After hinting at retiring from both acting and music making earlier in 2016, Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) has officially announced that he's putting the mic down this year.
Bey made the announcement in a Facebook video shot from his home in Cape Town, South Africa. "I'm retiring this year for real. This week was the 17th anniversary of Black on Both Sides being released," he said. "I'm grateful to have had the career that I've been able to enjoy, as I say to many people… my brother and sisters, thank you for spending your money and more importantly your time."
Bey also announced that a string of upcoming live dates in Europe would be cancelled due to "circumstances beyond my control," likely stemming from travel and identification document issues. However, plans are in the works to stream the shows live from Cape Town for paying ticketholders. He continued in saying the shows will feature both classics and unreleased material, along with seven requests each night.
In wrapping up prior commitments, he also mentions "one or two" films that he'll be in. "Apart from that, I'm moving on to other things. Still being creative. Definitely fashion, textiles and just art. Whatever I can create that's beautiful and useful."
Bey also took the time to shout out Jay Z in hopes of bringing some exclusive material to TIDAL, while also shouting out Madlib, Kanye West, Living Colour, A Tribe Called Quest and more.
Bey's last studio album was 2009's The Ecstatic. He also has released a handful of singles with Ferrari Sheppard as Dec. 99th, and recently lent his rhymes to A Tribe Called Red's We Are the Halluci Nation.
Watch the announcement in the player below.
Bey made the announcement in a Facebook video shot from his home in Cape Town, South Africa. "I'm retiring this year for real. This week was the 17th anniversary of Black on Both Sides being released," he said. "I'm grateful to have had the career that I've been able to enjoy, as I say to many people… my brother and sisters, thank you for spending your money and more importantly your time."
Bey also announced that a string of upcoming live dates in Europe would be cancelled due to "circumstances beyond my control," likely stemming from travel and identification document issues. However, plans are in the works to stream the shows live from Cape Town for paying ticketholders. He continued in saying the shows will feature both classics and unreleased material, along with seven requests each night.
In wrapping up prior commitments, he also mentions "one or two" films that he'll be in. "Apart from that, I'm moving on to other things. Still being creative. Definitely fashion, textiles and just art. Whatever I can create that's beautiful and useful."
Bey also took the time to shout out Jay Z in hopes of bringing some exclusive material to TIDAL, while also shouting out Madlib, Kanye West, Living Colour, A Tribe Called Quest and more.
Bey's last studio album was 2009's The Ecstatic. He also has released a handful of singles with Ferrari Sheppard as Dec. 99th, and recently lent his rhymes to A Tribe Called Red's We Are the Halluci Nation.
Watch the announcement in the player below.