Snoop Dogg's Australian tour in doubt due to criminal past

Melbourne, Aug 27 : American rapper Snoop Dogg's Australian tour seems to be hanging in the air as the Federal Government has decided to investigate his criminal history.

Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr, had applied for a visa to Australia last month for a planned tour in October with fellow hip-hop star Ice Cube.

He had been given provisional approval for the visa by the Immigration Department last week, but the tour once again seems to be in doubt because the department has decided to carry out a full assessment of Snoop Dogg's character before granting a visa.

A department spokesman said that the provisional approval was given after a preliminary assessment of Snoop Dogg's character.

"That process is in line with the procedures established by the previous government on the consideration of visa applicants," News.com.au quoted him as saying.

"Mr Broadus has not been granted a visa, there are further steps required beyond character assessment before a visa is granted. "The department has now decided to do a full assessment of the character of Mr Broadus," he added.

Snoop Dogg withdrew his application for a visa to Australia last year when he failed to pass the character requirements for a visa, after pleading no contest to gun and drug charges in the United States.

The Immigration Department denied it was responding to public complaints from victims of crime groups.

"Community complaints have no effect on the grant or otherwise of a visa. Each application is assessed individually on its merits," a spokesman said.

ANI