In January, American hip hop recording artist Yasiin Bey was arrested in an airport in Cape Town. The charges were centered around local immigration laws which the rapper was accused of violating in his attempts to leave the country with a world passport. Unfortunately for Bey, this type of passport is not recognized by the South African government and led to his arrest. In an audio clip posted on Kanye West’s website Bey freestyled a rap spitting “I committed no crime, why is the state wasting my time,”. In the clip Bey speaks of his arrest, conspiracy theories and in the end, makes a pledge to retire from the rap game. “I’m retiring from the music recording industry as it is currently assembled today, and also from Hollywood, effective immediately. I’m releasing my final album this year. And that’s that.”

On November 22dnd Bey’s extended stay in the country came to an end when the rapper was finally being permitted to leave South Africa. Following these events and Bey’s announced a partnership with the Apollo Theater and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in which he will be performing his final U.S. performances in a retirement run that is kicking off December 21st.

The tour is set to kick off at the iconic Apollo theater in at Harlem, New York’s Apollo followed by a New Year’s eve celebratory run at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. for three nights over the holiday starting December 31st and ending January 2nd. “We’re so excited to collaborate with the Kennedy Center on what will be a milestone moment in not only hip-hop history but also in popular culture,” said the Apollo Theater’s executive producer Kamilah Forbes in a statement. Following his New Year’s Eve celebration Bey will also be hosting a post-performance party in the Grand Foyer.

In an effort to highlight the rapper’s extensive library of work Bey will perform songs from a different album each night alongside new material. Each performance will also feature surprise special guests and Bey’s artwork which has been curated for the show alongside artwork from other artists in his arts, culture and lifestyle collective A Country Called Earth (ACCE), will be anonymously displayed at both venues.

Yasiin Bey Final 2017 Tour Dates:

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12/09 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater – Oakland
12/13 – Beverly Hills, CA – Saban Theatre
12/17 – San Diego, CA – Observatory North Park
12/21 – New York, NY – Apollo Theater
12/31 – Washington, DC – The Kennedy Center
01/01 – Washington, DC – The Kennedy Center
01/02 – Washington, DC – The Kennedy Center