Kanye West on Upcoming Doc ‘In Whose Name?’: ‘It Was Like Being Dead & Looking Back on My Life’
Ye (formally knows as Kanye West) has another documentary in the works, but this time it’ll be directed by a newcomer with “a billion-dollar budget” and “armed with an iPhone” instead of a couple old friends from Chicago.
Directed by 18-year-old Nico Ballesteros, and produced by Goodfellas and Utopia, the doc will be introduced at the upcoming American Film Market in Las Vegas with a promo reel this week with a hopeful release date some time in 2025.
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Via press release, the synopsis reads as follows: “With a billion-dollar budget and a commitment to truth, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, invites 18-year-old Nicolas Ballesteros armed with an iPhone on a six-year journey revealing unfiltered aspects of celebrity life which confront the provocative opinions, grand visions and bold contrarianism that defined him as the world’s most controversial artist.
“The film follows Ye’s ascent to becoming the richest Black man in American history while uncovering why the superstar risked everything he had built in the name of freedom. Examining the culture that birthed the star, ‘In Whose Name?’ explores the overlapping influences of corporate exploitation, racial complexities and psychological struggles inherent in the American dream.”
Marie Zeniter, VP of Sales at Utopia had this to say in a statement: “We’re thrilled to present In Whose Name? This powerful documentary offers an unfiltered view without narration, it invites audiences to draw their own conclusions on themes of fame, religion, and power. We believe audiences globally deserve the chance to witness how one of the world’s most influential figures navigates the complexities and contradictions of celebrity.”
Ballesteros posted a picture from the doc and a text exchange with Ye on Instagram, along with the caption, Coming to Theaters Worldwide 2025.” In the text exchange, Ye apparently told the young filmmaker, “The doc was very deep. It was like being dead and looking back on my life,” to which Ballesteros answered, “This is the most profound text message I have ever received. I love you brother.”
Aside from the doc, Ye is also working on his 11th studio album entitled Bully.
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