American Rapper Ja Rule has had to cancel an upcoming UK tour including a performance at the M&S Bank Arena on March 9 due to his criminal record.
The 47-year-old rapper was due to embark on a UK tour that would have kicked off on Friday at the Cardiff Utilita arena. The tour would also have visited Leeds, London, Birmingham and Newcastle as well as Liverpool.
The cancelled Sunrise tour was set to feature support from American RNB singers Keri Hilson, Lloyd and Mya.
The tour was meant to be a celebration of his debut album “Venni, Vetti Vicci” that was released in 1990.
Ja Rule, whose real name is Jeffrey Bruce Atkins senior, has had multiple run-ins with the law. In 2007 he was arrested for gun and drug possession and was later sentenced to two years in prison.
In 2011 he was also found guilty of tax evasion and was sentenced to 28 months in prison.
He was also a partner in the failed music festival “Fyre Festival” and was sued by investors and ticket holders for fraud. His business partner who founded the festival, Billy McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison for the fraud. All charges against Ja Rule were dropped.
The rapper posted on X about the situation saying: “I’m so devastated I can’t believe the U.K won’t let me in, I’ve spent half a million dollars in production of my own money to put this tour together only to be denied entry DAYS before my shows this is not fair to me or my fans these shows are 85% sold out and now, I can’t come”.
Refunds will be available for ticket holders from the point of purchase.
Featured image (c) Wikimedia Commons
