Rap music stars Lil Wayne and Kodak Black were on the list of more than 140 people who were pardoned or commuted by outgoing US President Donald Trump on the last day of his term.
They were joined by Michael "Harry-O" Harris, co-founder of rap label Death Row Records (Death Row Records), after Snoop Dogg campaigned on his behalf.
Contrary to expectations, Joe Exotic, star of the popular TV program Tiger King (Tiger King), was absent from the list of those pardoned.
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Here are some possible answers to why Trump pardoned rap stars.
Lil Wayne 'Reliable and Generous'
Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., was found guilty last year of possession of a weapon on a federal indictment.
The 38-year-old was found to be carrying a gun and ammunition when police searched a private jet in Miami in December 2019.
He faced up to 10 years in prison.
He is one of the biggest stars in rap music, with five albums that reached the top of the US music charts and 40 top singles, more than any other artist, except Drake.
He met with Trump and endorsed him on the campaign trail late last year, praising his work on criminal justice reform.
Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what he's done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the community real ownership. He listened to what we had to say today and assured that he will and can get it done. 🤙🏾 pic.twitter.com/Q9c5k1yMWf
— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) October 29, 2020
The White House announced that his pardon was advocated by Brett Berish, CEO of wine and spirits company Sovereign Brands, who described Lil Wayne as "trustworthy, kind-hearted and generous."
The statement from the White House also states that the rapper "showed generosity, participating in charitable actions, including donations to research hospitals and numerous food banks."
Dion Sanders, who also supported the pardon, called him "a man of family values, a friend to many, a man of faith, a sincere helper of those in need, a true example for others, a man who changes things."
"President Trump and his administration have been tireless advocates for the rights of the African-American community," attorney Bradford Cohen, who represents both Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, told the magazine. Rolling Stone.
"These pardons are a perfect example of the Trump administration following through on its own reforms and commitments."
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Kodak Black "supported poor children"
The 2018-year-old, whose real name is Bill K. Capri, had the number one album in America in XNUMX.
In 2019, he was sentenced to almost four years in prison for making a false statement about the purchase of weapons.
Now his sentence has been commuted, and the White House is praising his charitable works.
"Black is a prominent artist and community leader," officials said.
"He has pledged to support various charitable efforts, such as providing educational resources to students and families of fallen police officers and the poor," they said.
He also "paid for notebooks for school children, provided funds and supplies for centers for the socially disadvantaged, provided food for the hungry and gave money for poor children during Christmas."
And while behind bars, he gave $50.000 to small businesses affected by the coronavirus in his Florida hometown.
Religious leaders such as Ohio pastor and former Trump adviser Darrell Scott and Rabbi Schneuer Kaplan have supported the campaign for his pardon, as has former New York Police Commissioner Bernie Carrick - who was pardoned by Trump last year.
Kodak Black also had the support of activist Hunter Pollack, whose sister was killed in a school shooting in 2018, and fellow artists Gucci Mane, Lil Pump and Lil Yachty.
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Michael Harris was a "mentor to fellow inmates"
Michael "Harry-O" Harris, who served 32 years for attempted murder and cocaine trafficking, was pardoned after Snoop Dogg - signed to Death Row Records - lobbied for him.
According to the White House, the 59-year-old "behaved exemplary in prison for decades".
In addition to studying while in prison, he "taught fellow inmates how to start and run a business," it explained.
But Exotic Joe was not spared
Finally, Exotic Joe's name was frequently mentioned on social media, as he fell off the pardon list at the last minute, despite different expectations.
He is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence for his involvement in conspiracy to commit murder and animal cruelty.
Last year, the zoo in Oklahoma, formerly owned by the star of the Netflix documentary, was handed over to the management of Carol Baskin - the woman for whom he was convicted of attempted murder.
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