Lil Jon reportedly received hundreds of thousands of dollars and defended himself against critics who said he didn’t need the money.
Days after it was announced that Kanye West reportedly received a $2 Million PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) Loan from the government to help pay his employees, news circulated that Lil Jon had also followed suit. Immediately, the multi-talented producer was met with backlash about taking between “$150,000 and $350,000, according to the Small Business Administration and Treasury Department,” said Rolling Stone. Lil Jon spoke with the outlet to explain why it was necessary for him to receive government assistance during the pandemic.
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“Touring is a main source of income, and since COVID has become a part of our lives, I’ve been off the road for months and likely will be for at least the rest of the year,” Lil Jon said. “Like many other artists, I got a team, and these are folks that help support me/my career … so I’m doin’ what I can to support them during all this.”
Each week, the rapper has been putting on live DJ sets since he can’t make money touring. However, those sets cost money. “To do these streams right every week, there’s a lot of production and equipment involved, that I’ve actually had to acquire a new employee that does my video content and tech aspects.” He added, “It’s been important to me that fans are able to view my DJ sets while gettin’ the best experience they can watching from home, so with that comes the expenses and labor.”
Lil Jon and Kanye West aren’t the only rich artists who have received PPP Loans; Tool Guns N’ Roses, Green Day, Weezer, and My Chemical Romance have applied for, and received, money as well.
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