Kanye West is being praised for his part in securing a sentence commutation for former Gangster Disciples leader Larry Hoover.
In a recent conversation with TMZ, Larry Hoover Jr. acknowledged Ye’s major contribution to the long campaign for his father’s release.
“He had a very big part because he started it all off,” said Hoover Jr. “He took us to the White House on his platform when he didn’t have to do that.”
Kanye previously brought attention to Hoover’s case during a high-profile meeting with former President Donald Trump, and he doubled down on his support this week, posting on X:
“WORDS CAN’T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DEVOTED ENDURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR FREEING LARRY HOOVER.”
WORDS CAN’T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DEVOTED ENDURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR FREEING LARRY HOOVER
Ye also gave a nod to Drake, thanking him for helping raise awareness for Hoover’s situation.
Hoover, now in his 70s, was initially convicted in 1973 for orchestrating a murder, later receiving six additional life sentences in 1997 for charges including drug trafficking and money laundering. Despite Trump commuting his federal sentence, Hoover still faces state-level time for his earlier conviction, which is beyond the scope of presidential pardon powers.
After spending over 30 years in Colorado’s supermax prison, Hoover is expected to be moved to a lower-security facility in Illinois. His legal team has emphasized that he is a changed man. In a 2022 court letter, Hoover stated:
“I am no longer the Larry Hoover people talk about… I have long since renounced my association with any and all criminal organizations.”
The case has long been a point of activism for several figures in hip hop, with Kanye and Drake even co-hosting the Free Larry Hoover benefit concert in 2021 to further the cause.
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