By Trendsetter Tribune 
After years of controversy, public outbursts, and deeply offensive remarks, Kanye West is attempting a reckoning.
In a surprising move, the 48-year-old rapper and fashion entrepreneur published a full-page open letter titled “To Those I’ve Hurt” in the Jan. 26 edition of The Wall Street Journal, paid for by his Yeezy brand. In the letter, West apologized for his behavior and attributed his erratic actions — including repeated antisemitic rants — to untreated bipolar type-1 disorder.
West traced the origins of his struggles back to his 2002 car accident, which he says caused damage to his right frontal lobe that went undiagnosed for years. According to the letter, that oversight contributed to severe mental health decline that wasn’t properly identified until 2023.
Describing his manic episodes, West wrote that bipolar disorder distorted his sense of reality. “You think everyone else is overreacting,” he said, explaining how mania can feel like clarity and power while actually eroding judgment and self-control.
The apology comes after years of escalating fallout. In 2022, Adidas cut ties with Yeezy following West’s threat to go “death con 3 on Jewish people.” In 2025, a former Yeezy employee sued him, alleging harassment, antisemitic threats, and comparisons to Adolf Hitler. Though the case remains paused, West was ordered to pay more than $76,000 in legal fees.
That same year, West defended imprisoned music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, posted slur-filled praise of Hitler on X, and was dropped by his talent agency. His reputation, once dominant across music and fashion, collapsed almost entirely.
In the letter, West reflected on being labeled “crazy” and feeling stripped of his ability to contribute meaningfully to the world. He cited research showing people with bipolar disorder face shorter life expectancies, stressing that the illness is often misunderstood and mocked.
“I lost touch with reality,” West admitted, acknowledging the harm caused to those closest to him, including friends, collaborators, and family. He expressed regret for the fear and humiliation endured by loved ones trying to support someone they barely recognized.
Whether the apology marks real accountability or another chapter in West’s turbulent public life remains uncertain. But for the first time in years, the artist appears to be confronting — rather than denying — the damage left behind.