Kanye West has recently shared insights into his past mental health diagnosis, crediting his wife, Bianca Censori, for helping him realize he has a neurodevelopmental condition rather than bipolar disorder.
West, legally known as ‘Ye’ since 2021, initially received a bipolar disorder diagnosis in 2016 during his marriage to Kim Kardashian, who is now 44.
In his 2021 song ‘Yikes’, West described his mental health condition as a ‘superpower’. Additionally, in the 2022 documentary series Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, he disclosed that the medication he was taking to manage his symptoms led to weight gain.
However, in a recent interview, West claimed his initial diagnosis was incorrect.
During an episode of Justin Laboy’s The Download, the musician explained that the bipolar label was something imposed on him.
“They call it specifically bipolar, they put that on me they I said it so I put it on the album….I went to this doctor, one that works with Justin Bieber, one that work with I’m not even going to name other names and stuff,” he began.
“My wife [Bianca Censori] took me to do that because she said: ‘Something about your personality doesn’t feel like it’s bipolar. I’ve seen bipolar before’.
“She’s educated – so she says: ‘I’ve seen bipolar before’, and I’ve come to find it’s really a case of autism that I have.”
West related his experience of autism to the portrayal in the 1988 film Rain Man, featuring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.
The Oscar-winning movie tells the story of Charlie Babbitt, a car dealer played by Cruise, who learns about his autistic-savant brother (Hoffman) after his estranged father passes away.
“I’ve come to find out it’s really a case of autism that I have and autism takes you to a Rain Man thing where you’re like ‘Oh man I’m going wear this [Donald] Trump hat because I like Trump in general and then when people tell you to not do it you just get on that one point,” West explained.
“That’s my problem when fans tell me to do my album a certain way, I’ll do it the opposite way just because.”
The artist acknowledged that his behavior might be challenging for friends and expressed the importance of maintaining control over his financial affairs.
When questioned about medication, West stated: “I haven’t been taking the medication since I found out it wasn’t bipolar, that wasn’t the right diagnosis.”
He now focuses on managing his autism through methods that do not hinder his ‘creativity’.
West and Censori, who tied the knot in December 2022, have been in the spotlight for attending the 67th Annual Grammy Awards red carpet in Los Angeles.
Censori sparked attention with her choice of attire, wearing a sheer dress beneath a long fur coat without underwear.
While some have criticized the Australian model’s bold fashion choice, a source close to Ye described the moment as intended ‘art’.
“People have called this a stunt but to Ye this is his art,” an insider explained.
“He turned up, made headlines around the world and left. No one told him what to do and even if they had, he wouldn’t have listened.
“Ye always planned to do the red carpet and leave – he’d never sit through the Grammys because it’s so dull and boring.”