Drake fans think it’s ‘nuts’ rapper is co-headlining a concert after Astroworld tragedy

Drake is set to return to the stage less than two months after performing at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival where a crowd surge resulted in the deaths of 10 concertgoers and injured hundreds of others.

The 35-year-old rapper is teaming up with fellow musician and former rival Kanye West, 44, to co-headline the ‘Free Larry Hoover’ benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Shortly after the news was confirmed, fans of Drake took to social media to express how ‘nuts’ it is that the One Dance hitmaker is holding a live concert performance so soon after the November 5 tragedy.

Too soon? Drake is set to return to the stage less than two months after performing at Travis Scott’s deadly Astroworld Festival

One fan feared the show would be ‘Astroworld all over again,’ while another found the timing of the concert ‘suspect.’ 

The December 10 benefit concert, which was confirmed by West via Instagram on Saturday, is aimed at raising ‘awareness and support’ for the now 70-year-old Gangster Disciples co-founder’s clemency. 

Larry Hoover is currently serving six consecutive life sentences for allegedly ordering a gang-related hit on a 19-year-old drug dealer back in 1973, as well as other charges that were later brought upon him. 

The latter charges stemmed from a ‘drug ring’ that Hoover was said to have been running from prison while serving his original 150 to 200 year sentence for the 1973 murder. The ring brought in an estimated $100million per year, according to Page Six.

After a 17-year investigation by law enforcement, Larry was found guilty of continuing criminal enterprise, conspiracy, extortion, and money laundering among other charges in 1997. This added another life sentence to his tally. 

Larry, who turns 71 on the last day of November, is currently serving his sentences at a Colorado-based correctional facility.

‘God’s Plan,’ wrote West, who shared a poster for the forthcoming event with his Instagram following. 

Teaming up: The 35-year-old rapper is teaming up with fellow musician and former rival Kanye West, 44, to co-headline the 'Free Larry Hoover' benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Teaming up: The 35-year-old rapper is teaming up with fellow musician and former rival Kanye West, 44, to co-headline the 'Free Larry Hoover' benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Teaming up: The 35-year-old rapper is teaming up with fellow musician and former rival Kanye West, 44, to co-headline the ‘Free Larry Hoover’ benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 

Pushback: Shortly after the news was confirmed, fans of Drake took to social media to express how 'nuts' it is that the One Dance hitmaker is holding a live concert performance so soon after the November 5 traged - NOTE: Twitter user wrongly posted that the concert is 'free'

Pushback: Shortly after the news was confirmed, fans of Drake took to social media to express how ‘nuts’ it is that the One Dance hitmaker is holding a live concert performance so soon after the November 5 traged – NOTE: Twitter user wrongly posted that the concert is ‘free’

Horrific: On November 5, a crowd surge during Travis Scott's musical set resulted in the deaths of 10 concertgoers and injured hundreds of other attendees

Horrific: On November 5, a crowd surge during Travis Scott’s musical set resulted in the deaths of 10 concertgoers and injured hundreds of other attendees

While Kanye’s announcement was the first official confirmation from one of the artists that the concert was happening, the news has been slowly leaking out over the past several weeks.  

Last month, music executive James Prince said that the two artists were trying ‘to free our brother Larry Hoover’ though he was not more specific than that at the time. 

Two even bigger events occurred earlier this week that made it clear the event was in the works. First, Larry Hoover’s son, Larry Hoover Jr., confirmed the two stars were working together.   

‘We’re going to get the word out to as many people as we can. We gotta let the powers that be know that we want Larry Hoover in our community,’  he said on the Murder Master Music Show. 

Back in business: Kanye West posted a picture to Instagram in which he stood next to Drake and James Prince which he captioned with a simple dove emoji

Back in business: Kanye West posted a picture to Instagram in which he stood next to Drake and James Prince which he captioned with a simple dove emoji

Not long after, Kanye West posted a picture to Instagram in which he stood next to Drake and James Prince which he captioned with a simple dove emoji, signifying that their feud had come to an end. 

During a 2018 meeting with then President Donald Trump at the White House, Kanye said that freeing Hoover was a major goal of his. 

‘In an alternate universe, I am him,’ the Donda creator said. ‘And I have to go and get him free because he was doing positive inside of Chicago.’ 

Hoover set up several nonprofits that were supposed to help underprivileged kids in his community to become better people though some in law enforcement, and in Hoover’s own gang, claim that they were actually fronts to launder drug money.   

Very important to him: During a 2018 meeting with then President Donald Trump at the White House, Kanye said that freeing Hoover was a major goal of his

Very important to him: During a 2018 meeting with then President Donald Trump at the White House, Kanye said that freeing Hoover was a major goal of his

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk