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Rapper Salieu: 'I feel let down by the city I love'

Rosie Matheson Pa SalieuRosie Matheson
Rapper Pa Salieu comes from Hillfields in Coventry

Rapper Pa Salieu has said he feels "like I'm being let down by the city I love" after the cancellation of a hometown gig in Coventry.

In a tweet, he said: "Due to reasons beyond my control, the authorities have decided I can't play my Coventry show."

The BBC Sound of 2021 winner was due to perform at the Kasbah nightclub on 27 November.

Mr Salieu is currently on bail after denying charges of wounding with intent and violent disorder.

He is due to face trial in January 2022, but both West Midlands Police and Coventry City Council said they had no involvement in the cancellation of the gig.

The Kasbah nightclub has yet to comment.

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This is the second Pa Salieu gig in the city to be called off recently.

He had also been due to perform at the launch event Coventry's UK City of Culture year.

But the Coventry UK City of Culture Trust said: "Due to the live nature of the investigation at the time we were preparing for our launch event, Coventry Moves, it was decided that it would not be possible for Pa to be involved."

The award-winning rapper was arrested by police investigating the circumstances leading up to the death of Fidel Glasgow in Coventry in 2018.

The City of Culture trust said it continued to have an "on-going conversation with representatives of Pa Salieu" and hoped to work with him in future as it was continuing to programme events.

Coventry's tenure as UK City of Culture is due to end in May 2022.

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