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Snoop Dogg To Help Dr. Ferrer On Delivering COVID-19 Facts To City Of Inglewood

INGLEWOOD (CBSLA) — Rapper Snoop Dogg put his star power to work to help bring more information about COVID-19 to the Black community.

Snoop accepted Inglewood Mayor's James Butts invitation to be part of the first episode of his new podcast, "No Butts About It," along with LA County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer, to discuss COVID-19 and its impact on the Black community.

snoop ferrer butts
(credit: City Of Inglewood)

"I came in today with my mask on, to lead by example to show that I'm following protocol because I really want to find a way to better this," Snoop Dogg said.

The rapper is not from Inglewood, but he spends a lot of time there and is well-liked by members of the community like Rochelle Robinson.

"When you are a boisterous person and people respect what you have to say, they're gonna listen," she said.

Dr. Ferrer, who has become well-known for her frequent TV appearances to deliver the latest LA County COVID-19 numbers, has been vocal about how the virus has disproportionately hit communities of color.

"This pandemic cannot be on the backs of people of color and of poor people," she said during the conversation.

Dr. Ferrer said one of the most important things people can do is to simply wear a mask or face covering when around people, and Snoop Dogg said he was happy to get confirmation of that guideline.

"The mask thing is like controversial right now because we get so much misinformation based on you don't have to wear a mask, you should wear a mask, you shouldn't, this doctor says it doesn't matter, this doctor says it does matter. So it's like, we need to get some clarity on because there's a lot of misunderstanding in the community with, 'I don't have to wear a mask,'" the rapper said.

Dr. Ferrer said that she believed the development of a vaccine would be huge and a help to the entire country, but conceded that there is a history in this country when it comes to community of color and medical testing.

"Making us test dummies. Speak on it," Snoop Dogg said. "Because we ain't going first in this vaccine thing. Let me let you know that off the top, I ain't going first."

Snoop Dogg thanked Dr. Ferrer for her clear instructions on what to do to avoid becoming infected, spreading the virus, and what to do if exposed to COVID-19.

"I watch certain things and certain people that give information, and if you research you'll find. And a lot of times that information is out there, and we just don't know where to get it from," he said. "You giving us real information. This is beautiful."

Robinson said she hoped that people will take notice of the issues the unorthodox trio discusses.

"As a community we have to understand, getting our hair done, getting our nails done – you see I don't have any on – is not that important," she said.

Several testing sites have been set up in Inglewood, including a large site at The Forum.

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