Swollen Members emcee linked to Hells Angels
Shane Bunting, a.k.a. Mad Child, of the Vancouver-based hip hop group Swollen Members, has been denied entry to the U.S. American officials haven’t confirmed their reasoning, but Bunting says he was turned back from the border after being held several hours and then questioned over his links to members of the Hells Angels biker gang. He has now been banned from the U.S., which will likely mean the Juno-winning group will have to cancel a North American tour planned for this spring. Bunting admits he was charged with assault when he was a minor, but has no other criminal record. However, in 2007, a SWAT team showed up at his Kelowna, B.C. home looking for the owner of a Dodge Ram pickup truck owned by a Hells Angels member that was parked in his driveway. In addition, three Hells Angels members appeared in his 2003 music video in full gang colours and Swollen Members performed at a show last September which was billed as a make-up session for warring gang members.