Lil Wayne will no longer appear at a music festival this weekend after being banned from entering the UK.
The US rapper’s visa was denied by the Home Office in a “last minute decision”, according to the Strawberries and Creem Festival, where he was due to headline on Saturday.
Singer A Milli was scheduled to perform alongside Tion Wayne, Mabel, Wilkinson and Katy B.
Announcing the line-up change, event organizers said they had “received minimal notice”, describing the timing of the decision as “upsetting for everyone involved”.
“Due to extreme circumstances beyond our control or influence, we are sorry to inform you that Lil Wayne can no longer perform at the festival,” they added.
“Lil Wayne has been refused entry to the UK directly by the Home Office in a last minute decision. We are deeply disappointed by this sudden and negative decision.”
Organizers said the festival was to be the multi-Grammy award-winning artist’s only European show in 2022.
The Home Office confirmed the hip-hop star had been refused entry, saying all those sentenced to a custodial sentence of 12 months or more “should have their applications refused”.
Lil Wayne, real name Dwayne Michael Carter, was sentenced to one year in prison in 2010 for possession of firearms, of which he served eight months behind bars.
In 2020, he pleaded guilty to a federal weapons charge but was Iafter being pardoned by then-President Donald Trump in January of last year.
He has been refused entry to the UK in the past due to his criminal convictions.
Grammy-winning artist Ludacris will now perform in place of Lil Wayne, but the decision has not gone down well with ticket holders, with many demanding full refunds.
One tweeted: “I have to issue refunds here. Literally the only act people come for is Wayne. The only reason he hasn’t played in the UK for so long is because ‘he’s been refused entry before, so surely you checked that out before announcing it?’
Another said: “Absolutely not. Please let me know that I can receive a full refund. This is false advertising.”
The festival has offered its guests free entry to Sunday’s event or a discount on tickets to next year’s festival.
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