Roddy Ricch denied entry by Canada Border Services: "I'm tired of the harassment"
Fans at a Post Malone concert in Vancouver this weekend were left disappointed when Roddy Ricch, the opening act, was a no-show.
The American rapper and songwriter says he wasn’t able to join Post Malone at Rogers Arena Sunday night as a result of issues at the US-Canada border.
He posted about it on Instagram and alleges he was denied entry into Canada and harassed by border officials.
“The Federal Border Patrol did not allow me into Vancouver, BC. I apologize to my fans,” his Instagram story reads. “I don’t believe I’ll be revisiting Canada anytime soon because they’ve harassed me every time I’ve come and Imma be completely honest, I’m tired of the harassment.”
This was the second and last Canadian stop on Post Malone’s Twelve Carat Tour, but the Vancouver show was his only Canadian tour date with Roddy Ricch as the opener, according to Live Nation’s website.
The previous Canadian stop in Toronto had another opener.
jordanleigh.photo/Instagram
Canada does have very strict entry rules, which could make someone inadmissible, including a criminal record. Roddy Ricch was arrested for felony domestic violence in 2019.
That said, several artists who have criminal records have been allowed to perform in Canada before.
“Admissibility is decided case-by-case and based on the information made available at the time of entry. Several factors are used in determining if an individual is admissible to Canada, including involvement in criminal activity, human rights violations, organized crime, security, health or financial reasons,” the Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson Rebecca Purdy said, adding that the CBSA cannot release private information on specific cases.
This incident is the second high-profile issue with officials in recent months at the border.
The Zac Brown Band cancelled a show in October just moments before it was set to go ahead due to border issues that prevented one or more of the members from entering the country.
Zac Brown Band/Facebook
“Some of our crew members had charges on their records from over a decade ago that have since been removed. Our team has regularly performed in Canada for 10 years, including two performances this year alone,” a statement from the band reads in part.Â
“Each time we’ve come to Canada, we have been at the mercy of a single border agent who decides who is allowed in to work, and unfortunately, not everyone was able to make it in the country last night,” the band’s Facebook post read.
Daily Hive has reached out to Roddy Ricch’s management and Live Nation, which produced the tour, for their statements.
This story will be updated when they respond.
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