‘I am not a Nazi’: Kanye West regrets antisemitic rants, blames bipolar disorder
In an open letter, the American rapper said he was ‘deeply mortified’ by his past behaviour
Rapper Kanye West on Monday denied being a Nazi and expressed regret over his antisemitic rants, blaming such behaviour – which included recording a song that celebrates Hitler – on his bipolar disorder.
The disgraced 48-year-old music star, who has lost fans and business deals in recent years because of his racist or antisemitic outbursts, released his song “Heil Hitler” last May to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
The song has been banned on major music streaming platforms but is easy to find on the internet. Among other punishments, it cost West his visa to travel to Australia.
West, who changed his name to Ye and struggled with bipolar disorder for years, said in an open letter published on Monday in The Wall Street Journal that when bipolar people are in a manic phase they do not feel 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,” said West, whose achievements include winning 24 Grammy awards.
In his letter titled “To Those I’ve Hurt”, he said he sometimes has “disconnected moments” that lead to poor judgment and reckless behaviour, describing such instances as feeling like an out-of-body experience.