Ye Publishes Apology for Antisemitic Remarks in Wall Street Journal Ad

Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, published a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal on January 26, 2026, titled "To Those I've Hurt," offering an apology for his antisemitic remarks and actions over recent years.

In the roughly 750-word statement, Ye described experiencing a "four-month manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behavior" in early 2025 that "destroyed my life." He wrote, “I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret.”

Ye linked his behavior to a bipolar type-1 diagnosis stemming from a 2002 car accident that caused a frontal-lobe injury, stating that during manic episodes, he "gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika." He added, “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, unrecognizable.”

The rapper denied being "a Nazi or an antisemite," writing, "I love Jewish people." He committed to "accountability, treatment, and meaningful change," citing a routine of medication, therapy, exercise, and "clean living."

Ye's antisemitic rhetoric began prominently in late 2022 with social media posts praising Adolf Hitler and declaring himself a Nazi. This escalated in 2025 with the sale of swastika-bearing T-shirts and the release of a single titled “Heil Hitler.”

He also faced a lawsuit from a former Jewish employee alleging Ye called himself a “Nazi” and compared himself to Hitler. Recently, Ye posted deleted antisemitic tweets, called for the release of Sean “Diddy” Combs amid his sex trafficking case, and declared “dominion” over his wife, Bianca Censori.

Ye extended apologies to the Black community, stating, “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.”

He credited Censori and Reddit users for encouraging help after hitting "rock bottom," and mentioned a recent autism diagnosis superseding his bipolar label, though he emphasized accountability over excuses. Ye seeks "forgiveness and patience as I find my way home" while focusing on positive art.

This follows a meeting months ago with a New York City rabbi for an apology. The Anti-Defamation League has previously stated that a true apology would involve Ye not engaging further in such rhetoric.

While the event centers on antisemitism, Ye's history intersects with broader social issues, including mental health stigma affecting Black and LGBTQ+ communities, where person-first language emphasizes support for individuals with bipolar disorder or autism. No direct LGBTQ+ community responses to this specific ad were documented in initial coverage, though organizations like GLAAD have historically addressed celebrity antisemitism's ripple effects on marginalized groups. Ye's apology arrives amid ongoing public scrutiny of his platform on X, owned by Elon Musk, where he recently thanked Musk for access.

The advertisement represents Ye's most formal public reckoning to date, tested against his pattern of prior apologies followed by renewed controversies.