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Dubai has managed to become an attractive destination for foreigners despite the strict laws tourists are required to abide by while there, and one rapper who decided to flaunt one of them has found himself hit with a lengthy jail sentence as a result.
Toward the end of the 20th century, the United Arab Emirates decided to devote some of the seemingly endless oil money at its disposal to turn Dubai into an international trade and commerce powerhouse, and over the past few decades, the city has transformed into a crown jewel built on a foundation of ostentatious shows of wealth.
In 2022, Dubai welcomed more than 14 million tourists who headed there to take advantage of its architectural feats, beaches, and many luxury shopping options, and while it’s impossible to deny its status as a travel hotspot, there are also plenty of ways to end up in hot water if you’re not careful.
The UAE is governed by an Islamic monarchy that largely subscribes to Sharia law, and while Dubai has relaxed some of the strict legal regulations that were previously in place in an attempt to court more foreigners, the consumption of alcohol is restricted to designated areas and the use of any drug is firmly forbidden.
That includes marijuana, as consumption and possession can result in some incredibly harsh punishments (a man who tested positive for weed because he legally ingested it for medical use in America prior to visiting Dubai in 2021 was detained for months before being deported).
According to Clash, Fredo—a British rapper hailing from London—was reportedly sentenced to five years in jail earlier this week a few months after he was arrested for possession of cannabis while on vacation in Dubai. While that violation carries a charge of up to three years, it appears authorities determined he had enough weed on him to justify charging him with intent to sell, which is accompanied by a harsher punishment.
In 2023, a Nigerian rapper named Burna Boy claimed he’d turned down a $5 million payday to perform in Dubai because he wouldn’t be allowed to smoke weed while there, and while I think most people would be able to abstain when presented with that kind of incentive, that was probably a pretty good call based on the repercussions that come with being unable to exercise some self-control.