The rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has issued an apology in Hebrew to the Jewish community for his past anti-Semitic remarks, saying he sought forgiveness and regretted any pain that his words had caused.
Ye's apology, posted to X and other social media, follows reports that the release of his new album, titled Vultures, has been delayed until January. The release has been pushed back several times from its original date in October.
The artist sparked outrage last year with his anti-Semitic social media posts, including one that appeared to accuse musician Sean "Diddy" Combs of being controlled by "the Jewish people" and another that appeared to show a swastika symbol inside a Star of David.
The Anti-Defamation League advocacy group, which documents anti-Semitism, had described the musician's remarks as inflammatory and conspiratorial. It said he was directly referenced in 59 anti-Semitic incidents tracked by the group during 2022.
'Your forgiveness is important to me'
"I sincerely apologise to the Jewish community for any unplanned outburst. … It was not my intent to hurt or disrespect, and I very much regret any pain I may have caused," the musician wrote on Instagram in Hebrew.
After Ye went on a string of anti-Semitic rants in interviews and on social media, he lost his partnership with Adidas and Gap for Yeezy products. His remarks also led to restrictions on his social media accounts at the time.
"I am committed to begin with myself and to learn from this experience in order to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future," Ye wrote.
"Your forgiveness is important to me," he wrote, adding that he was committed to making amends and advancing unity.
The rapper's comments on social justice issues have also sparked controversy, including in 2022 when he used a racial slur against comedian Trevor Noah. The same year he wore a shirt with "White Lives Matter" on it at Paris Fashion Week.
Reuters