Lil Wayne has been rapping for over two decades, and throughout that time, the New Orleans native has earned the respect of the hip-hop world for his lyrical abilities. At the same time, Wayne has found himself in legal trouble various times, even going to prison in 2010 for a weapons charge. A decade later in 2020, Wayne pled guilty to a federal weapons possession charge, leaving him facing up to 10 years in prison. But in January 2021, in the final hours of Donald Trump’s presidency, the 45th president used his pardon powers to give an executive grant of clemency to Wayne.
Lil Wayne was arrested on a federal weapons charge
Lil Wayne’s federal weapons charge stemmed from an incident in December 2019 at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport. According to the Miami Herald, Miami-Dade Police alerted federal authorities that a private plane transporting Lil Wayne from California to Florida also had marijuana and weapons on board. He was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Wayne pled guilty in December 2020 and faced a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Lil Wayne received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump
Donald Trump’s last week as president in January 2021 was marked by his impeachment as a result of inciting the deadly insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, and on the last day of his presidency, he chose to extend pardons and commute the sentences of several people convicted of crimes. Among those were rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.
The White House released a statement explaining the reasoning for pardoning Wayne — government name Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. — for his charge. “President Trump granted a full pardon to Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., also known as ‘Lil Wayne.’ Mr. Carter pled guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, owing to a conviction over 10 years ago,” the statement read.
“Brett Berish of Sovereign Brands, who supports a pardon for Mr. Carter, describes him as ‘trustworthy, kind-hearted and generous.’ Mr. Carter has exhibited this generosity through commitment to a variety of charities, including donations to research hospitals and a host of food banks,” the statement continued. “Deion Sanders, who also wrote in support of this pardon, calls Mr. Wayne ‘a provider for his family, a friend to many, a man of faith, a natural giver to the less fortunate, a waymaker, [and] a game changer.'”
Wayne, for his part, was thrilled to be getting the pardon. “I want to thank President Trump for recognizing that I have so much more to give to my family, my art, and my community,” Wayne said in a tweet following his pardon. “I also want to thank [attorney Bradford Cohen] for working so diligently to secure another chance for me. Love!”
Lil Wayne is going on tour in 2023
In the time since then, Wayne has enjoyed his status as a hip-hop legend and continued to release music in the form of the 2021 collaborative mixtape with Rich the Kid, Trust Fund Babies. He’s also teased the release of long-awaited albums Tha Carter IV and I Am Not a Human Being III.
In early 2023, Wayne announced that he was embarking on the Welcome to Tha Carter Tour in the spring of 2023. The tour will take him across the United States in April and May.
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