The American rapper’s visa was denied by the Ministry of Interior with a “last minute decision”, according to the Strawberries and Creem Festival, where he was going to make the titles on Saturday. The A Milli singer was expected to appear alongside Tion Wayne, Mabel, Wilkinson and Katy B. Announcing the change in composition, the event organizers said they had “received minimal notice”, describing the timing of the decision as “disturbing to all involved”. “Due to extreme circumstances beyond our control or influence, we are sorry to inform you that Lil Wayne is no longer able to appear at the festival,” they added. “Lil Wayne did not enter the UK directly from the Home Office in a last-minute decision. We are deeply disappointed by this sudden and negative decision.” According to the organizers, the festival was to be the only European show of the muti-Grammy-winning artist in 2022. The Interior Ministry confirmed that the hip-hop star had been barred from entering, saying that all those who had been sentenced to 12 months or more in prison “should have their application rejected”. Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter, was sentenced to one year in prison in 2010 for possession of a firearm, of which he spent eight months behind bars. In 2020, he pleaded guilty to a federal arms charge, but was later pardoned by then-President Donald Trump last January. He has been barred from entering the UK in the past due to his criminal convictions. Grammy-winning artist Ludacris will now appear in place of Lil Wayne, but the decision did not go well with ticket holders, with many demanding a full refund. Someone wrote on Twitter: “I have to make a refund here. Literally, the only act people come for is Wayne. The only reason he has not been to the UK for so long was because he was denied entry in the past. so surely you checked it out before announcing it? “ Another said: “Absolutely not. You can let me know if I can get a full refund. This is a fake ad.” The festival offered visitors free admission to Sunday’s event or a discount on tickets for next year’s festival as a result.
