Ja Rule tour cancelled as rapper denied entry to UK over criminal record - how to get a refund

Ja Rule has had to cancel part of his 'The Sunrise Tour' after claiming he was denied entry to the UK due to his criminal record. The rap icon's UK tour was set to kick off in Cardiff on March 1 with further dates booked for London, Glasgow, Leeds, and more.

On Tuesday (February 27), Ja Rule took to social media to tell fans he's been forced to cancel his upcoming tour. In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the rapper said he was 'devastated' and urged fans to get refunds.

Ja Rule 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."

He added: "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."

In posts following the announcement, the rapper claimed previous convictions were made clear to the promoter and was told it 'wouldn’t be an issue'. He added: "Gonna do something special for my UK fans since I’ll NEVER be able to come across the pond stay tuned…"

The official statement from tour promoters TEG reads: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we regret to inform you that Ja Rule's The Sunrise Tour in the UK and Ireland next month has been cancelled.

"Refunds will be issued from your point of purchase. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

Ja Rule was released from prison in May 2013 after serving two years on gun and tax evasion charges.