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Kanye West Apologizes To The Jewish Community: "It Was Not My Intention To Hurt Or Demean"
Kanye West issued an apology for his past antisemitic comments today (Dec. 26). Writing in Hebrew on Instagram, the musician expressed his remorse to the Jewish community.
His post read, “I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community… It was not my intention to hurt or demean [anyone], 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.”
The statement quickly gained traction, amassing over 1 million likes in just seven hours, with many followers also inquiring about his upcoming LP.
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West’s apology came after a series of controversies in 2022, including antisemitic remarks and actions that led to severed ties with major brands. In October of that year, he tweeted, “I’m going [DEFCON 3] on Jewish people… You guys have toyed with me and tried to blackball anyone [who] opposes your agenda.”
As a result, Adidas ended its partnership with the Yeezy designer, with the footwear label describing his remarks as “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous.” In September, the company’s chief executive Bjørn Gulden explained, “I don’t think he meant what he said, and I don’t think he’s a bad person. It just came across that way.”
Last Friday (Dec. 22), West’s upcoming joint album with Ty Dolla Sign was confirmed to have gotten a new release date. Vultures is now slated to come out on Jan. 12, 2024. The project reportedly will feature Offset, Freddie Gibbs, Kodak Black, Chris Brown, Playboi Carti and more.
On the lead single and title track, “Vultures,” West addressed last year’s backlash with the lyric, “How I’m antisemitic? I just f**ked a Jewish b**ch.” Lil Durk and Bump J also make guest appearances on the cut.