We're one day away from seeing Kanye West and Drake reunite on stage. These two have been at odds for years and while fans didn't believe that reconciliation would ever occur, J. Prince helped facilitate a meeting of the minds on behalf of incarcerated Gangster Disciples icon Larry Hoover. Tomorrow's concert is a benefit for Hoover who is seeking an early release from prison where he is currently serving out six consecutive life sentences.
J. Prince caught up with Billboard to chat about the "Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert" and detailed just how he was able to mend fences between Drizzy and Ye. “We have to start with the name Larry Hoover. He planted the seed,” said Prince.
“He wanted to see Kanye and Drake come together in the name of peace. His son Larry Jr. was hanging out with Kanye a lot, and of course, Drake is my son, but [Larry Hoover] planted the seed, and I watered it.” Prince reached out to Kanye following the rapper's explosive Drink Champs interview where Ye spoke openly about the tense relationship he had with his former friend.
Prince spoke about Hoover's cause and making peace in Hip Hop, and soon, Drake and West joined together for the greater good. He also denied the allegations that he somehow pressured West or Drake into coming together.
"It was an interesting conversation, but the furthest thing from the truth regarding any kind of force," said Prince. "I heard all kinds of rumors, and that was the furthest thing from the truth. To me, that moment was what I called an 'anointing moment' — because none of it was planned. It wasn’t planned where we had that meeting in that particular church, but me being a man of God, I couldn’t deny the invitation to actually meet him."
"From there, I kept it real with him. I spoke some words that came from my heart — and Kanye, he acknowledged it. He said, 'I ain’t ever had anyone ever talking to me like that.' He was acknowledging me being brutally honest with him. I felt another level of bonding with him at that particular moment."
I painted the bigger picture to Drake. I let him know that this is a moment and movement that can save lives. I believe by Drake and Kanye being an example, as two of hip-hop’s top artists, that lives would be saved. I believe this is going to be imitated and it’s important to be an example to those that look up to you and that meant something to Drake — just the life-saving event wrapped around putting the spotlight on the injustice, prison reform, and my brother Larry Hoover. Everything is icing on the cake after that, because he never envisioned things like that. So I had to tap into a power greater than the anger or whatever these guys had for one another.
Prince added that the Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert would be both "historical" and "enlightening." Are you excited to see Ye and Drake come together?
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