Kanye West Tells Drake He Wants to Squash Beef at Live Event: “It’s Time to Put It to Rest”

Kanye West, the artist legally known as Ye, has invited Drake to appear as “a special guest” at a previously unannounced December 7 event in Los Angeles. In a video originally posted to the Instagram account of Houston impresario and Rap-A-Lot CEO J Prince, Ye read prepared remarks from his phone, acknowledging his beef with Drake, saying “it’s time to put it to rest.” Check out the video and a full transcript of his statement below.

In his caption on the Instagram post, J Prince said he met Ye last night (November 7) at the Rothko Chapel in Houston and passed on a message from Larry Hoover, who expressed wishes to see peace between the two artists. Hoover, a co-founder of Chicago’s Gangster Disciples gang, is currently incarcerated at ADX Florence in Colorado; his story is mentioned on West’s latest album Donda, which includes words from Hoover’s son Larry Hoover Jr. Ye says in his statement that the “ultimate purpose” of the event would be to “free Larry Hoover.”

Ye’s full statement reads: 

Yo, this is Ye and J Prince. I’m making this video to address the ongoing back and forth between myself and Drake. Both me and Drake have taken shots at each other, and it’s time to put it to rest. I’m asking Drake on December 7 to join me on stage as a special guest to share the two biggest albums of the year, live in Los Angeles, with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover. I believe this event will not only bring awareness to our cause, but prove to people everywhere how much more we can accomplish when we lay our pride to the side and come together.

Last week, Ye further inflamed the beef with Drake on DJ EFN and N.O.R.E.’s Drink Champs podcast, saying he would beat Drake in a Verzuz and comparing their rivalry to Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield’s. Pitchfork has reached out to Drake’s representatives for comment.

Check out “5 Takeaways from Kanye West’s Donda” on the Pitch.