Snoop Dogg has purchased Death Row Records from Blackstone-owned MNRK Music Group. According to a press statement sent by Business Wire, he will oversee the business as its owner for the next several years. When he launched his highly acclaimed first album, Doggystyle, in 1993, the rapper became a part of the brand. He also expressed his delight at acquiring such a well-known brand:
#new: @SnoopDogg has acquired the Death Row Records brand from MNRK Music Group, an entity backed by funds of private equity firm Blackstone.
see statement from the icon below, and more details on @theterminal pic.twitter.com/H6nq2pbsXM
— Kamaron Leach (@Kamaron) February 9, 2022
The rapper expressed his excitement and gratitude for the chance to buy the Death Row Records brand, which he feels has “immense” worth. He went on to say that it felt amazing to have ownership of the label he was a member of at the start of his career. He said,
“This is a really special occasion for me.” I’d want to express my gratitude to the teams at Blackstone, MNRK, and particularly David Kestnbaum, who worked with me over many months to make this joyful homecoming a reality. “I’m excited to start working on the next chapter of Death Row Records.”
Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, The D.O.C., and Dick Griffey started the company in 1991. According to a Variety source, there is a possibility that the singer will obtain song rights from the company.
What happened to Death Row Records’ prior CEO?
Suge Knight, also known as Marion Hugh “Suge” Knight Jr., is the CEO of Death Row Records. He has previously collaborated with well-known West Coast musicians like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. He was, nevertheless, engaged in the scandal surrounding Eazy-death. E’s He was also charged when The Notorious B.I.G. was shot and died in Los Angeles.
Suge was charged with murder, attempted murder, and hit-and-run in 2015 after fleeing the scene of an argument outside a Compton burger business. He got into a brawl with CleAugust “Bone” Sloan, a consultant on the Straight Outta Compton movie. Suge collided with the guy and ran over Terry Carter, who died as a result of his injuries. Knight’s attorneys first claimed that he acted in self-defense and fled the scene with two armed attackers. In 2018, he pleaded no guilty and agreed to serve 28 years in jail, 22 of which were for voluntary manslaughter and the remainder for a third strike violation. Knight is now incarcerated in San Diego County’s Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility. He was sent there on October 23, 2018, and will be eligible for release in October 2037.
