Larry Hoover (born November 30, 1950)[2][1][5] is an American gang leader, co-founder of the Chicago street gang Gangster Disciples. Hoover is serving six life sentences at the ADX Florence prison in Florence, Colorado. He was sentenced to 150–200 years for a 1973 murder, and in 1997 (after a 17-year investigation of conspiracy, extortion, money laundering, and running a continuing
criminal enterprise by leading the gang from state prison) he received a life sentence.
Contents
    1 Biography
        1.1 1973 murder of William Young
        1.2 Gangster Disciples leader and events
    2 Conviction
    3 In popular culture
        3.1 Kanye West involvement
    4 References
    5 Further reading
    6 External links
Biography
1973 murder of William Young
On the evening of February 26, 1973, William "Pooky" Young, a 19-year-old neighborhood drug dealer, was abducted and later shot to death in an alley near 68th Street and Union Avenue in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. His killing was ordered by Hoover after his name was mentioned as one of three people accused of stealing drugs and money from the gang five days earlier.[6] On March 16,
1973, Hoover—along with Young's killer, Black Disciple member Andrew Howard—were both arrested. In November 1973, Howard and Hoover were both charged with murder and sentenced to 150 to 200 years in prison. Hoover was sent to Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois, to serve out his term.[7][8]
Gangster Disciples leader and events
In 1974, after the leader of the Black Disciples, David Barksdale, died from kidney failure by an injury due to an earlier shooting, Hoover took the reins of the Black Gangster Disciples Nation under his wing. At the time, the group had control of Chicago's South Side. Under Hoover's rule, the Black Gangster Disciples took over the South Side drug trade. While incarcerated, Hoover helped
form the Folks Nation, which added other gangs such as: Black Disciples, Satan Disciples, Ambrose, Two-Two Boys, Gangster Two-Six, Simon City Royals, North Side Insane Popes, La Raza Nation, Spanish Cobras, Imperial Gangsters, Maniac Latin Disciples, Harrison Gents, Spanish Gangster Disciples and Latin Eagles. In 1989, The Black Gangster Disciples started to go against their own merger
and ally, the Black Disciples, over a drug-dealing dispute in the neighborhood of Englewood, Chicago, that escalated into a shooting that killed several people. This infuriated members of BGDs and resulted in them changing their name into the "Gangster Disciples." While Hoover was incarcerated, he ran the gang's illicit drug trade both in prison and on the streets, starting from
Chicago's West Side and later extending throughout the United States. By early 1993, Hoover claimed to have renounced his violent criminal past and became an urban political celebrity in Chicago. The Gangster Disciples earned fans in the community with charity events and peaceful protests. Hoover proclaimed that the initials GD had changed to mean "Growth & Development." A lengthy
federal investigation using wiretaps led to Hoover getting another life sentence in 1995. Prosecutors alleged that Hoover's gang had 30,000 "soldiers" in 35 states and made $100 million a year.
Conviction
While in prison for murder, on August 22, 1995, after a 17-year undercover investigation by the federal government, Hoover was indicted for drug conspiracy, extortion, and continuing to engage in a criminal enterprise.[9] He was arrested at the Dixon Correctional Center by federal agents, and moved to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago to stand trial. In 1997, Hoover was
found guilty on all charges. Hoover is currently serving his sentence at the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Security Facility in Florence, Colorado.[3][10]
In popular culture
Hoover also appears via phone from prison on multiple tracks of Geto Boys' 1996 album The Resurrection where he discusses his views on the prison system and the youth of the black community.
Kanye West involvement
Rapper and Chicago native Kanye West has, for many years, been vocal about wanting Hoover to be released from prison. West has taken significant action towards his goal of releasing Hoover from prison.
On one of the demo versions of his song "Hurricane", which was meant to appear on his since-scrapped project, Yandhi, West suggested calling his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, to help release Hoover, following Kardashian's success on working with President Trump to free a number of federal prisoners.[11]
West's album Donda (released in 2021), contains the tracks "Jesus Lord" and "Jesus Lord, Pt. 2", which both feature a recorded message by Hoover's son, Larry Hoover Jr., in which he discusses the "cracks" in America's criminal justice system, and talks about the impact of Hoover's incarceration on his family.[12]
On October 11, 2018, during a luncheon with then-President Donald Trump, West pleaded for clemency for Hoover.[13]
On December 9, 2021, West, along with fellow rapper Drake, hosted a "Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert" at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.[14] The main goal of the concert was to bring awareness to Hoover's case; West and Drake called for the release of Hoover and sought to raise awareness about prison and sentencing reform in the United States.[15] Though West and Drake had
previously been involved in an ongoing rivarly,[16][17] they decided to put an end to their feud, and focus on putting their fame and influence to use by bringing awareness to Hoover's case, by organizing the benefit concert.
References
Standing Eight: The Inspiring Story of Jesus "El Matador" Chavez By Adam Pitluk
Vibe Sep 1995
"Inmate Locator – BOP Register No. 86063-024". Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
"Hoover's Girlfriend Helping U.s. Case". tribunedigital-chicagotribune.
"Larry Hoover". Biography.com. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
The Gang that Could Go Straight – Ever since he read Boss, Larry Hoover knew he wanted to mold his street gang into a political organization like the old Chicago “Daley Machine.” He's still in jail, but 21st Century V.O.T.E. is ready to roll; Chicago Reader
"Larry Hoover". Infoplease.
Leagle: People v. Howard (1975)
"Larry Hoover & The Gangster Disciples". Drug Enforcement Administration. Archived from the original on 2013-06-26.
Binelli, Mark (26 March 2015). "Inside America's Toughest Federal Prison". New York Times. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
"Kim Kardashian West Has Helped Release 17 People From Prison In The Last Three Months". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
""Free my father, Larry Hoover Sr" on Kanye West's Donda album explained". The Focus. 2021-08-06. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
"Here's every word of Kanye West's bizarre meeting with President Trump". USA Today. Retrieved 2018-10-14.
"Kanye West and Drake Officially Announce "Free Larry Hoover" Los Angeles Concert". Pitchfork. 2021-11-20. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
France, Lisa Respers. "Kanye West and Drake's benefit concert to stream on Amazon". CNN. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
https://www.gq.com/story/drake-kanye-west-beef-squashed-j-prince-larry-hoover/amp
https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.66375/title.drake-squashed-kanye-west-beef-because-he-saw-the-bigger-picture-of-saving-lives