Kanye West has been enshrouded in a fair bit of controversy in recent years, largely thanks to his sporadic hateful tirades. Now, however, it looks like he's ready to put that past behind him. Earlier this week, the Chicago performer took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal to apologize to those he's hurt and open up about his battle with mental illness. According to him, manic episodes linked to bipolar disorder are to blame for his hate speech, and he's been getting professional help.
"The scariest thing about this disorder is how persuasive it is when it tells you: You don’t need help," he explained. "It makes you blind, but convinced you have insight. You feel powerful, certain, unstoppable."
"I lost touch with reality," Ye 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."
Kanye West Apology
While the apology left many excited about Ye's next chapter, others have their doubts. Some even think the apology was just a PR move tied to the rollout of his upcoming album, BULLY. During a recent interview with Vanity Fair, he set the record straight, insisting that the apology came straight from his heart.
"This, for me, as evidenced by the letter, isn’t about reviving my commerciality," he confirmed. "This is because these remorseful feelings were so heavy on my heart and weighing on my spirit. I owe a huge apology once again for everything that I said that hurt the Jewish and Black communities in particular. All of it went too far."
"I look at the wreckage of my episode and realize that this isn’t who I am," he added. "As a public figure, so many people follow and listen to my every word. It’s important that they realize and understand what side of history that I want to stand on. And that is one of love and positivity."
