Gorillaz star Damon Albarn has criticised the Australian government's decision to ban Snoop Dogg, insisting it will only serve to raise the rapper's profile even more. The hip-hop star has been denied entry to the country since April (07) when he was due to appear at the MTV Australia Video Music Awards. Lawmakers agreed his criminal record - which includes convictions for drugs and firearms offences in the U.S. - was sufficient grounds to exclude him indefinitely.However, Albarn can't understand the logic behind the decision, insisting it won't harm the rapper at all.He says, "(Australia) is just making his franchise even stronger by banning him. So they're doing the total opposite of what they're trying to do. "He can't lose."Last year (06) Britain's Home Office also banned Snoop Dogg from entering the country after a disturbance at London's Heathrow Airport. Albarn who is best known for fronting 90's band Blur also criticised Live 8 claiming that there were not enough black artists in the line-up. His out burst resulted in Snoop Dogg, Ms. Dynamite and Youssou N'Dour being added to the list of performers.

Albarn also made his views on war very public openly criticising the United States and there wars in Iraq and Afganistan.

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