"Irrespective of whether he is innocent or not he has served his sentence and he is an inspirational figure for young people.
International reggae star Siccature Alcock popularly known as Jah Cure has been banned from Britain. British Home Office officials are understood to have barred Jah Cure from entering the UK as his presence would not 'be conducive to the public good'.
Jah Cure was due to travel to Britian this month to perform a series of near sold-out concerts including two at the Brixton Academy. Plans for his visit angered women's rights groups and campaigners who said it would be an insult to victims of rape.
The decision to ban the reggae star is believed to have been approved at the highest level, and have appeared to caught organisers of the tour by surprise. A spokeswoman for the Brixton Academy said it had not been informed.
Promoter Emma Sirius of Sirius Energy Productions Productions said: "It would be very sad if he could not come especially at this time in London when a lot of black youth are looking to someone like Jah Cure as an incentive to get them onto a better path. "Irrespective of whether he is innocent or not he has served his sentence and he is an inspirational figure for young people.
"He is part of the peace in the streets campaign. All he does is spread goodness."
Jah Cure, 29, was released from prison in July after serving eight years of a 12-year sentence for robbing and then raping of Suzanne Ferguson at gunpoint. In interviews, Cure says he wants to use his music as a form of rehabilitation. His new album True Reflections... A New Beginning was recorded behind bars.
He's become such a conscious person, and all his lyrics are about peace and love,' a spokeswoman for his promoter told the Voice. 'Regardless of the hard times he's been through, he's seen it as God's will and he's stronger for the experience.'
Cure has already been the target of hate campaigns. Two years ago, a Jamaican radio station stopped playing his music after it received death threats. After his conviction, however, there was a groundswell of support for Cure, so called because he smokes large amounts of marijuana, which fellow reggae artists say makes him look well preserved or 'cured'.
Campaigners against his visit are expected to welcome the decision.
SOURCE: Daily Mail and Observer World
reggae
The Cure's lyrics, as they say, are all about peace and love and he obviously wanted to get his message across if he recorded his album behind bars. He is an inspiration. People (I am a woman myself so don't think I don't understand) need to GET OVER IT and accept the fact that he has served his sentence... and people don't support him because he smokes weed... it's because he was INNOCENT. Pure injustice. can't you see that his concerts were nearly sold out? and the people are not buying his tickets because they think he raped a girl.....so what's the problem? they want to hear his music! his sweet, heart felt music! but JAH'S CURE is finally free and no matter if Britain don't want him, we all love him and his music, and AS LONG AS HE LIVES we will continue to welcome him with open arms.
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