Popcaan was detained in the United Kingdom for a second time this year and he is blaming his own country, Jamaica.
Popcaan made a special appeal to Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday (July 5) as he shared that the UK’s Home Office has reportedly detained him a second time since the year started.
The dancehall artist shared the appeal on his Instagram Story, where he showed a paper that he was given for his detainment. Popcaan still had his phone and was not arrested in the video.
“Yes I’m being detained,” he began. “As you know, I’m in the UK,” he said as he shared a paper that was given to him by the Home Office and confirmed the reason he was detained- “because of information sent by my country that I should be stopped every time I’m here,” the “Relevant” artist said.
“I wonder why, Mr. Prime Minister I would like to draw your attention to this once again,” the dejected artist said.
Earlier this year, the St. Thomas native had shared that he was stopped by Immigration authorities while traveling in transit to the UK from Africa.
According to Popcaan, authorities revealed that information was lodged against him by the Jamaican government, which claimed that he was a “gang leader,” resulting in him being detained.
Popcaan’s attorney had also confirmed that he was held by British authorities for several hours, but he wasn’t actually detained.
“I would like to know why someone with authority in Jamaica send information to England immigration that I’m a gang leader and I got charge with firearm, this is not cool at all from my own country, why I have to be sitting in immigration for over 3 hours?” the Unruly leader tweeted.
Popcaan has never been arrested or charged for a criminal offense, nor his Unruly outfit, which is identified as a musical collective and record label.
On Twitter, the artiste also tweeted at Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment & Sport, Babsy Grange, for help in clearing his name.
“[Babsy Grange] I try to ask for your help with this before, Why people from my own country fighting popcaan and telling lies about me and sending it to other countries?? I don’t know what cause but it needs to be off my name,” Poppy tweeted.
I would like to know why someone with authority in Jamaica send information to England immigration that I’m a gang leader and I got charge with firearm, this is not cool at all from my own country, why I have to be sitting in immigration for over 3 hours??
— Popcaan (@PopcaanMusic) January 12, 2022
@Babsy_grange I try to ask for your help with this before, Why people from my own country fighting popcaan and telling lies about me and sending it to other countries?? I don’t know what cause but it needs to be off my name.
— Popcaan (@PopcaanMusic) January 12, 2022
“Ego will make you destroy yourself and a whole nation!!! Humility dweet,” the deejay said in an earlier tweet.
In the meantime, Popcaan is not the only artist who seems to have difficulty getting into the UK.
Earlier this month, Young Money rapper Lil Wayne was banned from entering the country due to his past criminal conviction despite being granted clemency for his crime by former President Donald Trump in 2021.
The singer was scheduled to be the headlining act at the Strawberries & Creem earlier this month.
While the Home Office has not addressed Popcaan’s claim, it did give an explanation for Lil Wayne being barred from entering the county, citing an immigration rule of law.
“Any individual who has been sentenced to a custodial sentence of 12 months or more must have their application refused,” the Home office said.
It also referenced Section 9.4.1 of the Immigration Rules, which highlights “persistent offender[s] who shows a particular disregard for the law,” and those who “committed a criminal offense, or offenses, which caused serious harm.”
Neither Minister Babsy Grange nor the Government of Jamaica has responded to Popcaan so far.
