Monday, 26 March 2007

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Tour 'chaos' after UK bars Snoop Dogg

Rap star denied visa

A European tour of Diddy and rapper Snoop Dogg has been thrown "into chaos" after Snoop was refused a British visa, reps say.

Diddy and Snoop have performed throughout Europe and were due to play at London's Wembley Arena on March 27. Reps for Snoop, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, say they are furious.

"A decision to refuse musician Snoop Dogg a visa to enter the UK at the last minute has thrown the tour he was participating in into chaos, although the concert at Wembley will go ahead whatever the outcome," his reps said in a statement Friday. "Snoop is on a major co-headlining tour with P. Diddy which has passed through Europe playing to over 100,000 fans without incident, without one arrest or any trouble of any description."

Asked about the ban, a government spokeswoman told PEOPLE: "The Home Office does not comment on individual cases. The Home Secretary has the power to refuse entry clearance to non-UK citizens if he considers that their presence here would not be conducive to the public good."

It is believed the entry problems stem back to a skirmish at London's Heathrow Airport last April when Snoop and his posse were en route to Johannesburg, South Africa. Seven police officers were injured and Snoop and several pals were arrested and held in police cells before being bailed out.

"Snoop and his team are mystified at the decision and are hoping that the British government will reconsider this decision especially as he has toured here before and sees the UK as being the highlight of the tour," the statement says. "He has asked how he can help rectify the situation and would happily talk to and give assurances to the officials."

Since the pre-flight fracas last year, Snoop, 35, has been embroiled in other incidents at airports. On Sept. 27 he was arrested at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif., after allegedly trying to board a plane while carrying a 21-in. collapsible police baton in a computer case.

Less than a month later he was handcuffed at Burbank's Bob Hope Airport on suspicion of possessing marijuana and a handgun. Last November he was arrested again, along with two members of his entourage, on suspicion of illegally possessing a handgun and drugs following the rapper's performance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in Burbank.

In late January an attorney made a plea of not guilty on Snoop's behalf over a felony charge of knowingly possessing a dangerous weapon – stemming from the arrest for carrying the collapsible baton.