Kanye West reportedly not given editing or approval rights for upcoming documentary ‘In Whose Name?’

Kanye West is at the center of a new documentary, titled In Whose Name?. Scheduled for theatrical release on September 19, 2025, the film, a six-year chronicle spanning over 3,000 hours of footage, captures moments ranging from personal struggles and mental health to public controversies, including his divorce from Kim Kardashian, his halted presidential campaign, and more.

What stands out amid all of this is that Kanye does not appear to have any control over how the story is shaped, meaning In Whose Name proceeds without his involvement in editing or approval, as per US Magazine.

Kanye West reportedly not given editing or approval rights for upcoming documentary, In Whose Name?

According to Music Times, “Neither Ye nor Yeezy has seen, authorized, or approved the final product.” It is being released despite his objections, positioning it as an unauthorized portrayal.

The documentary, directed by Nico Ballesteros (who began filming West in 2019 at age 18), relies solely on footage captured over long shoot days. Ballesteros and producer Simran A. Singh emphasize that maintaining creative independence was integral. Ballesteros’s team is quoted as saying,

“While Ye is central to the story, he did not have approval rights over any of the film’s content or editorial decisions,” and that this ensured the film “remained an independent creative work”.

In 2022, Ye sought final sign-off on the Netflix series Jeen-Yuhs - a request that was denied. The decision not to get Ye's input in In Whose Name?, the filmmakers say, was so the material could breathe: rather than shaping the story around its subject, they allowed the footage to dictate the narrative.

Director Nico Ballesteros has described a working relationship in which he could “fade into the background” around a man used to constant cameras, capturing unguarded, often messy moments. Producer Simran A. Singh calls the result “raw and sometimes unsettling.”

Set for release in approximately 1,000 theaters, the film is poised to reach a wide audience on September 19. It promises an unvarnished window into Kanye’s personal and public life, viewed through the lens, not the subject’s own filter.