Rapper Kanye West issues 'apology to Jews' on Instagram in Hebrew

Kanye West, who obtained the title "Antisemite of the Year" in 2022 by StopAntisemitism, went on an antisemitic rant in Las Vegas earlier in December.

 Kanye West performs at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.  (photo credit: MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS)
Kanye West performs at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
(photo credit: MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS)

Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, posted a photo with Hebrew text on Instagram late Monday following the Christmas holiday.

The post, which was written entirely in Hebrew on a white background, issued an apparent apology to Jews for "unplanned outbursts caused by [my] words or actions."

The post read: "I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for my unplanned outburst caused by my words or actions, it was not my intention to hurt or disrespect, 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 post read. 

This post comes at the tail end of the holiday season, and poses an essential question: did Kanye West, or Ye, use Christmas to reflect on the last year?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ye (@kanyewest)

Ye's active antisemitism caused a stir, losing partnerships and opportunities

Kanye West, who obtained the title "Antisemite of the Year" in 2022 by StopAntisemitism, went on an antisemitic rant in Las Vegas on December 15, according to numerous media reports and footage taken of the incident.

West also complained of the struggles of co-parenting with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, and about former President Donald Trump and West's former business partners in the 10-minute-long rant. 

At one point in the video, West screamed “It’s 60 million of us in America, 60 million Jews in the world.” 

It is unclear what his remark is in reference to, since as of 2021, the US population was five and a half times that at 331.9 million people, according to the World Bank. Similarly, the Jewish Agency for Israel claimed in 2023 that there are only 15.3 million Jewish people in the world, which is also a far cry from the 60 million claimed by West, but in the opposite direction.

Danielle Greyman-Kennard contributed to this report.