Donald Trump has reduced the sentence of Larry Hoover Sr, a Chicago gang founder, after lobbying from controversial hip-hop artist Kanye West.
On Wednesday, the sitting US president commuted the six life sentences that Hoover, founder of the Gangster Disciples (GDs), was serving following a 1998 conviction, Sky News’ US partner NBC News reported.
It followed a campaign by West, now known as Ye, who has lobbied Mr Trump in the Oval Office over the release, it was reported.
Larry Hoover Sr.
Pic: AP/Chicago Sun-Times
Kanye West speaking to Donald Trump during a 2018 Oval Office meeting.
Pic: Reuters
It happened amid a series of pardons which included a former New York congressman, a Connecticut governor, rapper NBA YoungBoy, a labour union leader and a one-time army officer.
Hoover, however, NBC said, will not be freed, instead being transferred to a state prison to serve the rest of his 200-year sentence for crimes he was separately convicted of in a state court.
The GDs were one of Chicago’s most prolific gangs, along with rivals the Black Disciples (BDs).
Welcoming the news, West reposted photos of a 2021 “Free Larry Hoover” benefit concert with popular artist Drake.
He posted on social media, saying: “WORDS CAN’T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DEVOTED ENDURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR FREEING LARRY HOOVER.”
West rose to fame as a rapper and producer, but later began sharing antisemitic content on social media, and selling Swastika T-shirts.
Hoover ‘one of the most notorious criminals in Illinois history’
Hoover was known as the “chairman of the board” and the “king”.
He was also declared “one of the most notorious criminals in Illinois history”, NBC reported.
Prosecutors reportedly said he directed violence and drug trafficking in Chicago from at least 1970 until 1995.
Larry Hoover Jr, Hoover’s son, has called for his father’s release for years and was featured in the 2021 Kanye West song Jesus Lord.
NBC News reported that, from prison, Hoover has changed the name of the GDs to Growth and Development.
He claims to now discourage violence, something federal prosecutors dispute.
‘Infinite amounts of universe’
During a 2018 Oval Office meeting with Mr Trump, NBC News reported that West urged Mr Trump to commute Hoover’s sentence.
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He reportedly said: “The reason why they imprisoned him is because he started doing positive for the community.
“He started showing that he actually had power, that he wasn’t just one of a monolithic voice, but he could wrap people around.
“So there’s theories that there’s infinite amounts of universe and there’s alternate universe.
“So it’s very important for me to get Hoover out, because in an alternate universe, I am him.”
