Visa ban lifted on gangsta rapper Snoop Dogg

BANNED rapper Snoop Dogg has been granted a visa to perform in Australia.

Ban lifted ... Snoop Dogg will be able to travel to Australia in October / AP

BANNED rapper Snoop Dogg has been granted a visa to perform in Australia.

Dogg, 38, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, will tour in October - despite a long rap sheet that stopped a planned visit last year.

Immigration officials yesterday confirmed Dogg was given a visa on character grounds.

"A visa will be granted to enable a 17-day visit from October 21," a department spokesman said.

"His application has been approved on character grounds."

In April 2007, former immigration minister Kevin Andrews blocked Dogg from entering the country on character grounds.

His rap sheet includes:

A LONG list of drugs, firearms and weapons charges since 1990.

A MURDER acquittal in 1996 after a man was killed by gunfire from a vehicle the rapper was in.

A BAN on entering Britain following a brawl at Heathrow Airport two years ago.

But Australian officials said Dogg passed tests and assessments in his latest visit bid.

This week, tour promoter Andrew McManus will announce a gangsta rap double bill of Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube.

But family and victim support groups want Dogg's visit stopped.

"Snoop Dogg trades in toxic messages of menace, violence, misogyny and lawlessness," Angela Conway, of the Australian Family Association, said.

"To add to the fire, he's actually had issues with firearms and drugs."

Noel McNamara, of Victims Of Crime Assistance League, will make a formal complaint to immigration officials.

"What's wrong with these social engineers to let such a person into the country?" Mr McNamara said. "There is enough violence in the community without importing violent rappers from America."

Dogg toured Australia in February last year.

Mr Andrews said he over stayed his visa by two days and was given an official warning.

Two months later, when Dogg tried to return for the MTV Australia Awards, his visa application was refused.

But yesterday a source said Dogg had not been banned. He had withdrawn his visa application.

Snoop Dogg is a pioneer of so-called gangsta rap.

His explicit rhymes often cite guns, drugs, violence and misogyny of Los Angeles gang life.

Last year, in a US television interview, Dogg said he was trying to stay out of trouble.

"Change is going to come . . . I'm about doing more right than wrong," he said.