Earl Sweatshirt: Depression, Anxiety Prompted Tour Cancellation

After abruptly canceling a stretch of European tour dates, Earl Sweatshirt revealed he’s been “battling anxiety and depression.” The rapper nixed a handful of dates – including spots at Dublin, Ireland”s Forbidden Fruit Festival and Manchester, England’s Parklife Festival – hours before his scheduled Sunday performance at London, England’s Field Day Festival.

In a statement submitted to Pitchfork, the rapper’s representatives noted his anxiety and depression, “which has been compounded by the grief from the recent passing of his father,” South African political Poet Laureate and political activist Keorapetse Kgositsile, who died in January at age 79. Earl Sweatshirt, the statement added, “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.”

In 2015, Earl Sweatshirt issued his second studio LP, I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside, which Rolling Stone named one of the year’s 40 Best Rap Albums. Since then, he’s released a handful of tracks via Soundcloud, Apple Music and Adult Swim’s 2016 Singles Program (“Balance” featuring Knxwledge). That same year, he appeared alongside Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul on Danny Brown’s all-star track “Really Doe.”