In an interesting turn of events, Kanye West — now legally named Ye — is asking Drake to assist him in his efforts to help get convicted felon Larry Hoover released from federal prison.
On Monday (Nov. 8), music executive J. Prince shared a video statement from Ye on Twitter. “I met with @kanyewest night in Htown at the Rothko Chapel,” he tweeted alongside the clip, filmed in Houston. “It wasn’t in my plans to meet him there but I must say I’m glad I didn’t allow a worship place for God to detour our meeting.”
Standing side by side in the video, Ye says, “This is Ye and J. Prince. I’m making this video to address an 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 Dec. 7 to join me onstage as a special guest to share the two biggest albums of the year” — he said in reference to his own Donda and Drake’s Certified Lover Boy — “live in Los Angeles with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover.”
The 22-time Grammy winner concluded his statement by saying, “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.”
Drake had yet to respond at press time. Reps for West and Drake did not immediately respond to Billboard’s request for comment.
This isn’t the first time West has attempted to help free Hoover, the convicted co-founder of Chicago’s Gangster Disciples gang who was first sentenced to serve life in prison in 1973 after he was found guilty of murder. More than two decades later in ’97, Hoover received six additional life sentences after he was found guilty on charges of continued gang activity while imprisoned.
West previously attempted to help free Hoover by appealing to former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018, but he was unsuccessful. Most recently, he featured Hoover’s son, Larry Hoover Jr., on the song “Jesus Lord” which appears on his latest album, Donda. In the track, Hoover Jr. thanks West for his involvement in his dad’s case.
In July, U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber denied a bid for Hoover to receive a sentencing break under the FIRST STEP Act — FIRST STEP stands for “Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person.” The law enables deserving prisoners the opportunity to receive a shortened sentence due to good behavior and job training. It is unclear whether Drake will join forces with West in his attempt to help free Hoover, who will be 71 years old on Nov. 30.
While Ye vs. Drake has been going on for more than a decade, the two most recently butted heads this summer during the lead-up of their Donda and Certified Lover Boy albums. After Ye briefly leaked Drake’s address, the OVO MC seemed to take shots at him on his song “7am on Bridle Path” and later leaked Ye and André 3000’s “Life of the Party” collab that didn’t make the cut on Donda.
