When Donald Trump pardoned Lil Wayne and Kodak Black on his final day in office, some believed it was the result of a deal between the two wherein Wayne exchanged his endorsement for a pardon on the pending gun charges against him. Today, in an interview with the New York Times, Wayne’s lawyer Bradford Cohen explained how the meeting between the rapper and the hotel mogul took place, denying that Wayne endorsed Trump in exchange for a pardon. Instead, he credits a connection between the two for the move.
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 he will and can get it done.
pic.twitter.com/Q9c5k1yMWf
— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) October 29, 2020
“I think they had a very strong connection,” Cohen said. “He’s in the entertainment world. He’s got a style that’s similar in terms of the way that he carries himself, and a lot of rappers and people in the industry relate to that.” In this respect, his sentiments echo those of Barack Obama, who also posited that some rappers gravitated to Trump because of his personality and the trappings of wealth and fame he uses to surround himself.
Wayne was one of those rappers who drew criticism in the waning days of the Trump reelection campaign for endorsing him despite his controversial policies and rhetoric. Ice Cube, Lil Pump, and others were censured by their fans for praising Trump’s so-called “Platinum Plan,” which many believed was a pandering attempt to court the Black vote.