Ye, formerly Kanye West, took out a one-page ad in this morning's print edition of Wall Street Journal to issue a formal apology for his recent string of offensive behavior, including his recent obsession with Nazi iconography and antisemitism. Addressed to "Those I've Hurt," his letter explains his public outbursts as a consequence of his ongoing struggles with Bipolar-1 disorder.

To Ye, all his problems began in 2002, when he suffered a car accident that shattered his jaw and injured the frontal lobe of his brain. (The 2004 Grammy-nominated hit "Through The Wire" documents that moment, including recordings from the time he had his mouth wired shut.) He claims that doctors helping him only focused on external damage, ignoring the swelling under his skull. "Comprehensive scans were not done, neurological exams were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised," he wrote. He claimed he did not receive a proper diagnosis until 2023, but by then, it had caused "serious damage to my mental health" and led to his Bipolar-1 diagnosis.

Bipolar disorder, per the National Institute of Mental Health, is a mood disorder that causes "swings" between periods of mania (irritability, elation, impulsive behaviors) and depression (hopelessness, lethargy, melancholy). Type 1 Bipolar Disorder, or Bipolar-1, can cause severe, longer-lasting manic episodes.

West was officially diagnosed with Bipolar-1 Disorder in 2016 after being hospitalized during the Life of Pablo tour. (That year also brought us iconic controversial stunts like declaring Bill Crosby was innocent, the chaotic roll-out of his record, and, of course, calling Taylor Swift up after making her famous.) Since then, he has repeatedly denied his diagnosis and ignored treatment, occasionally blaming his behavior on either sleep deprivation or, more recently, autism.

"Bipolar disorder comes with its own defense system. Denial," Ye wrote in his letter. He continues,

"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."

Later on, he explained that he "lost touch with reality." He continued:

"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 have someone who was, at times, unrecognizable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self."

The second half of this letter addresses his open embrace of antisemitism more directly. What began in 2022 as a declaration of love for Hitler and Holocaust denial on the right-wing conspiracy podcast Infowars, his spiral into offensive behavior led to declaring himself a Nazi and selling merchandise with swastikas on them. He also released the track "Heil Hitler", which became the anthem for sex offenders, incels, and mega far-right losers alike.

"I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it," he said in his letter. He claims that the mania caused by his Bipolar-1 disorder — which he allegedly stopped treating last February, per The Download — made him forget a lot of the things he did and said, but he regrets them anyway. "I...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."

He claims he hit rock bottom after experiencing a manic period that lasted about four months in early 2025, where he struggled with intense flares of impulsive behavior, paranoia, psychosis, and self-destruction.

He ends his note on a semi-positive note, affirming that he is seeking proper medication, psychological help, and community support. (Well, okay, starting this section off with "I have found comfort in Reddit forums of all places," might raise some flags.) "I...realized I was not alone," he writes. "It's not just me who ruins their life once a year despite taking meds every day..." He then takes a jab at his doctors who, earlier last year, gave him his autism diagnosis.

Promising that he's on a new, better regimen of medication, dieting, exercise, and therapy, Ye says, "I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world."

He ends:

"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."

See the full letter below: