Kanye West's New Documentary 'In Whose Name?' Sparks Nationwide Mental Health Conversation

Theaters are buzzing with conversations after Kanye West’s latest project "In Whose Name?" hit the big screen.

This is not a glamorous music documentary designed to polish his image.

Instead, it plunges into heartbreak, chaos, and the raw battle of living with bipolar disorder. Audiences leave with more questions than answers, and that mystery is fueling viral attention.

Directed by Nico Ballesteros and filmed across six years, "In Whose Name?" strips away every layer of protection.

It captures West at his most vulnerable moments, from the collapse of his marriage to controversies that dominated headlines. Yet the film is not about spectacle but about confronting mental health without filters or apologies.

Familiar faces like Kim Kardashian, Drake, Elon Musk, and Pharrell Williams appear in cameos, underscoring how public West's struggles have been. Still, the heart of the documentary lies in its exploration of mental health.

Melissa Duncan, who lives with bipolar disorder, OCD, and schizoaffective disorder, explains why the film resonated with her. She tells The Blast, "This documentary and it's honesty connects with people beyond the music world."

Her words reveal why this project feels so powerful. She added, "When a global figure speaks openly about mental health, it forces audiences to confront something often kept private."

Research backs this up. A 2024 study in JAMA Psychiatry found that exposure to mental health stories reduces stigma and encourages people to seek help.

For Duncan, West’s willingness to expose his journey is more than personal. It inspired her to create action in the real world.

Alongside caregiver and entrepreneur Jihan Gabart, she co-founded SoMypolar, a Florida-based nonprofit focused on awareness and early recognition of mental illness.

Duncan tells us, "Their mission is simple: make resources accessible before people reach a breaking point. Through workshops, outreach, and even children’s projects like the book "Tatu’s Adventures: Don’t You See," it brings conversations into spaces where stigma usually silences them."

That mission aligns with the rawness of "In Whose Name?" This is not a film that shields viewers from discomfort.

It is tense, messy, and difficult at times, but that is exactly what gives it power. It forces audiences to face the uncomfortable realities of trauma, fame, and mental health.

The documentary is more than a portrait of a celebrity. It represents a shift in how we talk about mental health in society. It validates what advocates like Duncan have long said community and support matter as much as professional treatment. By showing his struggles in such an unfiltered way, West turns his story into something universal.

It reminds audiences that mental illness is not something happening “elsewhere.” It is part of everyday life, touching families, friends, and communities everywhere.

If "In Whose Name?" inspires even a small fraction of viewers to talk openly, to ask for help, or to listen without judgment, then the film’s reach goes beyond the theater.

It becomes more than art. It becomes a lifeline.

The documentary wastes no time showing the chaos inside West's world. In one of the most explosive moments, the rapper lashes out at Kris Jenner during an argument over his mental health and prescription meds.

Jenner pleads with him to take his medication, but West fires back that he’d “rather be dead” than medicated.

He erupts further, shouting, "Y'all demasculated me and made me feel like a piece of sh-t. And the only reason you got away with it is because I was medicated."

He then points to the lack of accountability from the Kardashian family about his hospital stay, declaring, "No one from the family is taking any responsibility for my hospital visit, but if you wanna go online, that's 50 percent of what people say. At least. Am I lying?"

Jenner insists the internet’s opinion doesn’t matter, but West cuts her off, yelling, "It does matter!" repeatedly until she tearfully admits, "Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm saying yes. And I love you. I love you. I don't want you to be not perfect. I love you."

The tension doesn’t end there. Kim Kardashian also appears in the documentary, confronting West about his behavior.

"Your personality was not like this a few years ago," she tells him in one clip.

In another heated moment, she appears to warn him about his future, which leads West to snap, "Never tell me I'm gonna wake up one day and have nothing!"

Kim tries to soften the exchange, but he cuts her off again, shouting, "It ain't no but!"

Between Jenner’s tears, Kim’s frustration, and West’s defiance, "In Whose Name" captures family drama at its rawest.