Chris Brown, Lil Wayne Spent Covid Relief Aid on Parties, Private Jets, and More: Report

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.

While the initial report did not contain any details on how that money was used, accounting records obtained by Insider show that some of the funds were spent in ways that may not be illegal, but which Senator Gary Peters called “an abuse of federal resources.” 

(As Rolling Stone previously reported, an array of different pandemic relief programs opened the door to wide-scale fraud and questionable uses of taxpayer money.)

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. 

Lil Wayne, meanwhile, received an $8.9 million grant, spending $1.38 million on private jets and more than $460,000 on clothes, including an array of high-end fashion items like a $1,900 Balenciaga sweater and a $950 pair of Marni pants, according to Insider. Wayne also allegedly used $15,000 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. 

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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. Reps for Wayne and Brown did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s requests for comment.

Marshmello (real name Christopher Comstock) was reportedly able to pocket the entire $9.9 million grant his touring company received, because he’d made more than that amount from touring in 2019. A rep for the DJ-producer did not return a request for comment.

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Alice In Chains’ touring company, AIC Entertainment, similarly used some of its $4.1 million grant to pay staff and various contractors (like equipment rental firms and videographers), per the report. 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. Dachroeden died earlier this year, and a source told Insider that Alice in Chains didn’t provide much financial support after the diagnosis, pointing Dachroeden instead to a charity that helps with medical bills. 

Alice In Chains’ frontman and guitarist Jerry Cantrell received $1.4 million of SVOG funds, while drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Inez each took about $682,000, per the report. A rep for Alice In Chains did not return a request for comment.