Ye, the rapper and fashion mogul formerly known as Kanye West, has publicly apologized for his past antisemitic remarks during a sit-down meeting with prominent Kabbalist Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto in Manhattan. The conversation, captured on video, marks Ye’s most direct acknowledgment yet of the harm caused by his years-long pattern of inflammatory statements.
“I feel really blessed to be able to sit here with you today and just take accountability,” Ye told Rabbi Pinto. He admitted to struggling with bipolar disorder, explaining that his mental health issues had led him to embrace “extreme ideas” and lose sight of himself. “Sometimes people aren’t that knowledgeable about bipolar… what causes it or how it affects people,” he said.
Ye compared the damage caused by his words to a child messing up the garage, saying he now feels the responsibility to clean up the mess. “For me as a man to come and take accountability for all the things I’ve said,” he told the rabbi, “I really just appreciate you embracing me with open arms and allowing me to make amends.”
The meeting appears to be part of Ye’s effort to rebuild his public image after facing widespread backlash, loss of sponsorships, and financial consequences due to his past antisemitic outbursts. He described the meeting as his “first step” in strengthening his mental health and repairing the damage.
Rabbi Pinto responded with compassion, noting that Judaism provides a framework for those seeking to make amends. He expressed hope for Ye’s healing and referred to him as a “very good man” who now has the opportunity to grow from past mistakes.
The two ended their meeting with a brief embrace, symbolizing a gesture of forgiveness and the possibility of redemption. Ye’s apology marks a rare moment of public contrition in a career often defined by controversy.
