Politics

Donald Trump Pardons Rapper NBA YoungBoy

By Gabe Whisnant

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump pardoned rapper Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, known as NBA YoungBoy, the White House confirmed to Newsweek via email.

Rising to fame in the mid-2010s, the Louisiana native has been arrested multiple times since 2014, with charges ranging from robbery and attempted murder to drug and firearm offenses.

NBA YoungBoy's Remarks After Trump's Pardon
In a statement posted to social media, the rapper said, "I want to thank President Trump for granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building - as a man, as a father, and as an artist. "This moment means a lot. It opens the door to a future I've worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this."

He also thanked Trump's "Pardon Czar," Alice Johnson.

YoungBoy continued, "Big thanks to the Pardon Czar, Ms. Alice Marie Johnson, for fighting for second chances for so many people, and to my lawyer, Brittany K. Barnett, for being in my corner and all your hard work to make this possible. And thank you to everyone who believed in me."

Associated Press
Kentrell Gaulden, also known as NBA YoungBoy, arrives for a hearing in 1st District Court, on May 9, 2024, in Logan, Utah. Associated Press
What to Know
From Baton Rouge, Louisiana, YoungBoy is a prominent American rapper known for his emotionally raw music and relentless output. Rising to fame with mixtapes like 38 Baby and AI YoungBoy, he quickly gained a loyal following for his confessional style and gritty portrayal of street life.

Despite limited mainstream media presence, his projects frequently top the charts, and he boasts billions of views on YouTube. He has 16.3 million monthly Spotify listeners with more than 15 billion total streams on the 681 songs in which he appears.

In 2024, while under house arrest in Utah, the rapper was arrested for allegedly running a prescription drug fraud ring out of his multimillion-dollar home.

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He faced 63 charges, including identity fraud and forgery. An extensive plea agreement resulted in a 23-month federal prison sentence, a $25,000 fine, and five years of supervised probation following his release.

With credit for time served, he was released in April and transferred to a halfway house in Phoenix, Arizona, to complete the remainder of his sentence under supervision. He served 11 months of his 23-month sentence.

His decade-long history of arrests has not seemed to slow his productivity as YoungBoy has released numerous albums and mixtapes while incarcerated or under legal restrictions.

The White House didn't explain why Trump pardoned the rapper. The pardon forgives YoungBoy's federal crimes, though it does not erase any convictions from the record or imply innocence.

Trump's move to pardon YoungBoy comes amid a flurry of pardons for convicted Americans, mostly for those he feels fell victim to a politicized and weaponized justice system.

It was also announced on Wednesday that the president commuted the sentence of former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover, who had been serving a life sentence at a supermax prison in Colorado.

Hoover's son, Larry Hoover Jr., has been outspoken about his father's time in jail, and was featured in the rapper Kanye West's 2021 song "Jesus Lord." The artist now known as Ye and Drake then held a concert calling for Hoover's release.

Ye also spoke to Trump in the Oval Office during his first term in 2018, advocating for Hoover's work while in prison.

What People Are Saying
Conservative commentator George Behizy posted on X, formerly Twitter, "I'm not necessarily supportive of pardoning thugs like YoungBoy, but he should now live like a normal, law-abiding human. His music should be wholesome. No more rapping about 'ops' and 'gangs.'"

In a separate post, Behizy said, "We don't have to pardon rappers and gang leaders. We can pardon real heroes who deserve it. Pardon Snowden. Pardon Assange."

Political analyst Dominic Michael Trippi wrote on X, "NBA Youngboy pardon before the Epstein files. Unserious and ridiculous."

What Happens Next
The rapper's upcoming 27-city concert run, which begins on September 2 in Dallas, is called the Make America Smile Again (MASA) Tour in an apparent homage to Trump.

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