US rapper Ye, formerly known as <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2023/07/30/elon-musks-x-formerly-twitter-reinstates-and-verifies-kanye-wests-account/" target="_blank">Kanye West</a>, on Tuesday apologised to the Jewish community for <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2022/11/29/kanye-west-storms-out-of-tim-pool-interview-after-being-confronted-on-anti-semitism/" target="_blank">anti-Semitic remarks</a> he made last year. In a message written in Hebrew and posted on Instagram, Ye apologised “for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions”. “It was not my intention to offend or disrespect and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused,” he wrote. The rapper lost numerous sponsorship and partnership deals after a series of anti-Semitic outbursts in 2022. He was also temporarily suspended from his social media accounts. Among his 2022 social media posts was one that showed a swastika and a star of David, a Jewish symbol. In an interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones that same year, Ye proclaimed his admiration for Adolf Hitler. And in an unaired interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, the rapper spoke on several conspiracy theories that involved anti-Semitic tropes and suggested “fake children” had been planted outside his house. Adidas, Gap and Balenciega were among the companies that parted ways with him. In his post on Tuesday, Ye said he was “committed to begin with myself and to learn from this experience in order to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding of the future”. The Anti-Defamation League said Ye's apology “may be the first step on a long journey towards making amends to the Jewish community”. “Ultimately, actions will speak louder than words but this initial act of contrition is welcome,” the organisation said.
