Kanye West’s In Whose Name? Trailer Promises an Intimate Portrait of Fame, Family and Mental Health

Kanye West’s In Whose Name? Trailer Promises an Intimate Portrait of Fame, Family and Mental Health

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A new trailer for Kanye West’s documentary In Whose Name? arrived on Aug. 13, offering a personal glimpse into the artist’s life and his relationship with Kim Kardashian as he navigates public and private struggles.

The roughly one-minute clip opens with West pacing around a circle of Yeezy sneakers, a nod to a Forbes cover shoot from 2019. A voiceover captures him saying, “I’m off my meds for five months now.” The trailer then shows Kardashian in tears as West closes a door labeled with her name. Additional scenes include West and his daughter North riding in a vehicle, followed by intense exchanges with Kardashian where she says, “We can talk about that later, but,” and West interrupts, “It ain’t no but!”

Directed by Nico Ballesteros, the documentary is built from six years of footage and is slated to reach about 1,000 theater screens when it premieres on Sept. 19. The film, producers say, aims to present an intimate portrait of West amid the complexities of fame, family and mental health.

While West has a controversial history, including antisemitic remarks that led to him parting ways with his talent agency earlier this year, the trailer does not directly address those incidents. It does, however, feature material from his 2020 presidential campaign, including a scene from a South Carolina rally in which he claimed he and Kardashian nearly aborted North, who is now 11. West is shown asserting in the trailer, “I’d rather be dead than to be on medication. Either they destroy me or I destroy it,” and stating, “They’re killing our ability to think outside of the box.” The trailer closes with West declaring, “You know the best thing about being an artist and bipolar? Anything you do and say is an art piece.”

West has publicly discussed living with bipolar disorder, including remarks tied to his 2018 album Ye. Medical experts note that bipolar disorder involves significant mood swings, and public conversations around mental health have continued to evolve in light of his disclosures. Kardashian has previously spoken about West’s health, and they filed for divorce in early 2021. In a February 2025 update, West said he had been diagnosed with autism and that his prior bipolar diagnosis had been incorrect, according to CNN.

If you or someone you know needs mental health support, text “STRENGTH” to 741-741 to reach a crisis counselor through Crisis Text Line.

Commentary and takeaway:
– The documentary appears to offer an intimate, long-form look at a highly public figure during a turbulent period of his life, which could fuel ongoing conversations about mental health, fame and accountability in the spotlight.
– The film’s focus on personal relationships and private moments may provide a different lens than public controversies, potentially helping audiences understand the pressures and complexities that accompany high-profile celebrity life.
– As with any project tied to a polarizing public figure, viewers may take away contrasting interpretations about responsibility, creativity and well-being.

Summary:
A new trailer for Kanye West’s In Whose Name? previews a six-year, in-depth look at his life, including intimate moments with Kim Kardashian and his family, while touching on themes of mental health and the pressures of fame. The documentary, directed by Nico Ballesteros, opens in roughly 1,000 theaters on Sept. 19.

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