Videos by According2HipHop
Kanye “Ye” West is at the center of a bold new documentary, In Whose Name?, that promises an unflinching look at some of the most turbulent years of his life. Directed, produced, and edited by Nico Ballesteros, the film is described by producer Simran A. Singh as “a raw and often unsettling portrait, without commentary or conclusion.”
For six years, West gave the then-18-year-old filmmaker from Orange County unrestricted access to his life—documenting over 3,000 hours of footage that capture mental health struggles, a bipolar diagnosis, the breakdown of his marriage to Kim Kardashian, the collapse of major endorsement deals, and a wave of public controversies over antisemitic statements, conspiracy theories, and personal attacks on fellow artists.
The teaser opens with West declaring, “I’m off my meds for five months now,” and later saying, “I would rather be dead than be on medication.” In a tearful voiceover, Kardashian tells him, “Your personality was not like this a few years ago!” The film also shows moments from the couple’s family life, Yeezy brand design meetings, Sunday Service gatherings, and concert performances—at one point featuring West in a “White Lives Matter” sweatshirt.
Ballesteros, who began filming his own life at age 8, said the camera became “both a shield and a window” for him, and he believes West—who has also long kept cameras around him—understood that instinct. “I was able to fade into the background, stay present, the camera always rolling, catching moments outside the public performance,” he explained.
According to the official synopsis, the project evolved from silent observation into “a profound journey of artistic and personal growth,” chronicling West’s extremes—brilliance and breakdowns, triumphs and turmoil—alongside the paranoia and intensity that increasingly shaped his world. Singh emphasized that the lack of narration allows viewers to draw their own conclusions: “Nico was living alongside Ye, camera in hand, not fully knowing what he was capturing or where it would lead, and that’s exactly what makes the footage so powerful.”
In Whose Name? will be released by AMSI Entertainment in partnership with AMC, Regal, and Cinemark on September 19. Singh’s producing credits also include the upcoming Netflix release Selena y Los Dinos, Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World, and Selena: The Series.
