Rapper Mos Def, who now performs under the name Yasiin Bey, has been forced to cancel his U.S. tour due to immigration and legal concerns. He currently lives in South Africa.
The news was first confirmed when Bey had to pull out of the Together Music Festival in Boston. Organizers for the event said in a statement, “We regret to inform you that due to immigration / legal issues Yasiin Bey is unable to enter back into the United States and his upcoming U.S. tour has been canceled, including May 15th, Together Boston’s show at The Wilbur Theatre.” They will be refunding tickets.
According to the Guardian, there were no further details released. Bey’s representatives have also failed to comment on the situation.
Bey lived in Brooklyn and in 2006, he faced allegations that he failed to pay his estranged wife $10,000 a month in child support for their two daughters. He said at the time that he couldn’t afford to pay and, as he recently told Rolling Stone, he moved out of New York a short time later. He eventually settled in Cape Town, South Africa in 2009 after traveling the world.
“...I came to Cape Town in 2009 and it just hit me,” he told Rolling Stone. “I was like, 'Yeah.' I know when a good vibe gets to you. And, you know, I thought about this place every day from when I left.”
Bey has also been critical of U.S. policies. Last year, he decided to undergo the standard force-feeding procedures at Guantanamo Bay in order to show how prisoners are treated there.