Latest news with #GDs
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Everything You Need to Know About Larry Hoover, the Chicago Gang Leader Trump Just Granted Clemency
As part of his most recent clemency actions, President Donald Trump commuted the federal sentence of one of the most notorious crime bosses in history. Larry Hoover has been locked behind bars since the '70s, and despite Trump's clemency agreement, he won't be getting out anytime soon. Outside of rapper Rick Ross' reference to the gang leader in his song 'B.M.F.' (I think I'm Big Meech, Larry Hoover), most folks don't know much about Hoover or the Gangster Disciples— one of Chicago's most powerful gangs. That's why we're breaking down everything you need to know about the now 74-year-old gangster and his complicated history with law enforcement. The Gangster Disciples (GDs) were founded in the mid '60s by Hoover and David Barksdale— known as King David. Initially, the GDs were the result of a merge between the Black Disciples and Supreme Gangsters gangs of Chicago, according to reports. After Barksdale death in 1974, Hoover took over. The gang soon grew from a ragtag team of young Black men to almost 30,000 members in Chicago alone, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Today, the Gangsters Disciples are represented in at least 35 different states, raking in $100 million in estimated annual revenue. Over the years, police linked the GDs to countless murders, robberies, extortions and drug crimes across the country. So when the state of Illinois decided to go after the gang, Hoover ultimately became the face of the enterprise. In 1973, Hoover was convicted for the murder of 19-year-old drug dealer named William 'Pooky' Young, according to court documents. He was sentenced to 150 to 200 years in prison, which many advocates argued did not justly fit the crime committed. State prosecutors saw Young's murder as the only time they'd be able to stick Hoover with crimes connected to his gang. So once they saw an opportunity to finally stop the crime boss, they threw the book at him. Despite being behind bars, Hoover was still calling the shots as the head of the GDs. This led to a joint investigation by Illinois correctional officers and the FBI and ATF in 1995. Federal sentencing for Hoover came in 1998. He was convicted on charges alleging he helped operate a widespread nationwide drug operation through the Gangster Disciples. So with conspiracy, extortion and money laundering charges, Hoover was sentenced to three life sentences. Since then, he has been housed in solitary confinement at the supermax prison in Colorado where all furniture is made of poured concrete, according to NBC Chicago. This is the same prison where Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán is located. The 74-yer-old felon might have one man to thank for the president finally hearing his case. Chicago rapper Kanye 'Ye' West began a campaign to #FreeLarryHoover in 2021. He even planned a benefit concert with Drake as a special guest. Ye gave Drizzy his props, writing on X 'Thank you Drake for for helping to bring Larry Hoover home.' He continued thanking Trump saying, 'WORDS CAN'T EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR OUR DEVOTED ENDURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP FOR FREEING LARRY HOOVER.' Although Hoover's federal sentence is commuted, he still has to serve out his 200-year sentence in Illinois. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board denied Hoover's request for early release last year. The board won't hear his case for another four years. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Trump Commutes Sentence of Chicago Gang Leader Larry Hoover, But it's Not What You Think at All...
President Donald Trump seems to be fond of handing out pardons to people who apparently make nice to him or to people who seem to not deserve it. We see it with the current batch of crooks he's letting loose, including 1,500 January 6 rioters; two Washington D.C. cops who killed a Black man; and most recently, reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley who flexed $30 million in fraud. Trump is getting headlines for commuting the sentence of Larry Hoover, co-founder of Chicago gang Gangster Disciples, who was sentenced to prison in 1973 for ordering the murder of a drug dealer. Trump said that these people and a list of others were victims of a 'weaponized' criminal justice system, but there are others who he has not yet explained why they are being released. Hoover was hit with between 150 and 200 years and was federally convicted in 1997, receiving a life term. He must still serve the state charges, so currently there's no sign he'll walk Trump's decision to commute Hoover's sentence is a mixed bag. Here's why: Hip-hop has advocated for Hoover's release for quite some time now. In 2021, Kanye West and Drake performed in a benefit concert for him, that was put together by Rap-a-Lot founder J. Prince. Many in hip hop have been part of an effort to gain awareness of Hoover's efforts to reform the GDs (which he proclaimed in the 90s to mean 'Growth and Development' and helping to form a record label and a nonprofit organization. 'There definitely was more to it than just him being a gangster. He was a real leader, and he was trying to lead people in the right direction,' Larry Hoover Jr. told WBEZ last year. On the other hand, nobody can deny what the Gangster Disciples meant in the streets of the Chi for many years. The GDs were one of a number of South and West side gang sets, which are still infamous. While the GDs evolved from other gangs that formed to push back against racist gangs terrorizing Black Chicagoans, the latter result was Black Chicagoans still living in terror. The GDs were not responsible for all of this, but they did have their share, and it was largely the result of what emerged from Hoover's actions. Okay, so Trump is saying Hoover is done serving time as far as he's concerned. But if he's granting him a reprieve, presumably because of the unfairness of the justice system, then can the governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York do the same for Assata Shakur, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and Joy Powell, respectively? Or at least get the FBI off Shakur's back? Not to mention the people ICE is 'disappearing' from the country just for being Latino or Muslim. Although the three names mentioned are state cases, the evidence is clear that what Trump considers justice means it's time to question the entire justice system. ————————————————— Madison J. Gray is a New York-based journalist. He blogs at For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
