Snoop and Suge Knight have had a tenuous relationship since their falling out decades ago. Hence, fans expected anger from Knight at Snoop’s buying of his old label while he is stuck in prison. However, according to his son, Suge Jakob Knight, the producer feels nothing but respect and satisfaction.
Today, the rap and hip-hop scenes are flourishing. Thousands of fans fill hundred of stadiums, who no doubt, have each streamed their favorite sounds dozens of times before the event was even announced. Hip-hop and rap consistently rank within the top three most popular music genres of all time.
With the dramatic optics the scene has seen over the past decade, it can be easy to take hip-hop for granted. It can be easy to forget that the genre as we know it only came into being around 30 years ago. And that it had a very shaky start. Recently, Snoop Dogg announced that he has purchased his old label, Death Row Records, which used to belong to Suge Knight.
West Coast Rap
In 1991, Suge Knight founded Death Row Records, the music label which would become famous for defining the rap genre. Its creation solidified West Coast rap, with Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and 2Pac growing the record label and defining the genre as a whole. This, however, would be short-lived. The Death Row founder had a bit of a dark side and, according to associates, a violent streak. These two sent Knight to jail for assault the first time.
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre distanced themselves from Suge Knight as a result. According to Snoop in an 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.” The loss of its biggest names and its founded eventually causes Death Row Records to crumble into a former shadow of its greatness. Father famously, Suge Knight blamed Snoop Dogg for the near-death of his label. The two entered a war of words, with Knight going so far as to create Dead Man Walkin’, a compilation of Snoop’s unreleased work in Death Row Records and an overt threat.
Suge Knight’s Well Wishes
Snoop has had his sights set on Death Row Records for quite a while. Due to their history, fans had expected an adverse reaction from the Knights. But according to Suge Knight’s son, they are sending nothing but hope and positivity.
In an interview with TMZ, Jakob Knight explains that he and his father are happy to see Snoop acquire Death Row Records. He calls it a “victory for the West Coast.” He explains that his father no longer holds beef with Snoop. He maintains that their fan base predominantly manufactures those kinds of relationships. Regardless, things are looking up for the old label. What direction do you think Death Row Records will take under Snoop’s management?
