Lil Wayne Denied Entry Into United Kingdom Over Past Criminal Record
Lil Wayne has reportedly been scratched from the lineup of another music festival.
According to Rolling Stone, the New Orleans rapper was forced to cancel his performance at the Strawberries & Creem festival in the United Kingdom on Saturday (June 18) after he was denied entry into the country “directly by the Home Office in a last minute decision,” event organizers announced Wednesday.
“We are deeply disappointed by this sudden and negative ruling,” Strawberries & Creem organizers wrote in a tweeted statement. “We have received very minimal notice, and the timing of the decision is of course upsetting for all involved.”
A Home Office spokesperson, in a statement to the publication, said, “Any individual who has been sentenced to a custodial sentence of 12 months or more must have their application refused.”
The statement is perhaps referencing Weezy’s year-long prison sentence stemming from his July 2007 arrest. He would end up only serving eight months due to good behavior.
“Due to circumstances out of his control, Lil Wayne won’t be able to perform at the Strawberries & Creem Festival this year,” a rep for the rapper told Rolling Stone. “Wayne is very disappointed as it’s been over a decade since he last performed in the UK, and he was excited to be reconnecting with his UK fans. He is looking forward to performing in the UK at a later date.”
This isn’t the first time Lil Wayne has been scratched from a scheduled set. He was replaced by A$AP Ferg at New York’s Governors Ball after his performance was canceled due to a “flight disruption.” In May, he was scheduled to take the stage at Memphis’ Beale Street Music Festival but pulled out due to “mechanical problems with his jet.”
