Kanye West has asked Drake to squash their longstanding beef and join forces in an effort to free incarcerated Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover from prison. Hoover is currently serving seven life sentences on charges of murder and continued gang activity while imprisoned.
Ye recently met up with legendary CEO J. Prince, who happens to be a mentor to Drake, at a chapel in Prince’s hometown of Houston. In a clip shared on social media, Ye is seen reading a written statement addressing Drake, with Prince standing alongside him. “This is Ye and J. Prince,” the DONDA rapper began. “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 on stage as a special guest to share the two biggest albums of the year,” he added—referencing their respective chart-topping albums, Donda and Drake’s Certified Lover Boy—”live in Los Angeles with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover.” In conclusion, West stated, “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.”
Prince—who has been credited with resolving issues between various figures in Hip-Hop and beyond over the years—shared the circumstances behind his meeting with Ye and why he believes Ye and Drake should look beyond their differences and view the bigger picture: the power of their influence.
“I met with @kanyewest last night in Htown at the Rothko Chapel,” Prince wrote in the caption of the clip. “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. There will come a time in life where we all should embrace the movement thinking, over the moment thinking. Moment thinking gets us stuck in the cycle of confusion, revenge, killings and things of darkness that take you to a place worse than slavery. Movement thinkers dream of a better tomorrow, a bigger picture, longevity choices and humbling themselves to forgive. They don’t allow fear and pride to stunt their growth, and they’re always looking for the good in every situation and that’s where the leaders are separated from the followers. So I met with Ye to pass on the message from my brother Larry Hoover who said he would like to see peace between the two of them. Ye received this well and said thanks because he never had anyone that sat him down and explained things to him the way I did. I’m looking forward to all of us working together in unison to elevate our communities around the world.”
A Chicagoan himself, the city where Hoover built his legend, West has attempted to facilitate Hoover’s release, repeatedly. In 2018, during his visit to The White House, West attempted to persuade former U.S. President Donald Trump to pardon Hoover, however, Trump failed to follow through on that particular ask. Drake has yet to respond to West’s comments or accept his olive branch, but being that Prince, a man he highly respects, has stepped in, it’s as good of a chance as we’re gonna get to seeing a reconciliation between the two megastars. In addition to he and Prince’s proposed peace treaty, West will also be appearing in another episode of Drink Champs, which the podcast teased earlier this week. And if his first visit was any indication, viewers can expect plenty of fireworks and headline-generating quotes.