Amid the backlash over a viral clip from Gayle King’s interview with WNBA player Lisa Leslie — in which the CBS This Morning anchor asks Leslie to weigh in on the rape allegation against Kobe Bryant — Snoop Dogg has lambasted King for trying to tarnish Bryant’s image. In a video and series of Instagram posts, the rapper criticized King and Oprah Winfrey, specifically: “Did that fake ass micheal Jackson [sic] shit to tarnish his name with them lying ass kids and here she is with a known rapist smiling and laughing. Fuck u and Gayle. Free bill Cosby,†Snoop captioned a photo of Winfrey posing with Harvey Weinstein.
On Thursday afternoon, Bill Cosby added his two cents and thanked Snoop for his support: “When they brought me to my gated community and placed me inside of my penthouse, they didn’t win nor did they silence me,†Cosby, or whoever is running his account, wrote. “It’s so sad and disappointing that successful Black Women are being used to tarnish the image and legacy of successful Black Men even in death.â€
King has said that CBS took “the most salacious part†of her conversation with Leslie out of context; Oprah has publicly stated that she supports the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, which details child sexual-abuse allegations against Michael Jackson. In follow-up tweets, Cosby likened Bryant’s treatment to his own, and abuse allegations against Michael Jackson: “Are these people that in need of fame, ratings and/or money? On behalf of myself, Camille and my family, thank you, thank you and thank you. My heartfelt prayers are with Kobe and his family, as well as with Michael Jackson and his family. May their legacies live on forever.â€
Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. He is currently serving a three- to ten-year sentence at a maximum-security facility outside of Philadelphia.
Update, February 9: Snoop Dogg posted a video on social media in an attempt to clarify his comments about Gayle King. “I’m a nonviolent person,†the rapper explained. “When I said what I said, I spoke for the people who felt like Gayle was very disrespectful towards Kobe Bryant and his family.†He also insisted that he made no serious threats against King.
“Now with that being said, what I look like wanting some harm to come to a 70-year-old woman? I was raised way better than that,†he continued. (King is 65 years old.) “I don’t want no harm to come to her and I didn’t threaten her, all I did was said, ‘check it out, you outta pocket for what you doing and we watching you. Have a little more respect for Vanessa, her babies, and Kobe Bryant’s legacy.’†Snoop Dogg previously called King a “funky dog head bitch,†and that she should “back off, bitch, before we come get you.â€