Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) has spent the majority of 2016 unable to leave South Africa. The rapper was arrested for attempting to use a "world passport" document to travel out of the country in January, and while he was later released on bail, he has been forced to stay put until further decisions were made.
Today, The Guardian reports that Bey has been granted the ability to leave South Africa, but will not be able to re-enter. Bey's "unreserved apolog[y] to the government of South Africa," has been deemed satisfactory, and the country is dropping their charges against him. However, Bey he has been added to South Africa's "undesirable persons" list.
According to TMZ, Bey's attorney is planning to appeal the rapper's status with the South African government once he is back in the U.S.
The "world passport" Bey attempted to use is a document created by the World Service Authority, an organization fighting for world citizenship. While most countries will not accept the document as a passport, Togo, Mauritania, Ecuador, Zambia, Tanzania, have accepted it, according to the WSA.
Yasiin released music with Ferrari Sheppard as Dec. 99th earlier this year. Listen to their track "Hymn," released in August.
