Joey Bada$$ has made the difficult decision to put his mental health ahead of his career, canceling his highly anticipated “Dark Halo” tour just weeks before the tour was to begin.
The Brooklyn rapper sat down for the first time on the Earn Your Leisure podcast to discuss the show’s cancellation, and while others suggested handling the matter differently, he opted for what he called “raw honesty.” The tour was scheduled to feature Ab-Soul and Rapsody as special guests, much to the disappointment of fans, but Joey explained that his reasons went beyond logistics.
“Honestly, the reason I canceled the tour was because my mental health wasn’t in line with it,” Joey revealed during a podcast appearance. “I just don’t feel like I’m in a good enough place mentally to go on this journey. I have my five-month-old son with me. We’re trying to figure out things like vaccinations. It’s a really critical time. My energy levels are at an all-time low.”
The “BK’S FINEST” rapper also addressed widespread speculation that poor ticket sales were the reason for the cancellation. “I see a lot of people talking about, ‘Oh yeah, apparently the tour tickets didn’t sell,'” he said. “Listen, I’ve been touring for a long time. Tickets are sold. It’s back to freedom. I have to choose myself.”
Joey Badass says he canceled Rapsody and Ab-Soul tour to protect his mental health:
“To be honest, the reason I canceled the trip was because my mental health wasn’t good enough to go on the trip, my energy was at its lowest and everyone was talking about ticket sales… pic.twitter.com/ihbqjweila
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) October 24, 2025
Joey’s decision came at a huge financial cost, as he admitted to giving up money that was already on the table. However, the support from his team ultimately solidified his choice to prioritize his mental health.
“I’m really, really sorry to all the fans because I let down the people who were excited to see me,” Joey continued. “Your money is back, I see it…I’m glad to see you too. But I don’t have the bandwidth of my own. I have to choose me.”
The rapper revealed that he initially planned to go on tour despite knowing he would be “painful inside,” but opening up to a team member about his struggles and receiving a supportive response helped him make his final decision.
“They really made me feel supported,” he concluded. “I really appreciate that. It’s not that I can leave without money. But I have to choose myself. My mental health is important to me, and I have to choose myself. The truth is, honestly, I can’t.”
Rapsody previously denied rumors of cancellation due to low ticket sales, supporting Joey’s version of the event. The purpose of the tour was to promote Joey’s most recent album, Lonely At The Top, which failed to chart on the charts upon release, despite heavy promotion.
