Rapper Ja Rule cancels Dublin and Belfast shows after being declined entry to the UK

Hip Hop artist Ja Rule has stated on X that the UK denied him entry just days before he was scheduled to go on tour. This also included shows in Dublin and Belfast.

The US rapper was expected to lead off the tour at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff on Friday, before visiting London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, and Liverpool, and arriving in Ireland shortly thereafter.

The Sunrise Tour had planned to perform at the 3Arena, Dublin on March 13th and at SSE Arena, Belfast on March 14th. Regretfully, he will no longer be able to perform because he is not been granted permission to enter the country.

In a statement he posted on X, he said:

I’m so devastated I can’t believe the UK won’t let me in I’ve spent a half 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 venues are 85% sold and now I can’t come… 🤬💔

— Ja Rule (@jarule) February 27, 2024

The New Yorker took to X with a barrage of Tweets about the situation. He continues, "The UK is one of the few European countries that restricts entry to people with criminal records. 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 served more than 12 months in prison. This… 🤬"

Ja Rule served two years in prison on gun and tax evasion charges before being released in May 2013. He expressed

He was also in the eye of controversy over an incident at Fyre Festival. However, he was later dismissed from the $100 million California lawsuit by the judge in July 2019 and walked away with no charges.

My team made it CLEAR to the promoter that I have a criminal record and can’t get in the country…The PROMOTER swore this wouldn’t be an issue The PROMOTER started selling tickets y’all love to blame the artist lol… GET YOUR REFUNDS!!! 🌅🧡

— Ja Rule (@jarule) February 28, 2024

When fans caught wind of the news, many petitioned Ticketmaster for a refund as tickets were still available online. Ja Rule says he's going to "do something special" for his UK fans, even encouraging them to get their tickets refunded.

Ja's signature voice and melody-focused instrumentals were a staple in New York rap music in the late '90s and early 2000s. Songs like 'Holla Holla' and 'Always on Time' were defining hits in the pre-Y2K rap scene.