Tupac Shakur Gets Invited To VP Debate After Kamala Harris Says He’s Her Favorite Rapper Alive

Kamala Harris accidentally named Tupac Shakur as her 'favorite rapper alive,' and so Donald Trump's campaign secured an invite for the late rapper at her VP debate. Fans thought the joke was outright 'disrespectful.'

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October 7, 2020 8:04PM EDT
Kamala Harris, Tupac Shakur
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July 28, 2022 New York, NY, USA - American Vice President Kamala Harris deplanes at New York's LaGuardia Airport.The Vice President is greeted by NYS Lt. Governor, Antonio Delgado. She is in New York City to announce new private and public sector efforts to align tens of billions in investments in underserved communities. This will include the formation of a new Economic Opportunity Coalition (EOC) to address economic disparities and accelerate economic opportunity in communities of color and other underserved communities. VP Harris Visits New York City, New York, New York, USA - 28 Jul 2022
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Many people thought this joke about Tupac Shakur went too far. In an attempt to poke fun at Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, Donald Trump’s campaign invited Tupac — whom Harris mistakenly considered her “favorite rapper alive” — to her debate with Vice President Mike Pence taking place in Salt Lake City on Oct. 7. “I can confirm that we have left a ticket for Tupac Shakur, who as we know is Sen. Harris’ favorite rapper alive,” Trump’s senior campaign adviser, Jason Miller, said during a press call on Wednesday, according to our sister publication Deadline.

The Trump campaign adviser kept the joke rolling, and even referenced Biggie Smalls, another hip-hop icon who was shot to death like Tupac. “I don’t know if [Tupac] shows up. I’m personally more of a Biggie fan if he’s still alive, but we will have a ticket waiting for Mr. Shakur,” he told reporters.

Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur was one of the most iconic rappers of the 1990’s, and sadly passed away in 1996. (Photo Credit: MEGA)

Miller was mocking a comment that Harris made during the NAACP’s virtual convention on Sept. 25. CNN commentator Angela Rye asked the California senator who’s the “best rapper alive,” and Harris immediately said, “Tupac.” Catching her mistake, Harris said while laughing, “Not alive, I know, I keep doing that.” There are conspiracy theories revolving around Tupac, whom some people still believe is alive despite dying in a drive-by shooting at just 25 years old in 1996.

The Trump campaign adviser’s joke rubbed many fans the wrong way. “Fu–ing Disrespectful to Tupac,” one person tweeted, and even Charlamagne Tha God seemed to sarcastically tweet, “F–king Comedy.” However, a third fan pointed out that at least the comments about Tupac is making the “California Love” rapper’s “old speeches about Trump and Capitalism circulate.”

In one of the resurfaced videos of Tupac, the Grammy-nominated rapper even called out Trump and greed — and this was long before his presidency! In an interview with MTV in 1992, Tupac vented about the world possessing a “gimme gimme gimme” mentality. “If you want to be successful, you want to be like Trump? Gimme gimme gimme. Push, push, push. Step, step, step. Crush, crush, crush,” Tupac said in the interview.

Tupac then left wise words: “Everybody need a little help on their way to being self-reliant. Everybody need a little something to be independent. No independent person just grew up and was born independent.” We do wish Tupac had a say at the upcoming debates.

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