being antisemitic or aligned with hateful ideologies, writing that he "loves Jewish people" and is not a Nazi, a direct response to previous controversies involving symbolic imagery and remarks that damaged his reputation and led to lost business partnerships and public trust.
In addition to apologizing to Jewish communities, Ye also acknowledged the pain his words and actions caused within the Black community, expressing deep regret for having "let [them] down."
In follow-up remarks, Ye denied that the apology was a strategic publicity move tied to his new album, insisting instead that it was rooted in genuine remorse and a commitment to rebuilding trust. He described his ongoing treatment, which includes medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, and support from loved ones, as part of his path forward.
While some advocacy groups stress that apologies must be followed by sustained actions to combat antisemitism, Ye's statement marks one of the most comprehensive acknowledgements of his past controversies to date.
