Kamala Harris, the first female Vice President of the United States, has had a career full of milestones. From her role as California’s Attorney General to her historic election as Vice President, Harris has become a symbol of progress and achievement for many. However, as with most public figures, her rise to power has been far from uncontroversial. In fact, comedian Cat Williams has stirred the pot once again by questioning the authenticity of Harris’s public persona, and it seems that the conversation surrounding her identity and her political journey is far from over.
Cat Williams, known for his no-holds-barred commentary on politics, celebrities, and race, has repeatedly targeted Kamala Harris in his routines. What he suggests is not simply political critique but an indictment of Harris’s true identity and her connections to powerful figures. According to Williams, Harris’s rise to power isn’t the straightforward success story that many believe it to be. Rather, Williams implies that Harris’s political ambitions may have been smoothed over by her associations with influential figures and controversial tactics that don’t fit the image she projects.
This idea of Harris’s political journey being far from flawless is not new, but Cat Williams adds a particularly pointed perspective. As an African-American figure, Williams is known for calling out hypocrisy and exploitation in the entertainment and political spheres. He argues that, although Kamala Harris presents herself as a champion for Black Americans, her actions don’t always align with her public persona. This extends to her time as a prosecutor, where Harris’s track record of prosecuting Black people for marijuana offenses has drawn significant criticism, especially after she publicly admitted to smoking marijuana in college.
In a 2019 interview on The Breakfast Club, Harris was asked about her history with marijuana. She laughed and admitted, “I have, okay, and I inhale. I did. I did inhale. It was a long time ago.” This comment, made in a lighthearted exchange with Charlemagne the God, sparked both support and backlash. Some saw it as a candid admission that humanized Harris, while others pointed out the irony of a politician who had prosecuted countless people, many of them Black, for the very offenses she had committed in her youth.
But it wasn’t just her admission of marijuana use that caused a stir. Harris also revealed that during her college days, she would listen to Snoop Dogg and Tupac while “getting high.” The problem with this claim, as many have pointed out, is that Harris graduated from Howard University in 1986, long before Snoop Dogg and Tupac became major names in the rap world. Snoop’s debut album Doggystyle came out in 1993, and Tupac’s rise began in the early 1990s. This discrepancy led many to question whether Harris was being truthful about her college experience or simply trying to fit into a cultural narrative that would appeal to Black voters.
For many, this was a turning point in their perception of Harris. Critics felt that, rather than simply admitting to her past, she was manipulating her story to fit a particular narrative, trying to appear more “down” or “authentic” than she really was. The authenticity of her Black identity has been a consistent point of contention. While Harris has claimed to be proud of her Black heritage, others within the African-American community have questioned her connection to the Black experience. In a widely shared video, Harris stated that she is “American” first and foremost, emphasizing her pride in her immigrant roots rather than identifying explicitly as Black. This has led to confusion and division, particularly among Black Americans who feel that Harris’s claims of solidarity are not consistent with her actions.
Cat Williams is not the only one raising concerns about Kamala Harris’s authenticity. Many in the African-American community have expressed doubt about whether she truly represents their interests. Critics point to her role in prosecuting Black people for marijuana-related offenses while now publicly supporting legalization, as well as her connections to powerful political figures, some of whom have been accused of exploiting Black communities for political gain.
Despite the controversy, Harris’s political career continues to rise. She is now the presumptive Democratic candidate for President in 2024 after President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race. With nearly $96 million in campaign funds from the Biden-Harris campaign war chest, Harris is well-positioned to continue her political ambitions. However, as Cat Williams and others have pointed out, the question remains: Is she truly the champion of Black Americans that she claims to be, or is she merely playing the game to further her own political power?
As we move closer to the 2024 election, it’s clear that Kamala Harris’s past—both personal and professional—will continue to be a focal point of debate. For some, she represents progress, breaking barriers and opening doors for women of color in politics. For others, her rise to power is steeped in contradictions, and they question whether she truly stands for the people she claims to represent. Whether or not Harris can maintain her position as a powerful political figure while answering these hard-hitting questions remains to be seen. In the world of politics, authenticity is everything—and for Kamala Harris, her ability to navigate this complex web of personal and professional history will determine her future.
