Days before his tour was set to begin in Cardiff, rapper Ja Rule revealed that he has been denied entry into the UK, citing his criminal record as the reason.
The US musician, whose real name is Jeffrey Bruce Atkins Sr, expressed his disappointment on social media, stating, "I'm so devastated - I can't believe the UK won't let me in."
Ja Rule had planned to kick off the British leg of his Sunrise tour at Cardiff's Utilita Arena, followed by performances in London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, and Liverpool.
In a social media post, Ja Rule wrote, "I've spent a half million dollars 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 venues are 85% sold out and now I can't come."
The 47-year-old artist, known for hits like "Always On Time" and "Thug Lovin'," pointed out that the UK is among the few European countries that restrict entry based on criminal records.
Ja Rule, who served two years on gun possession and tax evasion charges and was released from prison in May 2013, explained, "In general you will likely be denied entry if you have been convicted of a crime punishable by 23 months or more under British law, or if you've served more than 12 months in prison."
Despite the setback, tickets for the shows are still available on Ticketmaster. When asked about refunds, Ticketmaster's customer service team responded, "Once we receive confirmed info, an email will be sent to all customers for the event."
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