On Saturday evening (September 27), Nico Ballesteros, the director behind the new Kanye West documentary In Whose Name, announced a new version of the film on X. He did so in a lengthy all-caps post indicating that they had to make cuts he didn't agree with to ensure the film's theatrical release.
“THE TRUTH IS COMING,” he wrote. ”THE CUT FOR STREAMING WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING. WE HAD TO TROJAN HORSE CULTURE WITH THE THEATRICAL RELEASE. TRUST THE PROCESS. I APPRECIATE THE PROCESS AND AM IN SERVICE TO IT.”
The new documentary released in select theaters around the United States on September 19. It came after Ballesteros asked West for the opportunity to create the documentary on social media. He was just 18 at the time.
He documented six years of West's life, capturing deeply personal moments and providing context to stories fans heard years ago. One of those stories includes the fallout from his controversial SNL appearance, in which Michael Che pressed West over his infamous pro-Trump diatribe at the end of the episode. Additional viral moments include a spat between West and Kris Jenner following West's hospitalization and a clip where he explains why Pusha T's verse didn't make the final version of "Off The Grid."
Kanye West In Whose Name
The documentary has received a lot of praise so far. Critics and fans alike appreciate just how much footage they got and its overall honesty. It also performed shockingly well at the box office. The film grossed $776,000 in its opening weekend without any real promo and while only being available at around 1,000 total theaters in the country. Kanye West himself has not offered any comments on the film, as he has not posted a new tweet since its release day. However, he could deliver his thoughts at any time, as we know from over a decade's worth of social media antics.
