No sooner had news of Chris Brown’s concert in Mombasa been announced, than Kenyans got excited to welcome the R n’ B megastar with some even pledging part of their salaries for the Sh10,000 per person ticket. Women were even more excited, needless to say. The irony, according to someone who commented online, was lost on them.
“The same Kenyans who had demanded for Koffi Olomide’s deportation welcome Chris Brown so warmly despite his previous domestic violence records.”
Perhaps Kenya is rather flexible in regards to visa allowances and regulations for celebrities checking in for concerts, but the script reads different in countries like Japan, Australia, Britain and Canada – where Chris Brown has been banned before - and many other nations where bans are strictly enforced.
Chris Brown
His assault on then celebrity girlfriend Rihanna left the world in shock with female activists across the world demanding for harsh punishment against him. Despite a fast rising career back then Chris encountered so much backlash that countries like Britain and Australia cancelled his concerts on account of his record.
“If you are going to commit domestic violence and you want to travel around the world there are going to be countries that say to you: ‘You cannot come”,” Australia’s minister for women said at the time.
Koffi Olomide
After a successful concert at the Koroga festival, fans kept asking that the rhumba maestro comes back to Kenya for yet another show. Come back he did, but a few minutes after touch down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Koffi was under siege for beating up his dancer.
Consequently, the rhumba maestro was forced to explain his actions but Kenyans would not have any of his excuses; the star was deported back to Kinshasa where authorities were expected to deal with him.
Miley Cyrus
Quite the “wrecking ball”, Miley has attracted her train of controversy and comes across as bad influence to teens especially over the last few years. As if her raunchy twerking wasn’t enough to get her banned, the star also got prohibited from performing in China due to a leaked photo that showed her pulling a racist pose with friends.
“Miley is no friend of China. We have no interest in further polluting our children’s minds with her American ignorance,” a Chinese official stated.
Justin Bieber
Perhaps his popular track Sorry can be used to atone for any outrageous activities he may have committed including spitting on fans, leaking explicit pictures of himself and sending bodyguards to attack a photographer outside a Buenos Aires nightclub.
It was the photographer’s assault that left authorities and fans agitated in Buenos Aires to the extent that a warrant of arrest was sent out should he set foot in Argentina. It means Bieber could be facing 1 month to 6 years in prison should he enter the South American country upon a judge’s pronouncement.
Erykah Badu
The neo-soul starlet was banned from Malaysia in 2010 after a promotional picture showed her with the Arabic word for ‘Allah’ painted across her shoulders. For such countries where religion is highly upheld, Erykah immediately rubbed citizens the wrong way and the country’s information minister declared a ban on all her concerts within Malaysia.
Snoop Dogg
He may have the power to transform his art and stage name, but Snoop was denied power to enter the United Kingdom for years after an incident in Heathrow airport during which members of his entourage fought with security guards. He’s been allowed to visit since 2010. Authorities in Norway also banned him from visiting for two years in 2012 because of past convictions, and he’s banned from going to Australia for the foreseeable future for the same reason. Oh Snoop!
Bobi Wine, Shaba Ranks, Buju Banton
Quite vocal about his convictions on the whole LGBT issue, Shaba Ranks started a musical wave with utterances that did not augur too well with the western world. In the quest to promote freedom and safety of its citizens, the United Kingdom authorities cancelled Shaba Rank’s visa and went ahead to ban his music, with some suggesting that this could have led to the decline of his musical career.
Bobi Wine has been denied a visa to visit the UK this month after gay rights campaigners accused him of inciting homophobic attacks in his song lyrics, according to reports, the petition questioned the use of the lyrics such as: “Burn all the butty man. All Ugandans get behind me and fight the butty man.” Then found this basis enough to place a ban.
“I hope that the proponents of homosexuality who pride themselves in their liberalism and support for human rights, will allow me my right of expression much as they may not be comfortable with my opinion,” he said.
