WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has granted clemency to Emory Jones, the longtime Jay-Z associate, Roc Nation executive and co-founder of the Paper Planes clothing brand.
Jones was among 30 people granted clemency this week, according to White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson. The action was taken Thursday.
Jones’ story has long been closely tied to hip-hop culture and to Jay-Z’s rise from the streets of Brooklyn into music and business.
In 2000, Jones was sentenced to nearly 16 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a cocaine-trafficking charge. A decade later, Jay-Z wrote to a federal judge in support of a sentence reduction and offered Jones employment after his release. The court ultimately reduced Jones’ sentence by 37 months.
Jones was released in 2010.
Since returning home, he has built a substantial career in entertainment, fashion and brand development.
Paper Planes’ official company history identifies Jones as Head of Lifestyle at Roc Nation and a co-founder of Paper Planes, the apparel and lifestyle brand launched with Jay-Z in 2014. The brand has since expanded through collaborations with artists, athletes and major sports leagues.
Jones has also become known for a broader message centered on personal growth, ambition and what Paper Planes describes as the idea that “Greatness Is A Process.”
His pardon adds a new chapter to a story that has already moved from federal prison to executive leadership and entrepreneurship.
For hip-hop audiences, Jones has never been an unknown figure. Jay-Z referenced him while he was incarcerated, and his return home later became part of the larger story surrounding Roc Nation and the business empire that grew around it.
The latest clemency action now formally revisits the federal conviction that shaped an earlier part of Jones’ life.
Johnson said Jones was one of 30 people included in the new clemency round. Reuters reported that Trump has now granted pardons or commutations to more than 1,700 people since the start of his second term in January 2025.
For Jones, the significance extends beyond the legal record.
His post-prison career has been defined by a transition into music, fashion and business — including a leadership role at Roc Nation and the continued growth of Paper Planes.
The pardon now places that transformation back in the national spotlight.
