Lil Wayne delays European shows

Lil Wayne has postponed his forthcoming European shows, expected to kick off in Paris on Thursday, due to illness.

The rap star was set to play seven dates in Europe over the next 10 days, including the Roskilde Festival in Denmark and two dates in London.

An official statement said the musician had been forced to cancel the concerts due to "doctor-mandated rest".

"Lil Wayne extends an apology to his fans for the short notice of this postponement," a statement said.

"But [he] looks forward to returning for the performances and visitation with his fans," the statement continued.

Fans have been advised to hold on to their tickets and wait for details of revised dates.

The shows were due to take place in Paris, Roskilde, London, Amsterdam, Liege and Thurgau in Switzerland.

Court case

The 26-year-old rapper - real name Dwayne Carter - was the top-selling artist in the US last year.

His sixth album, Tha Carter III, was the first to sell more than a million copies in a week in the US, for more than three years.

Earlier this year, the musician won four Grammy awards, including best rap album.

He is due in court next month over charges of possessing drugs and a handgun on his tour bus in Arizona in January 2008.

The star denies the charges.

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