Death Row founder Marion “Suge” Knight and Ron Winter, chairman of U.K.-based Irish/country record company Ritz Music Group Plc (RMG), are launching a joint-venture label, Death Row Records U.K. The initial release will be the single “Thank God It’s Friday” from British R&B singer Mark Morrison, who has signed a five-year worldwide contract with the label. The single is due in January.

In the mid-’90s, Morrison made headlines for achieving five U.K. top-10 singles from his album “Return of the Mack,” and later, for offenses that resulted in a jail sentence. Morrison is expected to do a show at a showcase during the MIDEM conference next January in Cannes.