LA Mayoral Candidate Nithya Raman Stumbles on Rap Question, Draws Criticism
Nithya Raman faced teasing from podcast hosts and criticism from political opponents after hesitating to name her favorite Los Angeles rappers.
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman drew laughter and criticism after stumbling over a question about her favorite Los Angeles rappers during a recent podcast appearance. The incident occurred on the "Higher Learning" podcast, just weeks before voters decide between Raman and incumbent Mayor Karen Bass.
When asked to name her top three favorite L.A. rappers, Raman initially named the late Nipsey Hussle. Podcast co-host Van Lathan responded by teasing her, saying, "Wow. Look at you, media trained." Raman then stated she still listened to '90s rap but paused before naming further artists. She eventually added Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur to her list. Lathan summarized the selections as "Nip, Pac, Snoop," while Raman explained that these were "the songs of my youth."
Political Reactions
Critics seized on the exchange, suggesting it demonstrated a lack of genuine connection to the city's culture. Lisa Cusack, President of the Don't L.A. My Burbank PAC, told Fox News Digital that the interview undercut Raman's efforts to portray herself as connected to Los Angeles. "Feels like someone’s giving her a script, because she’s not from L.A. and doesn’t actually know what the city’s about," Cusack stated.
Los Angeles County Republican Party Chairwoman Roxanne Hoge also commented, suggesting Raman's focus should be elsewhere. "I'd rather Raman be able to name her top three thriving L.A. businesses," Hoge said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "She can't."
Raman, who was born in India and moved to the U.S. at age six, settled in Los Angeles and represents the city's 4th district on the City Council. She advanced to the November runoff election against Mayor Karen Bass after narrowly securing the second spot in the primary, passing Republican candidate Spencer Pratt.
The mayoral race is scheduled for a runoff on November 3rd. A recent UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll indicated Raman leading Bass 39% to 28% among likely voters, with 33% undecided. The survey was conducted between September 15-20 among 2,150 likely voters and had a margin of error of approximately 3 percentage points.
Raman has made the city's handling of homelessness, basic services, and the entertainment industry central themes of her campaign. The candidate has expressed frustration with the current state of Los Angeles and her belief that a significant portion of voters shares this sentiment. She has also faced scrutiny over her campaign's hiring of a consulting firm that previously worked with Graham Platner, a former Maine Senate candidate.