Kanye West is once again at the center of headlines—this time for his behind-the-scenes efforts in helping bring national attention to the case of Larry Hoover, the former leader of the Gangster Disciples.

Hoover’s son, Larry Hoover Jr., recently thanked Ye for using his platform to bring the situation to former President Donald Trump, who commuted Hoover’s federal sentence.

“He had a very big part because he started it all off,” Hoover Jr. told TMZ. “He put us on the platform. He took us to the White House on his platform when he didn’t have to do that.”

He added, “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.”

Following the commutation announcement, Kanye took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his appreciation:

“WORDS CAN’T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DEVOTED ENDURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR FREEING LARRY HOOVER,” Ye wrote.

“Thank you Drake for helping to bring Larry Hoover home.”

WORDS CAN’T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DEVOTED ENDURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR FREEING LARRY HOOVER

— ye (@kanyewest) May 28, 2025

Hoover Sr. was originally convicted in 1973 for orchestrating the murder of a teenager and had been serving multiple life sentences for a range of federal crimes, including drug trafficking and money laundering. Though his federal time has been reduced, Hoover still faces a 200-year sentence under state charges related to the original case.

Despite his past, Hoover has maintained for years that he has renounced gang life. In a 2022 letter to the courts, he wrote:

“I am no longer the Larry Hoover people sometimes talk about… I have long since renounced my association with any and all criminal organizations. I want nothing to do with it now and forever.”

While he remains incarcerated, reports suggest Hoover will be transferred from Colorado’s ADX Florence supermax to a lower-security facility in Illinois.

Kanye West’s efforts, along with support from Drake and others, have reignited public discussion around sentencing reform and the potential for rehabilitation—even for those once labeled untouchable.