There was a time when former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg’s relationship was nearly fractured beyond repair. When Knight was sentenced to nine years in prison at the height of Death Row’s success, Snoop seized the opportunity and signed with No Limit. As Snoop Dogg explained in an old interview, “I was working against the devil, and through the grace of God Master P and Priority Records put a deal together that was suitable for me.”
But the two Hip Hop figures were ultimately able to bury the hatchet. In a 2019 interview with KXNG Crooked, Snoop said he had nothing but “big love” for Knight.
“I ain’t never hated him,” he said at the time. “You know, that they really tried to do whatever they tried to do to me … [but], I don’t have that in me, that ain’t in my system.”
But for some reason, people have seemed to gloss over their mended friendship and assume the incarcerated Knight is angry Snoop Dogg now owns the Death Row Records brand. Speaking to TMZ, Knight’s son made sure to set the record straight, calling the acquisition a “victory for the West Coast.”
“I’m happy just like everyone else,” he says in the clip. “I kind of knew beforehand that this was going to happen. This, to me, is like a silent victory because I spoke to all of these executives myself and pitched the ideas for merchandising for rebranding. Now to see it fall in the hands of Snoop, I’m happy it’s coming back to the West Coast. Hopefully now we can start winning. We lost Nipsey [Hussle], we lost Kobe [Bryant], we lost a lot of things.
“Even after my dad went to jail, we started losing. Hopefully we start winning with the Rams and start winning now. I’ve seen the comments that think, ‘Suge Knight’s punching the air,’ but nah we cool. We just gotta do business right and start winning. Hip Hop is like the WWE, it’s the fans that create narratives, it’s what it is. Eazy-E and my pops were cool, Snoop and my pops were cool, a lot of people are cool in the industry. People just don’t understand that. I hope people understand we’re not punching the air, we’re working. Hopefully we’re all on the same page.”
According to a press release, Snoop Dogg recently acquired the Death Row brand from MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music), which is controlled by private equity funds managed by leading global investment firm Blackstone.
Although terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, Hasbro toy company purchased MNRK Music Group in 2019 for $4 billion and inadvertently became the new owners of Death Row. In April 2021, Hasbro announced it had sold MNRK Music Group to Blackstone for $385 million in cash, suggesting the label wasn’t cheap.
“I am thrilled and appreciative of the opportunity to acquire the iconic and culturally significant Death Row Records brand, which has immense untapped future value,” Snoop Dogg said in a statement. “It feels good to have ownership of the label I was part of at the beginning of my career and as one of the founding members. This is an extremely meaningful moment for me.
Snoop Dogg Is The New Owner Of Death Row Records Brand
“I would like to personally thank the teams at Blackstone, MNRK and especially David Kestnbaum, who worked collaboratively with me over several months to make this exciting homecoming a reality. I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of Death Row Records.”
Snoop Dogg is getting ready to take the Super Bowl LVI Pepsi Halftime Show stage alongside Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar on Sunday (February 13). Meanwhile, Suge Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in a fatal 2015 hit-and-run and was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
Judging by one of Snoop’s more recent Instagram posts, Knight and Tupac Shakur have both been on his mind since the Death Row deal. Check it out below.
Saying Eazy-E and Suge Knight was cool is a bit of a stretch I think!
Who cares what suge knights son thinks lol or suge they are not involved, just ridiculous lol they a joke
I think it’s great! He (Snoop) will surely market the brand better and hopefully we will receive some GREAT vinyl releases and new artists. I remember the heyday though so I don’t expect anything even remotely close to it as far as new artists but you never know?
he only owns the name now meaning he can use the name he doesnt own the catalouge so he wont be getting royalties or rereleasing anything he can use “death row records” on future stuff but some white dude will still make the money for any of the songs released back in the day
Yes. He does own the catalouge he said so himself on clubhouse
You’re wrong there son snoop does own all that shit now,bring some new pac!!
Snoop said himself he don’t own the catalog
28 years prison holy shit.
thir was another snoop Dogg in the midwest it explains the beef, someone on the street of Detriot
His name was Snap Dogg
I heard Suge got a Trans in there look like Kim Kartrashian.
Bring on the best of more best Death Jams – the world needs more music that can change negative viewpoints into positive missions!
Naw Suge never been a real one. Hes always been an egomanianic. In his mind, he still thinks he has Snoop under his thumb. He’s mad as hell right now.
2?
