Earlier this week, news outlets reported that Snoop Dogg had been secretly lobbying the White House on behalf of his friend, Death Row Records co-founder Michael "Harry-O" Harris, to grant him a pardon. After successfully persuading the outgoing Trump administration, Harry-O''s sentence for attempted murder and cocaine trafficking has officially been granted clemency. Although previously an outward critic of Donald Trump, Snoop praised the administration for pardoning Harris in a Zoom call with prison reform advocates.
In the conversation with Alice Johnson and Weldon Angelos, who both previously received pardons from Trump, the 49-year-old California-raised rapper commended Trump, saying, "That’s great work for the president and his team on the way out."
He added, "They did some great work while they was in there and they did some great work on their way out. Let them know that I love what they did.”
Snoop continued, “It is amazing what the work of God can actually bring to life to make people understand that there is a God.”
The rapper learned his friend would be released from prison after Johnson announced, “I just got a call from the White House and Harry-O is getting clemency. He’s coming home, brother!” After hearing the news Snoop exclaimed, “God is good!”
Michael "Harry-O" Harris was arrested in 1988 and convicted of murder, cocaine trafficking, and attempted kidnapping. He was originally slated for release in June 2028.
Michael "Harry-O" Harris helped get Death Row Records off the ground by giving them an infusion of cash, shortly after Suge Knight assembled the label with Dr. Dre and the D.O.C.
Harris reportedly invested $1.5 million into the fledgling label at the time, becoming a silent partner in Death Row for a 50% share. At various points through the label's history, the roster consisted of: Dr. Dre, The D.O.C., Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage, Kurupt, The Outlawz, among other iconic names.
Read about the complete history and legacy of Death Row Records here.