Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) is finally allowed to leave South Africa

He's been barred from leaving since the beginning of the year

Yasiin Bey in the Belville Magistrates Court in Cape Town in March 2016 (AFP/Getty)

It’s been a tough day for Kanye West by all accounts, but he’ll at least be pleased to hear that his good friend Yasiin Bey, who he’s been campaigning for, has finally been granted permission to leave South Africa.

The rapper was charged in January with using a false passport to try and leave the country and has been out on bail within the confines of the nation since then.

After he “unreservedly apologized to the government of South Africa”, the home affairs department has said it “is satisfied with the apology [and] will withdraw the charges against him” (via The Guardian).

Bey will, however, be barred from returning to the country after being declared an undesirable person.

He grew increasingly despondent during his time in South Africa, and in a statement back in January retired from the music and film industry.

The audio message was posted through Kanye West’s website; Kanye also giving Yasiin and his situation a shout out on his recent track ’30 Hours’.