Kanye West has dismissed claims that his recent public apology was a calculated move to revive his music career ahead of his forthcoming album, Bully.
The rapper made headlines on Monday after publishing a full-page apology in The Wall Street Journal, addressing his past antisemitic and racist remarks. Shortly after its release, critics on social media suggested the apology was strategically timed to align with the rollout of his upcoming project.
However, speaking in a new interview with Vanity Fair, Kanye rejected the suggestion, insisting his career remains commercially strong.
“It’s my understanding that I was in the top 10 most listened-to artists overall in the U.S. on Spotify in 2025, and last week and most days as well,” he said. “My upcoming album, Bully, is currently one of the most anticipated pre-saves of any album on Spotify too.”
He also noted that his 2007 album Graduation was the most streamed hip-hop album of 2025.
According to Kanye, the apology was driven by personal reflection rather than commercial motives.
“This, for me, isn’t about reviving my commerciality,” he said. “These remorseful feelings were so heavy on my heart and weighing on my spirit.”
The rapper went on to apologise directly to those affected by his remarks, particularly Jewish and Black communities.
“I owe a huge apology once again for everything that I said that hurt the Jewish and Black communities in particular,” he stated. “All of it went too far. I look at the wreckage of my episode and realise that this isn’t who I am.”
In his earlier apology, Kanye attributed some of his behaviour to a car accident 25 years ago, which he claimed caused frontal lobe damage, as well as struggles with bipolar disorder diagnosed in 2016. His antisemitic controversies have persisted since 2022, reaching a peak last year when he sold merchandise featuring a swastika.
Despite the backlash, Kanye West maintains that his decision to apologise was rooted in accountability rather than career strategy.
