BI: Chris Brown, Lil Wayne spent Covid relief aid on parties, private jets ...

[Duolingo 160,816]

Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Alice in Chains, and other artists spent massive Covid relief money on luxury items, travel, and themselves, according to a new report from Business Insider. 

The piece is a follow up of sorts to a 2023 Insider story that revealed some of the big name artists who reportedly tapped into the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program. This program was meant to provide relief to shuttered venues and other businesses tied to the live entertainment industry — which did include the companies artists start to handle the touring side of their business.

• Chris Brown’s company CBE Touring reportedly received $10 million, about half of which went to Brown personally. Documents also suggest he used $80,000 of the SVOG money on his 33rd birthday party, including more than $29,000 on hookahs, bottle service, “nitrogen ice cream,” and covering damages to rented couches, plus $2,100 on “atmosphere models” (described as nude women in body paint). Another $24,000 was reportedly used for Brown to take his tour bus to Mexico, where he stayed for a month, did not perform, but did spend a few days filming a music video with Jack Harlow.   And more than $179,000 of the grant went toward a celebrity basketball tournament broadcast on YouTube.

• Lil Wayne received an $8.9 million grant, spending $1.38 million on private jets and more than $460k on clothes, including an array of high-end fashion items like a $1,9k Balenciaga sweater and a $950 pair of Marni pants, according to Insider. Wayne also allegedly used $15k to cover flights and luxury hotel rooms for women, including a waitress at a Hooters-style restaurant and an adult film actress. Other SVOG funds allegedly went to settling a debt owed to an ex-manager, covering commissions for another manager, and paying lawyers. 

It does appear that both Brown and Wayne used some of the SVOG money on touring-related expenses. Contractors for Wayne’s shows received over $327,000, while Brown spent more than $383,000 on crew payroll.

• Marshmello was reportedly able to pocket the entire $9.9M (more than any other musician who received grant money) grant his touring company received, because he’d made more than that amount from touring in 2019.

• Alice In Chains’ touring company, AIC Entertainment, similarly used some of its $4.1M grant to pay staff and various contractors (like equipment rental firms and videographers). They told the government only that the money was "necessary." But the month before they took their grant payments, the band members recorded about $48 million in income from selling the copyrights on their catalog. 
But none of that money went to things like health insurance, which left the band’s guitar tech and photographer, Scott Dachroeden, in a precarious position when he was diagnosed with cancer in 2022 and had to start a GoFundMe.  Alice in Chains didn’t provide much financial support after the diagnosis, pointing Dachroeden instead to a charity that helps with medical bills. 

• Steve Aoki's loan-out company, DJ Kid Millionaire Touring, used $2.4 million in grant money on payroll costs, of which $1.9 million was officer pay. Aoki is the company's only officer. 
source source

[TheSine 6,840]

That's messed up...

[Squidward T 2,437]

This makes my blood boil, stop streaming their songs 

[Emvee 8,781]

This is why companies need to be REGULATED. The “Small government” argument basically means we want scammers to get away with the scam. 

Laissez Faire economics, Reaganism, libertarianism, whatever you want to call it… is the just another way the rich get to use us as their piggy bank. Tax cuts, “sweet deals”, impunity, but don’t you dare ask for a living wage, loan forgiveness, or single payer healthcare… you might be labeled a socialist or a terrorist. 

[PartySick 171,652]

I'm well past ready to add millionaires to the "billionaires shouldn't be allowed to exist" belief.

[27monster27 15,656]

First Lil Wayne gets to be bitter about not getting the Superbowl and now about this being exposed. 

[Economy 52,538]

1 hour ago, PartySick said:

I'm well past ready to add millionaires to the "billionaires shouldn't be allowed to exist" belief.

How much is a millionaire now a days? Where i live having $1M means ull still have a slight mortgage

[PartySick 171,652]

9 hours ago, Economy said:

How much is a millionaire now a days? Where i live having $1M means ull still have a slight mortgage

So if you have a mortgage in Canada, into the meat grinder you go  

No, I mean these multi-millioniares. Let's ballpark it at 300 million+.

People with small fortunes could earn them at 150k+ salaried jobs over a few decades, which is fine and hopefully honest work.

[Shakmasda 258]

And several small businesses never recovered from Covid times and went bankrupt.  Oh the luck of the mighty.

[Economy 52,538]

5 hours ago, PartySick said:

So if you have a mortgage in Canada, into the meat grinder you go  

No, I mean these multi-millioniares. Let's ballpark it at 300 million+.

People with small fortunes could earn them at 150k+ salaried jobs over a few decades, which is fine and hopefully honest work.

Haha i figured u meant multi millionaires but I was teasing

 

Imo i think even a few million is ok. If u take some big risks and start a business and it grows u should be allowed to enjoy the success. Its when u start to get to very exorbitant numbers like $25M to $50M+ i think theres a really big issue

 

Cant put an exact number. But i think the point is if taxes were more fair (especially in capital gains), if minimum wages made more sense and exploitation wasnt so rampant, it would be very difficult for anyone to get much richer than that anyway

 

If you managed to run an honest business, payed ur workers a decent wage, and payed ur fair share of taxes and somehow still made $50M or more because you just ran your business that well, then I think that would be fine

 

The issue is the unfairness that the more u have the easier it is to make more with little effort. Over the last year i gained about 90K but I made 60K sitting on my ass making a few investments and pressed a few buttons meanwhile the other 30k i saved from my salary involved exhausting labor all year and my spending as little as possible

 

But i wont apologize for my easy gains cuz my net worth is only like $220K. When i buy my condo I will still have a painful mortgage, im still only making $45K salary in USD and Im cheap as fck so i can save