Earl Sweatshirt cancels tour due to 'anxiety and depression'

The rapper cancelled recent appearances at Field Day and Forbidden Fruit Festival

(Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Earl Sweatshirt has cancelled a run of UK tour dates due to “anxiety and depression”.

A representative for the rapper released a statement just hours before the 24-year-old was due to appear on stage at Field Day Festival, London, on Saturday (2 June).

“Earl is battling anxiety and depression which has been compounded by the grief from the recent passing of his father,” the statement reads.

“He thought he would be ready to perform but simply is not yet able to. He would like to apologize to his fans and promises to be back as soon as he is able to.”

Earl – real name Thebe Neruda Kgositsile – has also cancelled an appearance at Forbidden Fruit Festival in Dublin on Sunday, and will no longer be playing Parklife Festival in Manchester later this week.

The artist’s father, Keorapetse Kgositsile, a famous South African poet and activist, died earlier this year, on the 3 January following an illness at 79.

Earl, whose last album release was 2015’s I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside, has previously cancelled tour dates, the first time dating back to 2014. The rapper Tweeted at the time: “I had to press eject on the tour. I am physically and mentally at the end of my rope. I weigh a fraction of what I’m supposed to and without synergy between the body and mind there is nothing.”

If you have been affected by this story, you can contact the following organisations for support:

https://www.mind.org.uk/

http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/