The 'World Passport' That's Trying to Erase National Boundaries

Among all the passports in the world, the “world passport” would probably rank pretty low on the power scale. Yet, a handful of the most influential people in the U.S. have been issued one, including Oprah Winfrey, Edward Snowden, and President Barack Obama. It’s also held by some of the most powerless people in developing countries.

If you fit into neither of those groups, chances are you hadn’t heard of a world passport until recently, when Yasiin Bey—formerly known as Mos Def—was detained after using one to leave South Africa. (Bey, who was born Dante Smith, announced his retirement earlier this week.) South African officials announced that the American rapper will be tried in court for using a false identity, an unofficial passport, and for helping his family stay in the country illegally.