Controversial rapper Ye—formerly known as Kanye West—met this week with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto in Manhattan, where he publicly expressed remorse for his past antisemitic tirades, according to a statement released Thursday by the rabbi’s office.
West, who in recent years made headlines for a series of inflammatory statements about Jews, including declarations of admiration for Adolf Hitler and remarks suggesting Jews are untrustworthy, told Pinto during their meeting that he wanted to take responsibility for his actions.
Kanye West meets Rabbi Pinto in New York
"I feel really blessed to be able to sit here with you today and just take accountability," West said. "I was dealing with bipolar [disorder] also. So it would take the ideas I had and have me taking them to the extreme, where I would forget about the protection of the people around me and myself. So I wanted to come and take accountability."
In a video shared by Pinto, West added, "Sometimes people aren't that knowledgeable about the bipolar and what causes it, and the way you act when you have this disease. It’s like if you left the house and left your kid at the house and your kid went and messed up the kitchen, and messed up the garage and messed up the living room. And when you get back, it’s your responsibility because that's your child. And that's the way I look at it—it's like I got to go clean up the kitchen, I got to clean up the living room, I got to clea up the garage."
He described the meeting as a "big deal" and a first step toward rebuilding trust. "This is the beginning—and the first steps, and the first brick by brick to build back the strong walls," West said, thanking Pinto for receiving him with open arms.
Pinto responded by emphasizing Judaism’s commitment to repentance and redemption. "The Jews live on this way [that] if someone did something wrong, you can regret and fix it," Pinto told West. "God willing, from now on, strong things and good things and only good. You are a very good man." The two concluded the meeting with an embrace.
Rabbi Pinto, a prominent figure among celebrities in Israel and abroad, has previously been known for his connections with Israeli public figures and business elites. His students and followers have included TV personalities, athletes and entrepreneurs. In recent years, Pinto has built ties with American cultural figures as well.
According to his office, West initiated the meeting as part of an effort to deliver a message of remorse to the Israeli public in the wake of his past comments, which drew global condemnation. In February 2025, West tweeted: “I’m a Nazi, I love Hitler,” and followed with posts asserting he would “never trust Jews,” “never work with Jews” and that he had no intention of apologizing.
Pinto himself was convicted of bribery in Israel and served time in prison. In his statement, he said: “A person is not defined by his mistakes, but by the path he chooses to correct them. That is the true strength of a person—the ability to return, to learn and to build bridges of love and peace.”
During past visits to New York, including during the pandemic, Pinto met with a number of American public figures, including businessman and media personality John Catsimatidis, owner of the radio station TalkRadio 77 WABC and the Gristedes supermarket chain.