Michael “Harry-O” Harris, a former drug kingpin turned philanthropist, has been working tirelessly to bring about positive change since his release from prison three years ago.
After serving 33 years, Harris has dedicated himself to bringing unity to Hip-Hop and community. Harris infamously started Death Row Records, along with Suge Knight and Dr. Dre, using his monies obtained from the game. But now he’s moving very differently.
Harris recently talked to AllHipHop founders Chuck Jigsaw Creekmur and Grouchy Greg Watkins and shared his plan. He organized a performance featuring one-time rivals Rick Ross and Trick Trick in Detroit to represent the strength of community.
“I just think that we always find different ways to divide ourselves,” Harris said. “Community First is about coming together, leaving the past behind, and focusing on big business.”
Harris believes Hip-Hop can strengthen communities. He aims to keep organizing more events that feature local and major talent. He has already been to Atlanta, Detroit and Philly. Harris advocates for community engagement at every level, ensuring that voices from all walks of life are heard.
“We’ve made mistakes before by not involving the community,” he said. “It’s about talking to people and asking what they want to hear, what they want to see, and what policies they want implemented.”
Harris also discussed the need for Hip-Hop artists to embrace their political influence, especially during election season.
Rappers aligned with political figures like VP Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, but said they need to be as active in holding politicians accountable.
“It’s about who’s going to talk about real issues and stand behind them,” he said.
Harris, community reinvestment goes beyond just rhetoric. He has been vocal about directing resources from Opportunity Zones into underserved communities.
Harris has also called for increased federal support for trade programs and school choice to drive sustainable change. “We have to pick things that we know we can zero in on and hold people accountable for,” he asserted. “If we don’t take action, we lose our power.”
Check out our full interview with Harris as he talks Death Row (literally and the record label), Suge Knight, coastal beefs, Denzel Washington, Snoop Dogg and much more.