For the second time this year, Yasiin Bey has announced his retirement from music – stating in a now deleted Facebook Live: “I’m retiring this year, for real.”
The rapper, formerly known as Mos Def, said he’ll continue to be active in “fashion, textiles, and just art. Whatever I can create that’s beautiful and useful, that’s what I want to do.”
Yasiin, who’s currently stuck in South Africa after being charged with trying to leave the country on a false passport, announced his retirement from “the music recording industry as it is currently assembled today” earlier this year via Kanye West’s website – before releasing a few songs on SoundCloud throughout the year.
“This week was the 17th anniversary of Black on Both Sides being released,” he said over the weekend. “I’m grateful to have had the career that I’ve been able to enjoy, as I say to many people… my brothers and sisters, thank you for spending your money and more importantly your time.”
Yasiin did mention he had new material to come though, as well as “one or two” films he committed to before announcing his retirement.