It’s a race against the clock as construction continues on the massive stage inside the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles for Ye’s (formerly Kanye West) Free Larry Hoover Benefit Concert, with special guest Drake, on Thursday.
TMZ reports a crew consisting of more than 200 people has been working around the clock to complete the largest-ever “environmental experience.” The event comes with an estimated budget of $10 million, which covers production costs, stage construction, event staff, security, and more. Ye and Drake have been reportedly rehearsing at an off-site location, but will hold a dress rehearsal before tomorrow night’s show.
Ye has partnered with Amazon Music, giving fans the opportunity to stream the concert for free through Prime. “Kanye and Drake have spent their careers pushing boundaries and defining culture, and we’re excited to give fans around the world a front row seat to this concert,” Tim Hinshaw, head of hip-hop and R&B at Amazon Music, said. It will also be shown at select IMAX theaters across the United States.
The concert marks a monumental step in the relationship between Drake and Ye, who were bonded by their common belief in the clemency of Larry Hoover. J. Prince helped Drake realize that the opportunity to come together was bigger than their feud, and would ultimately build towards a greater cause.
“We have to start with the name Larry Hoover. He planted the seed,” J. Prince said in an interview with Billboard. “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 [Hoover] planted the seed, and I watered it.”
