Overview
- In a New York Times Popcast interview, Yung Lean said he distanced himself after concluding Ye is mentally ill and citing Ye’s public statements about Jewish people, which he said he cannot defend.
- He added that he has not seen Ye "for a long time" because being around him felt like "too much."
- Lean described a positive solo dinner with Ye about three years ago, then sensing a darker shift the next time they met as the tweets began.
- He said he chose not to collaborate to safeguard his wellbeing, noting his bipolar diagnosis, treatment with lithium, and past manic and psychotic episodes.
- He rejected claims that psychiatric medication dulls creativity, arguing artists can remain highly productive while receiving treatment.