Fears that Skepta’s upcoming Aussie tour might be shutdown thanks to a visa ban have been assuaged, with the rapper’s shows set to go ahead as planned.
Earlier this year, Skepta announced that he was going to be coming to Australia this year as part of the Listen Out festival. However, as it turns out, he was supposed to have visited the country back earlier in the year, but was denied an entry visa due to his “criminal history”.
As the ABC notes, Skepta (whose real name is Joseph Junior Adenuga) originally had his visa application knocked back in April, when a representative for Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton claims that the musician posed “a risk of harm to the Australian community which is unacceptable”.
The specific bit of ‘criminal history’ that they’re most likely referring to occurred back in January of 2016 when Adenuga was in the country for the FOMO festival. While at a nightclub in Melbourne, Adenuga punched a patron in the mouth, causing him to lose three teeth.
After pleading guilty to causing an injury due to reckless behaviour, the rapper was fined $2,500, paid his victim $10,000, and avoided having a conviction recorded.
Additionally, Adenuga had also been convicted of a handful of other offences over the years, including a late-night altercation in Cyprus back in 2006, and was forced to undergo 200 hours of community service following a fight in London back in 2009.
Following the initial visa ban, Skepta’s tour promoter, Fuzzy, appealed the decision, taking the matter to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. During a hearing just last month, Adenua stated that these past incidents were “spontaneous and impulsive”, and explained that he had grown “emotionally and spiritually” in the past two years.
Likewise, he also claimed that he had used his fame to become an activist in order “to raise awareness around issues associated with racism, youth socio-economic disadvantage and homelessness”.
In a decision published last Friday, the tribunal overturned the previous pan, noting that there appeared to be little risk of the musician re-offending while in Australia.
The decision was based on the fact that Adenuga planned to personally meet with his victim to apologise, and that he wanted to” rest as much as possible” while in Australia instead of heading out to “nightclubs and similar venues”.
Skepta’s Aussie tour is set to kick off later this month as part of the Listen Out festival. His trip to Australia will also involve two headline shows, and an appearance at the Adelaide sister festival, Listen In.
Check out Skepta’s ‘Shutdown’:
Skepta Australian Tour 2018
Wednesday, 26th September
The Forum, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: The Forum
Thursday, 27th September
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney, NSW
Tickets: Sydney Opera House
Also appearing at Listen Out
Saturday, September 22nd
Catani Gardens, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets: Listen Out
Sunday, September 23rd
Western Parklands, Perth, WA
Tickets: Listen Out
Saturday, September 29th
Centennial Parklands, Sydney, NSW
Tickets: Listen Out
Sunday, September 30th
Victoria Park, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets: Listen Out
And appearing at Listen In
Monday, October 1st
Bonython Park, Adelaide, SA
Tickets: Listen In
