Larry Hoover Jr. is expressing deep appreciation for Kanye West (Ye) after former President Donald Trump officially commuted the federal life sentence of his father, Larry Hoover Sr., on Wednesday, May 28th. Hoover Sr., the founder of the Gangster Disciples, has been incarcerated since 1973.
Speaking to TMZ, Hoover Jr. said:
“It started a long time ago with Kanye. Kanye put us on the platform… He took us to the White House on his platform when he didn’t have to do that.”
Kanye’s Advocacy for Larry Hoover Sr.
Kanye West began championing Larry Hoover Sr.’s cause during a 2018 Oval Office meeting with Trump, where he first brought national attention to the case. In 2021, Ye co-headlined the “Free Larry Hoover” benefit concert with Drake, further spotlighting the issue.
Ye also gave Hoover Jr. airtime during an episode of Drink Champs and featured him on his “Donda” album. Hoover Sr.’s name appeared on tracks like “Jesus Lord” and “River” from the Vultures 2 project.
Hoover Jr. continued:
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“[Ye] stuck his neck out there. We know he don’t have a problem with sticking his neck out there about what he believes in, and I’m glad he believed in this.”
Ye Reacts Online
Kanye responded to the news with a passionate post on X (formerly Twitter):
“WORDS CAN’T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DEVOTED ENDURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR FREEING LARRY HOOVER.”
Hoover Sr. Still Faces State Charges
While the federal sentence has been commuted, Larry Hoover Sr. is not a free man yet. The 74-year-old remains incarcerated under a 200-year sentence in Illinois tied to the 1973 murder of William “Pooky” Young, a drug dealer.
Trump’s action came as part of a broader wave of commutations and pardons, which also included rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again.
What’s Next?
Supporters of Hoover Sr. are hopeful that this momentum will carry into state-level efforts to reevaluate his remaining sentence. Meanwhile, Hoover Jr. continues to thank Ye and Trump for what he calls a “life-changing moment” for his family.
“Without Kanye’s voice, we might not have been heard the same way,” Hoover Jr. concluded.
