American rapper Kanye West apologized officially for his anti-Semitic remarks in a full-page advertisement in The Wall Street Journal and, for the first time, detailed his battles with bipolar disorder and brain injury.
In the paid advertisement titled To Those I Hurt that ran in the WSJ on the 26th (local time), Kanye West said, "I have been disconnected from reality for years," and "because of that I said and did things I deeply regret." The advertisement was reported to have been paid for by his brand Yeezy.
He said he suffered a fractured jaw and frontal lobe damage in a 2002 car accident but was not properly diagnosed at the time, and that this "medical oversight" ultimately led to bipolar I disorder. West said, "When I'm manic I don't even realize I'm sick. I fool myself into thinking I see the world more clearly," and "at that time I became obsessed with the most destructive symbol, the Nazi emblem (swastika)."
He added, "I am not a Nazi, I am not anti-Semitic. I love Jewish people," bowing his head and saying he is "deeply ashamed and remorseful" about past remarks. He also publicly apologized to the Black community, saying, "I'm sorry for disappointing the community that protected me."
West said he experienced an intense manic episode for about four months last year and "even had thoughts of giving up on life," and that he decided to seek treatment at the urging of his wife, Bianca Censori. He said he is currently combining medication, therapy, exercise and a disciplined lifestyle and is "finding a new balance."
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a U.S. civil rights organization that aims to combat anti-Semitism, said, "The apology is late but meaningful," while also saying, "A true apology is to not repeat anti-Semitic behavior going forward."
Meanwhile, West parted ways with major brands such as Adidas and Balenciaga over past anti-Semitic remarks and praise of Nazism, and opinions remain divided over whether this apology can restore lost trust.<
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