Donald Trump Grants Pardons ‘NBA YoungBoy’ in Major Clemency Move
Published on May 29, 2025 at 11:53 AM by Evance Kapito
Rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again, also known as NBA YoungBoy, is among the individuals who have been granted a presidential pardon by U.S. President Donald Trump, as part of a fresh wave of clemency decisions announced Wednesday.
The 25-year-old artist, born Kentrell Gaulden, was serving five years of supervised release following his 2024 conviction on federal gun charges and his recent release from Talladega FCI Prison in Alabama. He had been arrested in April 2024 at his home in Utah in connection with an alleged prescription drug fraud ring and possession of firearms as a convicted felon.
Reacting to the news, YoungBoy took to his Instagram Story to express his gratitude:
“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’m fully prepared to step into this.”
The presidential pardon effectively clears YoungBoy’s federal record and may significantly ease any travel or legal restrictions ahead of his planned tour later this year.
YoungBoy joins a list of other notable names to receive clemency in Trump’s latest executive order. Also granted relief was Larry Hoover, former leader of the Gangster Disciples, whose case has been long championed by artists including Drake and Kanye West. Ye reacted to the news on X, formerly Twitter, writing:
“WORDS CAN’T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DEVOTED ENDURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR FREEING LARRY HOOVER. Thank you Drake for helping to bring Larry Hoover home.”
Other high-profile names in this round of pardons include Michael “Harry O” Harris, cofounder of Death Row Records, former Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland, and ex-New York Representative Michael Grimm.
Trump previously used his presidential powers to pardon rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black during the final hours of his first term in 2021.
With this latest act of clemency, President Trump continues to shape his legacy through bold and often controversial decisions—this time giving one of rap’s most prolific stars a second chance at freedom.
XXL Magazine