Hallelujah it’s about time they brought back the 90s Tupac Snoop we’re good together Dr.Dre brought out some good music I am sick and tired of this repetitious can’t dance to so call Hip Hop so congratulations new bring back all the old crew put the music back so we can dance to it make it sound good make us repeat the lyrics for there are none 2022. Put some live music in there. This one beat 1B 1B type of music stop copycatting get it right do what you supposed to do make black people be known that we are the ones that created HIP TO RAPP scene not nobody else but black people give us our props and I’m 70, and I love me some rap underground all that Lauryn Hill Black Eyed Peas all of them Sugar Hill Gang I came up with it all Watts Poets. last poets Biggy all that. Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield , Donny Hathaway they all rapped they told your story start telling the black folks story it’s hard telling the truth that was what RAPP was the truth. what Rapp is freedom of expression of a people denied their owned swagg. That is Rapp all about where I was telling the story from the hood a neighborhood from where we live what was going on with people weren’t talkin about start talking about what people are not talking about, do the right thing Snoop Dogg you know you the best when it comes to the West do get it right brother make the Black Nation proud again we as Black people have always been first and we will never be the last! Imhotep I leave you in peace Mama Z .
(aka) Zrunder Akei the mother of universe I’m watching make it right lyrics dance music live music compose arrange create that’s who we are as black people stay that way Snoop Dogg. Luv from MaMa Z??
i love old school hiphop, i grew up to it, ama brother from the middle east,i grew up to snoop dre and pacs music, in the mid 90s i was just 9 or 10 , i liked the music even though i didnt understand the lyrics during that time because english is not my first language, i grew up to this music , as i grew up i kept listening to all artists who got released by dre and his label such as 50cent and g unit, for me once that trap wack music took over the mainstream i felt that hiphop died already, now maybe it will come back to life, a ressuruction u may say, everyone should know that trap is not rap nor hiphop its just an abomination some kind of an ugly mutation of 1 of the music subgenres, yall shall never relate to it, there is nothing artistic about it , i love snoop and dres 90s music i am still bumpin to doggy style , the chronic and 2001 albums until today and everyday,much love from the middle east, hiphop is a culture and am so proud to be part of it
Snoop is a skinny btch. He was scared of Suge and ran like a dog with his tail tucked. Fake gangsta. Suge in prison for the rest of his days and Snoop now has the balls to make a move. SMH. People need to stop acting like Snoop a G.
AMEN I COULDN’T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF!
Jealously and self hatred continues
You dunce! Sure hasn’t owned death row in years!!!
Of course he is not a gangster, He is a man in his 50s worth $100,000000s. He has just dropped $50 mil on death row, you made a bitchy comment about it. Who’s the bitch?
I like the fact Suge Jr gave Eazy E props. A greenlight from his pops I hope. But you got to be miserable and have a lot of hate inside you to troll celebrities like you know whats going on behind the scenes when you know nothing. Your on the outside wishing you were in. And hate breeds bad karma.
this 69 jody say people
Some of the ignorance on here is a perfect example of why we sit in the places that we sit now why there’s such a Great Divide no matter what way we look at it if it ain’t a racial divide being spread across the media by the bigger enemy these rich bastards sitting high and mighty on Wall Street creating laws for which violating would never ever be made into a situation where they actually had to choose they make laws to keep themselves safe and Rich that on the same page will continue to make sure that the lower class not blacks or whites but the lower class citizens are faced with the Dilemma of choice were there never really was one and continue to make them Rich while we sit and f****** prison just like Suge Knight and a lot of the others. I don’t think it’s a bad thing that it fell under Snoop and snoops got more G and his pinky than most of you m************ got in your whole family’s body, you think for one second that they won’t pay homage to Shug why he’s sitting in there or for the rest of his life he will never want for anything and doesn’t have to deal with any headache whatsoever to death row records. He hasn’t owned death row in Forever so imagine this coming to full circle and he getting his due for creating a legacy that continues on. These people just dropped some serious homage on National Television to pay their respects to shug and to let them know that they are there for him the same as he was once there for them. Some people have to make the difficult decisions in life and those people often times aren’t liked. That’s just jealousy talking s*** cuz without a doubt half of you Chumps wouldn’t be able to make the decisions that even got the idea in your head to create something that’s powerful as these gentlemen have created.
Some of you sound stupid as f***. Why can’t you wake up and realize that they just paid homage to Suge on National Television basically guaranteeing that whatever f****** s*** goes on with Death Row Records he will continue to fill his pockets and get his share yeah it landed with Snoop, but Snoop is a billion dollar brand that can’t do nothing but create good. These Real G’s just figured out what’s important they’re stacking their money up and enjoying their lives. Once you reach a simple understanding at a much older age you begin to realize what’s important in life, and some of those Petty beefs are much easier or buried than they were all those years ago. This was a boss move all the way around, and he got to respect the hustle. I salute, respect to the backs of those that the industry was built off of. We thank you.