Rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black were both on the list of 100-plus pardons released Wednesday by President Donald Trump in his last full day in office.
As Breitbart News reported, Lil Wayne was charged last November with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Wayne, whose 2016 single “No Problem” won the Best Rap Performance Grammy, later pleaded guilty to the charge which related to an incident on a chartered jet in December, 2019. He faced a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
The five-time Grammy Award winner, whose legal name is Dwayne Carter Jr., previously backed Trump’s criminal justice reform program and economic plan for black Americans.
For his apparent endorsement of Trump, Lil Wayne received widespread mockery. NBC’s Saturday Night Live also mocked rapper Ice Cube’s support for the president, while actor Michael McKean, who is white, called Lil Wayne a “sellout.”
Kodak Black, 23, who was born Bill Kahan Kapri, is in federal prison for making a false statement to buy a firearm. Kodak Black pleaded guilty in August 2019, and three months later was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison.
He sought compassionate release and his commutation was supported by religious leaders, other rappers and athletes, as Breitbart News reported. Kodak Black sentence was commuted by Trump.
In total, the departing president pardoned and commuted the sentences of 143 people in his final hours of office. Among others, the list of pardons also includes Death Row Records’ co-founder and convicted felon Michael “Harry O” Harris. His commutation comes after Snoop Dogg reportedly lobbied the White House for his release.
The long-awaited final list of pardons and commutations in Trump’s presidency was released early Wednesday morning just hours before Trump planned to leave the White House to his post-presidency home in Florida.
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