From Enemy of the State to Hero
Of all the controversial artists that Fidel Castro could’ve banned, he chose John Lennon. John freaking Lennon, an advocate for peace who was vehemently against the Vietnam War. Apparently, to Castro’s ears, John’s music was a bit too American-y, and it diverted Cuba’s citizens from what mattered most: working the sugar cane fields.
However, 20 years after John Lennon passed away, old Fiddy did a 180-degree turn and deemed the deceased Beatles’ member as a hero. The country even constructed a park named after him, with a bronze statue and all. See? He played both sides, so he’d always end up on top.