On his final full day as president of the United States (Jan. 19), Donald Trump issued a pardon for Kodak Black.
The rapper will now be freed from prison after serving over a year in jail for falsifying information on federal forms to buy four firearms from a Miami gun shop on two separate occasions. Kodak was originally supposed to serve his 46-month prison sentence until 2022 after federal prosecutors denied his request to have his sentence reduced. He reportedly did not provide them with a valid reason as to why his time in prison should be lowered.
“(Kodak Black) has not presented ‘extraordinary and compelling reasons’ supporting his request for release,” assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce O. Brown wrote in his motion. “Stated (for) correction: (Kodak) has not presented ANY reason supporting his request for release. He merely states he is not an evil person and promises to participate in community-based programs aimed at helping the ‘younger generation.’ That simply is inadequate pursuant to the statute.”
Earlier this month, Lil Yachty asked Trump to commute the “No Flockin’” emcee’s prison sentence. “Hey @realDonaldTrump. My friend @KodakBlack1k deserves to be commuted,” he tweeted on Jan. 4. “The system punished him way too hard for a paperwork crime. #FreeKodak.”
Months before Yachty issued his plea, Kodak made his own. He offered to donate $1 million to a charity if Trump pardoned him before leaving office. “If The President Them Free Me, I’m Gonna Spend 1 million on Charity within The First Year I’m Out. That’s on Everything,” the Florida native wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
Additionally, Kodak threw his support behind the president for reelection. He tweeted his thoughts on Trump’s Platinum Plan for Black America. “What do you think of the ‘Platinum Plan?’ (Bradford Cohen) sent it to me and I read it,” he tweeted last November. “This is what the community needs…. more ownership. That plan is right! I want to help with justice reform when I am out as well. @realDonaldTrump #justicereform #prisonreform.”
Welcome home, Kodak!