Kanye West Apologizes, in Hebrew, to Jewish Community

Move comes after repeated antisemitic comments
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 26, 2023 8:35 AM CST
Kanye West Apologizes, in Hebrew, to Jewish Community
Kanye West, known as Ye, in a 2022 file photo.   (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

After all kinds of antisemitic remarks over the last year or so, Kanye West appears to be trying to make amends in unusual fashion. He posted an apology Monday evening on Instagram written entirely in Hebrew, reports Page Six. The translation:

  • "I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions. It was not my intention to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused. I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity."

West, who now goes by Ye, did not elaborate on any specific statements, such as when he professed admiration of Hitler or threatened to go "death con 3" (sic) on Jewish people. The Campaign Against Antisemitism even anointed him Antisemite of the Year in 2022, notes the Jerusalem Post, and he lost a massive contract with Adidas. Nor did he reference a video that surfaced of him earlier this month on a 10-minute self-described "Farrakhan Don" tear about "Zionist schools" and much, much more, as reported by Rolling Stone.

The 46-year-old rapper, who is bipolar and says his mental health struggles sometimes affect his behavior, has a new album coming out next month. On the title track for Vultures, he raps that he's not antisemitic, though he supports that claim with an NSFW line about having sex with a Jewish woman, notes Business Insider. He also raps that he has no Jewish managers because "I only let 'em do my jewelry," per Page Six. (More Kanye West stories.)

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