Kanye West has never shied away from saying what he thinks.
His directness, which can be seen as equal parts genius and provocative, has made him a cultural icon, but it’s also fuelled one of the most controversial downfalls in entertainment history.
From antisemitic remarks and misogynistic rants to political pivots and public family drama, his every move has been under a global microscope.
In Whose Name? is a new documentary packed with raw, unfiltered footage, which attempts to untangle the chaos, offering a closer look at the man behind the headlines.
Here is everything we know about Kanye’s upcoming documentary.
What is Kanye’s documentary about?
The new documentary In Whose Name? dives deep into Kanye West’s public unraveling and the cultural fallout that followed.
The documentary is directed by Nico Ballesteros, uncovering details in Kanye’s life starting in 2018.
“It was important to create an observational documentary and embrace cinéma vérité, not to make a participatory doc — no talking heads, no interviews. I knew even as an 18-year-old. I wanted to create something purely observational. I look at it like a Rorschach test for society, like a mirror,” Nico shared with Variety.
In a text exchange that the director posted to Instagram in 2024, Kanye shared that the documentary was “very deep. It was like being dead and looking back on my life”.
At its core, the doc explores the question that has loomed over Kanye’s career for years: how can one artist explain his most damaging behaviour?
Where Can You Watch In Whose Name?
There is no confirmation as to whether his movie will come to Australian cinemas, even though In Whose Name? premiered on September 19, its release has so far been limited to select cinemas in the U.S.
While Kanye’s earlier documentary (jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy) was picked up by Netflix, there’s no indication the streamer will do the same this time around.
Who is featured in Kanye’s documentary?
In Whose Name? is packed with appearances from celebrities and major figures across art, politics and culture.
Archive footage from his peak era shows interactions with Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, LeBron James, Anna Wintour, David Letterman, Naomi Campbell, Drake, and Pharrell.
Kanye is also shown in a strategy session with Candace Owens and the late Charlie Kirk in 2018. “I have to show an example of a non-perfect Black celeb that still wins,” he tells them. “Because, if you’re a celeb and you’re Black and you’re perfect? You’re the housekeeper,” Charlie shared.
“You’re a glorified slave,” Candace responded, with Charlie echoing that Kanye would appear to be “the help” in the framework the rapper describes.
