By Imran Mirza
Tha Row Records (formerly known as Death Row Records) is considered by many to be the most notorious record label, in the history of music. Perhaps this reputation is due in part to CEO and CO-FOUNDER Marion "Suge" Knight. The label, which once was home to top rappers such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and Tupac Shakur, has generated more than $300 million since it's inception in 1991. The Record Label burst out onto the rap scene with the hit track "Deep Cover" (Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg) in early 1992, and then made music history with the classic album "The Chronic" (Dr. Dre), going on to sell over 10 million albums to date. After the tremendous success of "The Chronic", Death Row's next release "Doggystyle" (Snoop Dogg's solo album, which was the most anticipated rap album in history) becoming one of the most successful westcoast rap albums selling more than 3 million copies.
In 1995, after bailing out the late Tupac Shakur from Riker's Island Prison, Death Row Records released it's largest commercial success album, entitled "All Eyes On Me" (Tupac Shakur.) So what went wrong? Possibly: The departure of co-founder Dr. Dre, the death of Tupac Shakur, the departure of Snoop Dogg, and the incarceration of Suge Knight.
When Suge Knight was starting Death Row Records, he said that he would make this record label the Motown of the 90's, no matter what it took. He was determined on becoming the Berry Gordy of his decade, and many say he accomplished his goal. Back in 1991, Dr. Dre, the DOC, and Miche'lle left Eazy E's already successful Ruthless Records. Eazy E and business manager Jerry Heller claimed, the three Ruthless artists who were under contract with their company, were freed from their contractual obligations only because the Ruthless Staff feared for their lives! They claimed that Knight used to taunt their business offices with guns and at one point threatened Eazy himself, with pipes and bats if he did not release the three artists. With the group NWA, Dr. Dre had started what became to be known as "gansta rap", and he was the most talented producer at the time.
Suge Knight now had the most talented and famous producer of the time, on his side. Knight and Dre immediately formed Death Row Records, and signed artists like, the Lady of Rage, Sam Sneed, Warren G, and Snoop Dogg to name a few. During the recording of "the chronic" album, two brothers (the Stanley brothers) claimed Knight beat them with a pistol and ordered them to remove their clothes, because one of the brothers used a phone without Knight's permission. These allegations landed Knight in court where he received seven years of probation (he later settled out of court with the brothers.) Slowly, Knight's reputation as a ruthless thug was beginning to form. In 1993, Death Row artists and an entourage traveled to Miami, Florida to attend the "Jack the Rapper" convention. Prior to the convention, a conflict was brewing between Knight's Death Row label and Luther Cambell's Luke Records. They had been exchanging heated words and verbal arguments, in interviews and on tracks. At the convention, the two camps finally met, and when they did sources claimed to see Knight carrying a loaded weapon in clear view, walking down a street. At another convention held in New Orleans, Knight was charged with starting a riot in a hotel lobby, in which seven police officers were injured. However, events took a turn when Knight joined Tupac Shakur in his hatred & hostility against Bad Boy Records, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs(CEO), Biggie Smalls, Junior Mafia, Mobb Deep, and others from the East Coast.
During the 1995 Soul Train Music Awards, Knight publicly disrespected Combs, facing thousands of guests in the audience, and millions of viewers nationwide. From that point forward many rumors began to surface. One such rumor was Knight had sexual relations with Comb's girlfriend at that time, an allegation both Combs and his ex-girlfriend deny. From the beginning of the East vs. West rap conflict, Knight was just as involved as Tupac was, which was odd for a rap mogul. He publicly disrespected Bad Boy Records, spread rumors, and made threats in magazine interviews. In 1995, Dr. Dre was tired of the direction the label was heading in and the negative reputation of Death Row Records, so he left the company and formed his own label, Aftermath Records. Immediately following his departure, Knight began showing hostility towards Dre, in interviews and songs.
Knight has publically declared his affiliation with the Mob Piru Bloods street gang, by always wearing bright red clothing, wearing a ring that says MOB and by naming his club in Las Vegas, Club 662 which spells out MOB on a keypad. After the Mike Tyson v. Bruce Selden fight on September 7, 1996 Suge, Tupac, and a Death Row Records entourage engaged in an assault fight with Orlando Anderson, a member of the Southside Crips of Compton, outside the MGM Grand's lobby. Later in the night, Tupac was shot and died six days later. Due to the small fight that Knight engaged in, Knight found himself in court again.
However, this time the judge was not as sympathetic. Judge Czuleger stated that Knight was a threat to the public, and that he had violated his probation from 1992 by participating in the assault that was captured on videotape. Suge Knight was sentenced to nine years in prison. After Tupac's death and Knight's imprisonment in 1996, Snoop Dogg felt abandoned and had the weight of the entire record company on his shoulders. In early 1997, he left Death Row Records and signed to Master P's No Limit Records. Suge Knight was released from prison in 2001 after serving five and a half years, of his nine-year sentence. Upon his release, Knight went right back to work. He signed new artists like Crooked I, Eastwood, and the late Lisa "Left-eye" Lopez. He changed the name of his company from Death Row Records to the Tha Row Records, and their fist CD release after Knight's return was mainly devoted to insulting and disrespecting his former artists Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Xzibit, and others. Additionally, the CD was a commercial failure and in recent months, rumors in the hip-hop industry are stating that Knight may sign rapper Juvenile (formerly of Cash Money Records); but this is yet to be confirmed. Knight is determined on getting on top of the rap game again, but after loosing most of his talent and with the competition of new artists signing to other labels it seems that it will be a rough road to get on top.
The Trials and Tribulation of Suge Knight and Death Row
Staff Writer, Streetgangs.com Magazine
December 20, 2002
Mr. Alonso is the editor of Streetgangs Newsletter and can be contacted by email at alonso@streetgangs.com. Here is his extended contact information.