Kanye West Documentary In Whose Name? Debuts in Theaters
Earlier this month, a new documentary on Kanye West, directed by Nico Ballesteros, premiered in 1,000 theaters across the United States. Titled In Whose Name?, the film was shot over six years, offering an inside look at the rapper’s life. Despite minimal promotion, the documentary earned $776,000 in its opening weekend, according to Rolling Stone.
The film covers some of West’s most controversial moments. It highlights his antisemitism scandal, family disputes, and provocative public statements. At one point, he defends wearing a “White Lives Matter” t-shirt, calling it a joke and claiming he decided to “race change” as part of the stunt. He said, “The ‘White Lives Matter’ was so past the fact that it wouldn’t even be funny anymore. And I was wrong. It’s really funny, like really funny. It’s a joke, it’s a joke guys. Everybody knows white lives don’t really matter. It was a joke, like what the fck? Matter of fact, you know what? I decided that I am white. How about that? I’m going to race change. If that t-shirt don’t have ‘White Lives Matter’ on it, then I quit because I’ll make whatever the fck I want and I’m not screaming at you, but period.”
The documentary also captures tense personal moments. Kanye yells at his former mother-in-law Kris Jenner over his hospitalization, saying, “I would rather be dead, not in jail. I would rather be dead than to be on medication.” When Jenner tells him the opinions of internet trolls don’t matter, he shouts, “It does matter.”
Other scenes include confrontations with Saturday Night Live’s Michael Che in 2018 and arguments with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. The film provides an unfiltered view of Kanye’s life, showing his public controversies alongside private struggles.
In Whose Name? gives fans and critics a closer look at the rapper’s mindset during some of his most turbulent years, capturing both the chaos and creativity that have defined his career.
