The US Anti-Defamation League has acknowledged the full page advert taken out by Kanye West in the Wall Street Journal yesterday in which the rapper apologised for his antisemitic behaviour in recent years. In the ad, West blames his past conduct on his bipolar disorder and says he “regrets” and is “deeply mortified by my actions”.
The ADL, which campaigns against antisemitism and has repeatedly criticised West, says the rapper’s “apology to the Jewish people is long overdue and doesn’t automatically undo his long history of antisemitism”.
Presumably aware there have been previous albeit less substantial apologies from West that were then followed by new antisemitic statements and content, the ADL adds “the truest apology would be for him to not engage in antisemitic behaviour in the future”.
West published his lengthy statement in the WSJ ahead of the release on Friday of his latest album ‘Bully’. The rapper has struggled to find new business partners in the music industry ever since he started making increasingly controversial and antisemitic statements in 2022.
In the WSJ advert, West discusses the impact of living with bipolar disorder, something he says began after a car accident 25 years ago caused a brain injury.
As he struggled with his mental health, West says, he “lost touch with reality” and “things got worse the longer I ignored the problem - I said and did things I deeply regret”. That includes the antisemetic statements and subsequent use of Nazi symbolism in his creative output.
In that “fractured state”, he goes on, “I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it”. Reflecting on that conduct, he adds, “I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions, and am committed to accountability, treatment and meaningful change”.
That “does not excuse what I did though”, West then admits, but - he says - “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite - I love Jewish people”.
His advert continues, “As I find my new baseline and new centre through an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise and clean living, I have newfound, much-needed clarity. I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design and other new ideas to help the world”.
“I’m not asking for sympathy or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness”, he concludes. “I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home”.
The ADL’s full statement summarises some of West’s conduct in recent years, including “the antisemitic ‘Heil Hitler’ song he created, the hundreds of tweets, the swastikas and myriad Holocaust references - and all of the feelings of hurt and betrayal it caused”. Hoping that, following this apology, the rapper will refrain from any future antisemitic behaviour, it concludes, “We wish him well on the road to recovery”.
Within the music community, Disturbed frontman David Draiman, who proactively campaigns against antisemitism, has also acknowledged West’s advert, writing, “thank you for this”, before adding, “unfortunately, it doesn’t undo the damage done, I’m not sure anything ever could”.
However, he says there were still some things the rapper could do to move things in the right direction, suggesting West do everything he can to delete ‘Heil Hitler’ from his catalogue, while also “participating in black/Jewish unity events”, even adding “I’ll go with you”.