Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and Alice In Chains Among Artists Allegedly Using COVID Relief Funds for Parties, Travel, and Luxury Goods

Use of COVID-19 Relief Funds

Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and Alice in Chains are reportedly among the artists who have used U.S. taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief grants for luxury items, travel, and parties.

Details of Spending

The funding, known as the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, was signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2020 to support musicians and venues affected by pandemic closures.

A recent report from Business Insider revealed that several major artists, including Wayne, Brown, and Alice in Chains, claimed millions from the grant before spending it extravagantly.

The publication alleges that Wayne received $8.9 million from the taxpayer-funded grant, of which he spent over $1.3 million on private jet travel and more than $460,000 on clothing and accessories from luxury brands like Gucci and Balenciaga.

The rapper also reportedly allocated $175,000 for “a music festival promoting his marijuana brand GKUA” and paid for “flights and luxury hotel rooms for women with unclear connections to Lil Wayne’s tour, including a waitress from a Hooters-type restaurant and a porn actress.”

Insider also claims that Wayne demanded $88,000 for a concert in Coachella, California, which he ultimately did not perform. When approached via text message for a comment, Wayne allegedly responded with “overtly sexual advances to the reporter and did not answer questions.”

Chris Brown’s Expenditures

In another case, artist and athlete management company NKSFB received at least $207 million in grant funding, with $7 million allocated to themselves. Chris Brown’s touring company, CBE Touring, is said to have received $10 million, while Brown himself took home $5.1 million.

The report suggests that Brown used $80,000 of the grant to host a birthday party featuring an LED dance floor costing $3,650 and $2,100 for “atmosphere models” comprised of naked women in body paint, as detailed in expense reports by a party organizer. Additionally, over $29,000 was spent on hookahs, bottle service, “nitrogen ice cream,” and rental furniture damage.

Brown supposedly spent $24,000 on a tour bus trip to Mexico, during which he stayed for a month without performing but filmed a music video with Jack Harlow. He did not provide comments regarding the allegations made in the report.

It appears both Brown and Wayne utilized some of the SVOG funds for touring-related expenses, with Wayne’s show contractors receiving over $327,000 and Brown expending more than $383,000 on crew salaries.

Marshmello (real name Christopher Comstock) reportedly obtained nearly $10 million, the highest amount awarded to any single musician, as he earned more than that from touring in 2019.

Insider further claims that members of Alice In Chains collectively received $3.4 million, with frontman and guitarist Jerry Cantrell taking home $1.4 million and drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez receiving approximately $682,000 each.

While part of their grant was allocated to staff and various contractors (such as equipment rental firms and videographers), records allegedly indicate that the funds were not used for employee benefits, including health insurance for their touring crew. Scott Duckroden, a guitar technician and travel photographer for the band, was diagnosed with cancer at the end of 2022.

The group created a GoFundMe page to support Duckroden’s treatment, stating on Twitter/X: “He has no health insurance and now can’t work to pay his bills.” He has since passed away.

NME reached out to representatives of Alice In Chains for comment.