The Dogg is out the pound!

[Earth-Angel]

US rapper Snoop Dogg has been released from police custody following a fracas at London's Heathrow Airport.

The delay means he has been forced to cancel a gig in Johannesburg on Thursday night as part of South Africa's Freedom Day celebrations.

He left Heathrow police station after 1700 BST after being bailed to return to a West London police station in May.

The star and five others were arrested on suspicion of affray and violent disorder and held in custody overnight.

Police said 30 people were involved in a disturbance in a business lounge at Terminal 1 on Wednesday.

Seven police officers were left with minor injuries after the incident, which is alleged to have ensued after members of the rapper's entourage objected to being turned away from the facility.

'Became abusive'

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Police were called at 6pm last night to reports of a disturbance involving 30 people in a business lounge at Terminal 1.

"The party was told that they would not be permitted to board their flight and officers then attempted to direct the group to baggage reclaim.

"A number of the group became abusive and pushed officers."

The six men, all US citizens, were taken into custody at two west London police stations.

Travel ban

A British Airways spokeswoman said: "Given the nature of the disturbance they have been banned from travelling with BA for the foreseeable future."

Snoop Dogg, real name Calvin Broadus, started his career in the early 1990s as a rapper and has since branched out into acting, starring in the remake of Starsky and Hutch.

The 34-year-old is due to play two more dates in South Africa - in Durban on Saturday, 29 April, and Cape Town on Monday, 1 May.

But his spokesman said it was unclear whether those shows would go ahead.

bbc news