Is a redemption arc in the near future for Kanye West?
The controversial artist made headlines recently for taking out a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal, apologizing for his antisemitic comments and reflecting on how his bipolar disorder has affected his life.
His longtime manager, John Monopoly, recently offered some insight into the status of Ye’s mental health. Monopoly told People that the Donda rapper is “in a great place and taking accountability for the things he says and does.”
“For the first time in a while, he is really approaching his mental health head-on and making a valiant effort to deal with it. He really cares and he’s trying to do better. I have bipolar and have been dealing with it for 31 years, so I understand how difficult it is,” Monopoly explained.
“The sanity is a thin line—being on the right side of sanity or not. I’m so happy and Ye’s so happy and proud he’s trying to do better and stay better for himself and everyone around him,” the manager added. “I’ve known him since I was 16 years old. We started working together on beats and production and I’ve managed him since 1992. He’s an incredible person who wants to stay on the right path.”
After issuing his apology in such a dramatic way, Ye pushed back against the narrative that the letter was a PR move. In an email conversation with Vanity Fair, the 48-year-old denied that he apologized to improve his public image ahead of his upcoming album, Bully.
“It’s my understanding that I was in the top 10 most listened-to artists overall in the US on Spotify in 2025, and last week and most days as well,” Ye said. “My upcoming album, Bully, is currently one of the most anticipated pre-saves of any album on Spotify, too. My 2007 album, Graduation, was also the most listened-to and streamed hip-hop album of 2025. This, for me, as evidenced by the letter, isn’t about reviving my commerciality.”
He said he felt compelled to apologize out of regret.
“These remorseful feelings were so heavy on my heart and weighing on my spirit,” he continued. “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. 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.”