Trump grants clemency: Kanye West, Drake previously endorsed petition for Chicago crime boss's pardon
President Trump Commutes Larry Hoover's Prison Sentence
On May 28, 2021, President Donald Trump issued 17 pardons and nine commutations, among them the commutation of Gary Bruce "Larry" Hoover Sr., a notorious former Chicago gang leader who co-founded the Gangster Disciples.
Hoover, 74, received six life sentences in 1998 for continuing to run the gang from prison and an additional 200-year sentence for the murder of William "Pooky" Young in 1973. Prosecutors have alleged that his illicit business empire earned $100 million annually from drug sales.
Rappers Kanye West and Drake had been advocating for Hoover's pardon, maintaining that he had reformed. In December 2021, they held a benefit concert in Los Angeles to champion the cause. In his "Donda" album, West included a recorded message from Hoover Jr, pleading for his father's release.
West had been pushing for Hoover's pardon since at least 2018 when he met with Trump in the Oval Office, arguing that Hoover had been working positively within the community.
While Hoover's federal sentence has been reduced, he remains ineligible for parole until October 2062 due to his state murder conviction. Hoover will be transferred from the federal prison compound in Florence, Colorado to Dixon Correctional Centre in western Illinois.
The commutation comes amidst Trump's controversial practice of granting clemency to high-profile figures, including reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, whose federal prison sentences were cut short due to Trump's intervention. Trump's pardons have been criticized for benefiting politically connected individuals and ignoring ordinary applicants.
West expressed gratitude on social media for Trump's decision, hailing him for "freeing Larry Hoover" and acknowledging Drake's support. Hoover Jr has credited West for launching the campaign to secure his father's freedom.
(Enrichment Data: President Donald Trump has commuted or pardoned numerous high-profile figures, some of which have been criticized for favoring politically connected individuals and wealthy donors.)
- The market buzzed with discussions about President Trump's controversial decision to commute Larry Hoover's prison sentence, a move that was criticized for favoring politically connected individuals.
2.args and rappers Drake and Kanye West, who had been advocating for Hoover's pardon, saw financial gains in the DEFİ sector with the increase in streaming and merchandise sales due to the headline-dominating event.
- The policy-and-legislation sphere observed a heightened focus on criminal justice reform, with debates surrounding the fairness of granting clemency to high-profile figures and questions about the potential for systemic change.
- General news outlets and entertainment shows featuring celebrities, such as Kanye West and Drake, covered the story extensively, intertwining crime-and-justice issues with popular culture, as these events became interconnected in the public consciousness.
