Snoop Dogg Arrested At Heathrow Airport

Rap superstar Snoop Dogg has been arrested at London's Heathrow Airport along with five members of his entourage. The incident that injured seven police officers ensued after Snoop Dogg (aka Snoop Doggy Dogg) and members of his gang were denied access to a private lounge in the airport.

The dispute arose from the fact that only 3 members of the 30-strong posse had First Class tickets, and, as such, the rest of the group was denied access to the business lounge, and asked to wait outside. E Online reports that the group would not stay in the lounge, and instead moved to the duty-free shop "where they reportedly started hurling bottles of whiskey around the store and arguing with shop employees."

According to the BBC, a spokesperson for Scotland Yard said "Police were called at 6pm last night to reports of a disturbance involving 30 people in a business lounge at Terminal 1." The BBC went to on to quote the spokesperson discussing Snoop Dogg's banning from the flight he was to take to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was to play a concert. "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."

At this point, one of the members of Snoop Dogg (real name Calvin Broadus) become violent, and allegedly attack police. A witness was quoted by The Sun as saying "The officer was around 6ft 2ins but he picked him up like a little kid and sent him flying.". Seven policemen were injured in the exchange, including one that sustained a broken hand.

A witness, quoted by the Daily Mirror said of the scene "It was absolute chaos - there was broken glass everywhere and it looked like it was on the brink of turning really nasty. It wasn't clear what sparked it but Snoop was livid."

As for British Airways take on the incident, the BBC quoted a spokesperson from BA as saying "Given the nature of the disturbance they have been banned from travelling with BA for the foreseeable future."

Calvin Broadus originally took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg, but changed it to Snoop Dogg in 1996 when he left Death Row Records to join No Limit Records. A member of Crips gang as a youth, Snoop Dogg would also face a public trial for being complicit in the shooting death on an obsessed fan though he would be acquitted on grounds of self-defense. Snoop Dogg had huge success with his 1993 album Doggystyle, and followed that up 1996's The Doggfather. Another smash hit album was Da Game is to be Sold Not to be Told. Snoop also co-produced Murder was the Case with Marion "Suge" Knight. Snoop's hit singles include "Gin and Juice", "Who am I (What's My Name)" and more recently, "Drop It Like It's Hot" featuring Pharrell. Snoop Dogg has also appeared in films including Old School and Starsky & Hutch, as well as Training Day.

[Additional Sources: E Online, BBC, The Sun, Daily Mirror]

- Doug Pendrell