Mos Def was arrested Thursday for violating South African immigration laws and now has 14 days to leave the country.
According to the Associated Press, the 42-year-old rapper entered South Africa with an American passport in 2013 and overstayed his permit by 2014. Moreover, Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete said Mos Def produced “an unrecognized ‘world passport’ when he tried to leave the country.”
Mos Def, who now goes by the name Yasiin Bey, went to South African court Thursday after he was arrested at Cape Town International airport.
Because the court ordered for the rapper and actor to leave the country within the next 14 days, Mos Def will be banned from South Africa for five years, but may appeal to officials.
According to Tschwete, the family members with whom Bey appeared in court also live in South Africa without a permit.
Mos Def, born Dante Smith, has appeared in TV series like “Dexter” and “The Boondocks” as well as feature film titles such as “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and “Life of Crime.”