Sen. Kamala D. Harris, California Democrat and 2020 presidential hopeful, appears to have fibbed during an interview Monday about smoking marijuana in college while listening to music by Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur.
Ms. Harris cited both rappers during an appearance on “The Breakfast Club” radio program in response to a question posed moments after she acknowledged smoking marijuana in college.
“What were you listening to when you [were] high? What was on?” she was asked during the segment. “Was it Snoop?”
“Oh yeah, definitely Snoop,” Ms. Harris responded. “Tupac for sure,” she continued.
Neither of the future rap legends had released music by the time Ms. Harris completed graduate school, however.
Ms. Harris, 54, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in 1986 and a law degree from the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law in 1989. She was admitted to the state bar the following year.
Snoop Dogg, a 47-year-old rapper born Calvin Broadus, launched his musical career in the early 1990s. He released a demo tape in 1991, “Over the Counter,” prior to being featured the following year on “Deep Cover,” the debut solo single by longtime collaborator Dr. Dre. He was subsequently featured prominently on Dre’s first studio album, 1992’s “The Chronic,” prior to releasing his own debut album, “Doggystyle,” in late 1993.
Shakur began his career while Ms. Harris was in law school, but his first recorded appearance was released after she graduated — 1991’s “Same Song” by hip-hop group Digital Underground. His debut studio album, “2Pacalypse Now,” was issued later that year.
A spokesperson for Ms. Harris did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
“I believe we need to legalize marijuana,” Ms. Harris said earlier during the radio interview. “We have incarcerated so many, and particularly young men and young men of color, in a way that we have not for the same level of use (among) other young men.”
Asked if she ever smoked marijuana, Ms. Harris responded: “I have. And I did inhale. It was a long time ago.”
“I think that it gives a lot of people joy, and we need more joy in the world,” Ms. Harris said.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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