Los Angeles: The man formerly known as Kanye West has taken some time to formally apologize for his behavior in recent years.
Taking an unconventional route, West took a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal addressing his controversies. According to Variety, he also revealed he was diagnosed with a brain injury and said it affected his mental health.
“Twenty-five years ago, I was in a car accident in which my jaw was broken and the right frontal lobe of my brain was injured. At the time, the focus was on the visible damage – the fractures, swelling, and immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the injury to the inside of my skull, went unnoticed. Extensive scans were not done, neurological examinations were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised. It was not properly diagnosed until 2023. The medical monitoring seriously damaged my mental health and led to my diagnosis of bipolar type 1,” he said, as quoted by Variety.
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The rapper further explained how he “lost touch with reality” and “ignored the problem.”
He said, “Some of the people I love most treated me the worst. You endured the fear, confusion, humiliation, and exhaustion of trying to get over someone who was sometimes unrecognizable. Looking back, I felt separated from my true self.”
In the statement, he also opened up about his controversial moments, including selling T-shirts bearing a swastika, writing, “In that fractured state, I was drawn to the most destructive symbol, the swastika, and even sold T-shirts with it on it. One of the difficult aspects of being bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments – many of which I still don’t remember – that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior that at times feels like an out-of-body experience.”
Expressing deep regret and accountability for his actions, Ye shared, “I am sorry and deeply hurt by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, healing, and meaningful change. However, I do not condone what I did. I am not a Nazi or anti-Semite. I love the Jewish people.”
The 48-year-old wrote about a phase in 2025 when he experienced a “four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior”, describing how his wife Bianca Sensori encouraged him to get help.
Before concluding, West sought forgiveness and understanding from his fans and followers, saying, “As I have found my new baseline and new center through effective regimens of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living, I have found new, much-needed clarity. I am channeling my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world.”
Over the years, Kanye ‘Ye’ West has repeatedly generated controversy through his anti-Semitic comments, social media controversies, public conduct and more.