Pa Salieu claims he has been removed from the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony next week because he failed a background check.

The rapper revealed on Twitter that he had been "removed from the show because 'I failed a background check'" after posting video of himself practicing for the ceremony.

During a brawl in 2018 in which his friend was fatally stabbed, Salieu was exonerated of engaging in violent disorder, according to BBC News.

However, he was found guilty of using a bottle as a weapon and had previously admitted to committing a second count of violent disorder for attacking a man shortly after the altercation. His final sentencing was due to be in May.

"Yesterday (August 1) I received a call to say that I'm being removed from the show because I "failed a background check," he wrote in a post about it. I can’t keep being silent about this stuff. Because the Home Office won't process the paperwork I need to travel abroad until my court case is over, I've already had to postpone 90% of my shows this year.

I have fully cooperated with the process. I attended court on time every single day. The trial ended in March, but they kept just moving the final sentencing date, which was due to be in May. Most recently the date moved because the ‘prosecutor has gone on holiday’.”

He continued: “I’ve consistently been trying to use my career to show people where I’m from that there is another life for us. One is away from the roads. But what can you do if the police, the justice system, and the home office don’t care about you and put everything possible in your way to stop you trying to get on with your life?

“Next week's performance should have been a celebration. What is the real reason here? How can you fail a "background check" to perform at a closing ceremony? What does that even mean? "

A spokesperson for the Games told NME it would not comment on individual cases but said everyone involved went through the same accreditation process.

The spokesperson added: “Everyone involved in the Games goes through the same accreditation process, including our volunteers, performers, athletes, contractors, and workforce. We cannot comment on individual accreditation applications. This process facilitates the delivery of the Games. "