After addressing his mental health crisis, Kanye West gave a rare interview where he again apologized for his problematic behavior — but there were certain questions he refused to answer.
West, 48, agreed to an email interview with Vanity Fair where he spoke about his bipolar diagnosis and past antisemitic comments, saying, “When you’re manic, you really don’t think that you’re sick. You think that everyone else is deeply overreacting. You feel like you’re seeing the world so much more clearly on things, when in reality you’re losing your grip entirely.”
The outlet, however, noted in a press release that West declined to answer some of the questions that were sent to him. That included inquiries about where his antisemitic sentiments originated from and why he made them. Vanity Fair also asked about West’s thoughts on far-right influencer Nick Fuentes and controversial personality Andrew Tate dancing to West’s banned track “Heil Hitler” at a Miami nightclub earlier this month.
While the musician declined to answer those questions, he did address speculation that his public apology was an attempt to revive his career.
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“It’s my understanding that I was in the top 10 most listened-to artists overall in the U.S. on Spotify in 2025, and last week and most days as well. My upcoming album, Bully, is currently one of the most anticipated pre-saves of any album on Spotify too,” West stated. “My 2007 album, Graduation, was also the most listened to and streamed hip-hop album of 2025. This, for me, as evidenced by the latter, isn’t about reviving my commerciality. This is because these remorseful feelings were so heavy on my heart and weighing on my spirit.”
West addressed the marginalized communities affected by his past comments, adding, “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 wreckage of my episode and realize that this isn’t who I am.”
He continued: “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.”
After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016, West found himself facing highs and lows, which led to him experiencing a crisis.
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“Toward the end of my four-month-long manic episode [last year], my medication was changed. In that shift, the antipsychotic drug took me into a really deep depressive episode,” he recalled. “My wife [Bianca Censori] recognized that, and we sought out what’s been effective and stabilizing course correction in my regime from a rehab facility in Switzerland.”
West referred to his bipolar diagnosis as a “disease” that is “one of the most lethal nonterminal illnesses.” He also reflected on how his problematic statements affected relationships with those closest to him. (West shares kids North, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, 8, and Psalm, 6, with ex-wife Kim Kardashian.)
“Every day that I wake up, it’s a checklist of everything that I said — at least what I can recall — while in a bipolar episode,” he noted. “All of the family bonds, deep relationships and lifelong friendships that I worked so hard to build over so many years were all tarnished by all of the horrible statements that I made so impulsively.”
West’s new album Bully is set to be released on Friday, January 30.
