Kanye West’s teen documentarian breaks silence on REAL reason he filmed rapper’s explosive downfall

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For the first time ever, the filmmaker behind the highly anticipated, unreleased Kanye West documentary titled “In Whose Name?” has granted an interview in public.

In 2016, when Nico Ballesteros was 18 years old, he started documenting a rap artist using a camera. This pursuit continued for six consecutive years up until the year 2022.

During the time Nico was recording, he captured events such as Kanye West’s hospitalization following a mental health crisis, and the turbulent dissolution of his marriage with Kim Kardashian.

Nico’s footage encompassed significant moments like Kanye West being admitted to a hospital due to a mental breakdown, and the rocky end of his marriage with Kim Kardashian.

He additionally addressed the downfall of Kanye’s career following a series of controversial statements that contained anti-Semitic remarks, such as praising Adolf Hitler and threatening a level 3 military alert against Jewish people.

Initially, Nico compiled over 3,000 hours of footage and transformed it into a production titled “In Whose Name?”. Notably, he maintained creative oversight throughout this process, which prevented Kanye, now known as Ye, from influencing his portrayal in the finished work.

Regardless of the intense nature of it, Nico asserted during his conversation with the LA Times that he hadn’t created it to depict a narrative about falling apart or disintegration.

The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for Kanye for comment. 

He crafted it to convey a profound, enchanting tale about an emblematic American character. Given our current news-centric culture, this piece serves as the substance beneath the headlines. He’s not aiming to convince anyone; instead, he wants it to function like a Rorschach test,” he remarked.

The documentarian remarked, ‘As a journalist, I was present, capturing events. I didn’t feel like breaking the boundary between us. I had a deep feeling of understanding towards him and he was consistently courteous to me – almost like a creative guide in some way.’

It’s important to note that Kanye West does not possess any rights to the footage, and he didn’t compensate Nico for capturing his life story. This arrangement enables the director to maintain full creative control over their project.

Even after witnessing the finished masterpiece, I couldn’t help but text Nico, ‘Man, that documentary really hit home! It felt like gazing upon my own life from beyond the grave.’

Nico took care to emphasize his separation from Kanye’s political statements, stating: “I unequivocally oppose antisemitism and hate speech, and it’s clear that our beliefs aren’t aligned… We are both just people. That’s where I stand. He is an individual – he’s a human being.

The documentary, which is a truthful project without any commentary from individuals on screen, showcased some of Kanye West’s political actions within it. This included capturing footage of him driving to the White House for a meeting with then-US President Donald Trump during a 2018 summit.

On my journey towards our anticipated meeting, I found myself locked in an animated conversation with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and trusted advisor. In a voice brimming with fervent passion, I implored him, “I must make an entrance befitting a distinguished foreign dignitary. I refuse to step out unprotected and risk my life. My life has already been put at stake by wearing the hat, and I yearn for the love and respect that comes with such status.

Since there might be individuals who wish to harm me due to the hat I’m wearing, I could become a victim of an attack. If such an incident were to occur in front of the White House, it would negatively impact your chances during the midterm elections.

Additionally, Nico demonstrated instances where Kanye appeared to stop taking his bipolar disorder medication – a condition he recently asserted that he may have been misdiagnosed with.

I, a devoted fan here, can’t help but describe the intense emotional journey I witnessed on screen, one that left even his wife Kim and mother-in-law Kris Jenner in a state of unease due to his passionate outbursts.

Kanye West was caught on camera discussing topics such as wearing a bulletproof vest for sleep, theories about plots against him, and alleged attempts at mind manipulation from people surrounding him.

Kim found herself weeping profusely during an argument about his scandals, expressing her concern by stating, “One day, you’ll suddenly realize that you have lost everything.

Kanye responded by saying, ‘Don’t ever suggest that I’ll wake up some day with nothing.’ He emphasized, ‘Keep such thoughts out of the universe.'” (This maintains the original sentiment while making it more easily comprehensible for a broader audience.)

Now, instead of saying that, you could rephrase it as follows: Nico recently stood by his choice to provide an unedited look into Kanye West’s mental struggles, making his private issues accessible to the public eye.

In his recent interview, Nico mentioned that during their encounter with Pharrell, he stated that the documentary was focused on mental health.

During my initial weeks of filming inside the office, I found myself particularly mindful of that aspect since I was fully aware it would be a part of the experience. In other words, I expected to encounter this specific element.

According to Nico, Kanye underscored to the director the significance of portraying the full spectrum of our identities, encompassing not just the bright aspects, but also the shadowy ones, in the film.

Nico transformed into a teen documentary maker following an influential course about the subject in his hometown art school located in Orange County, California.

In the year 2016, he watched Kanye’s Life of Pablo launch livestream at Madison Square Garden, and the whole event felt profoundly inspiring. It stirred within him a strong desire, as if saying, “This is the realm I aspire to be part of, where I want to create a documentary.

Nico managed to get close to Kanye’s inner circle by putting in a lot of effort in both fashion and music, particularly working for Off-White – a clothing line created by Kanye’s late protege Virgil Abloh. Eventually, Kanye and Abloh grew apart.

After Kanye’s former documentary maker left, they brought in Nico instead. This turn of events felt to the aspiring filmmaker as if he had found a golden ticket, just like Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was similar to walking into Andy Warhol’s Factory for him.

He commented: ‘It was an enlightening experience: I’d love to observe how he communicates with Spike Jonze, witnessing the birth of creative concepts. He explained to me: “When you capture footage, you’re not just recording, but also perceiving its potential.” At this point, our conversation began.’

During their time together, they shared a common interest in Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. Throughout the production, Kanye often made allusions to the films “There Will Be Blood” and “The Aviator,” which depict visionary characters who begin to unravel psychologically.

In the stormy preview for the movie “In Whose Name?”, Kanye West proclaimed, “I’d prefer to be deceased than taking medications. They either annihilate me, or I annihilate it myself.

In the sneak peek, it seemed like Kim was likening her struggling marriage with Kanye to a “disappointing or melancholic dream.

Towards the closing moments of the trailer, Kanye West boldly declared with a hint of defiance, “Here’s something interesting about being an artist and having bipolar disorder: Whatever action or word you take becomes a work of art.

It’s uncertain if the film includes Kanye West’s recently married wife, Bianca Censori, who he wed in December 2022, as the shooting for the movie was completed prior to that.

At the tender age of eight, Nico began capturing moments from his personal life. This early practice of recording experiences might have played a role in fostering a connection between him and Kanye.

As a timid child, I found solace in the lens of a camera – it served as a protective barrier and an opening to the world at once. For me, it was a medium to express my inner thoughts while maintaining connections with others. Similar to Ye, there’s always been someone recording him, too; a camera between him and the commotion.

Perhaps our silent understanding was due to this fact – I could effortlessly blend in and remain attentive, like an unobtrusive camera, constantly capturing moments beyond the spotlight of public display.

The film is scheduled for independent release on September 19 next week, according to Nico’s announcement, at approximately thousands of AMC cinema locations nationwide.

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2025-09-11 03:53