Death Row Records
Encyclopedia
Death Row Records is a record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...

 founded in 1991 by Marion "Suge" Knight Jr.
Suge Knight
Marion "Suge" Knight, Jr. is the founder and CEO of Black Kapital Records and co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Death Row Records rose to dominate the rap charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough album The Chronic in 1992. After several years of chart successes for artists including...

, Andre Young (Dr. Dre)
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...

, Tracy Lynn Curry (The D.O.C)
The D.O.C.
Tracy Lynn Curry , primarily known by his stage name The D.O.C., is an American rapper from Dallas, Texas. In addition to a solo career, he was a member of the hip hop group Fila Fresh Crew, and a creative force behind the gangsta rap group N.W.A, where he co-wrote many of their releases. He has...

 (uncredited) and Michael Harris (Harry-O) (financier and uncredited). It is known to have been home to many popular West Coast hip hop
West Coast hip hop
West Coast hip hop is a hip hop music subgenre that encompasses any artists or music that originates in the westernmost region of the United States, as opposed to East Coast hip hop, based originally in New York alone...

 artists such as Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...

, Snoop Doggy Dogg, 2Pac
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...

, Nate Dogg
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...

 and the rap group Tha Dogg Pound
Tha Dogg Pound
Tha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album...

 consisting of rappers Kurupt
Kurupt
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...

 and Daz Dillinger
Daz Dillinger
Delmar Drew Arnaud , better known by his stage name Daz Dillinger is an American hip hop producer and rapper mostly known for his membership in the rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, with Kurupt, and his work with Death Row Records.-The Chronic, Tha Dogg Pound and Dogg Food:Daz began his career on Death Row...

 although most if not all departed from the label after its demise following the murder of Tupac Shakur in 1996.

The collapse of Death Row Records meant its title as a powerful hip-hop label was subsequently revoked despite attempts from the last remaining founder and CEO at the time, Suge Knight, that included signing new talents and releasing many compilations of previously unreleased content recorded by ex-Death Row artists. The label filed for bankruptcy in 2006 and on January 15 of 2009, Death Row Records was successfully auctioned to entertainment development company WIDEawake Entertainment Group, Inc. for $18 million.

Death Row has sold nearly 50 million albums worldwide, and generated close to $750 million in revenue.

Origin/Leaving Ruthless Records

In the late '80's, producer Andre "Dr. Dre" Young
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...

 was a member of the gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...

 group N.W.A.
N.W.A.
N.W.A was an American hip hop group from Compton, California, widely considered one of the seminal acts of the gangsta rap sub-genre....

, signed to fellow member Eric "Eazy-E" Wright
Eazy-E
Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...

's Ruthless Records. As head of production at the label, Dre produced a large number of Ruthless projects, many of them high-selling; feeling the pressures of having to produce so many acts, Dre became frustrated with Ruthless. After the departure of Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...

 over financial disagreements with manager Jerry Heller
Jerry Heller
Jerry Heller is best known for managing West Coast rap group N.W.A. and rapper Eazy-E. He is co-founder and CEO of Ruthless Records. Heller managed War, Average White Band, Marvin Gaye, Michel'le, A.L.T...

, artist and friend The D.O.C.
The D.O.C.
Tracy Lynn Curry , primarily known by his stage name The D.O.C., is an American rapper from Dallas, Texas. In addition to a solo career, he was a member of the hip hop group Fila Fresh Crew, and a creative force behind the gangsta rap group N.W.A, where he co-wrote many of their releases. He has...

 went over the books with a lawyer. Convinced that Heller was dishonest, they approached Young about forming a label with them, away from Heller and Eazy-E. Allegedly using strong-arm tactics, Knight was able to procure contracts from Eazy for The D.O.C., Dr. Dre and singer Michel'le
Michel'le
Michel'le Toussant better known as Michel'le, is an American R&B singer-songwriter known for her squeaky, child-like speaking voice, which is a startling contrast to her strong vocals.-Career:...

.

Knight approached successful rapper Robert "Vanilla Ice" Van Winkle
Vanilla Ice
Robert Matthew Van Winkle , best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice, is an American rapper, extreme athlete and home improvement television personality...

, using management connections with rapper Mario "Chocolate" Johnson, claiming that Johnson had produced the song "Ice Ice Baby
Ice Ice Baby
"Ice Ice Baby" is a hip hop song written by American rapper Vanilla Ice and DJ Earthquake. The song samples the bassline of "Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie, who did not initially receive songwriting credit or royalties until after it had become a hit...

", and had not received royalties for the song.After consulting with Alex Roberts whom sources suggest was Suge Knights connection to the underworld Knight and two bodyguards arrived at The Palm
The Palm (restaurant)
The Palm is an American fine-dining steakhouse that opened in 1926. It is located in New York City at 837 Second Avenue.Since its beginnings, management has opened additional restaurants throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico...

 in West Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...

, where Van Winkle was eating. After shoving Van Winkle's bodyguards aside, Knight and his own bodyguards sat down in front of Van Winkle, staring at him before finally asking "How you doin'?" Similar incidents were repeated on several occasions, including attempts to lure Van Winkle into a van filled with Blood and Crips gang members. before Knight showed up at Van Winkle's hotel suite on the fifteenth floor of the Bel Age Hotel, accompanied by Johnson and a member of the Los Angeles Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

. According to Van Winkle, Knight took him out on the balcony by himself, and implied that he would throw Van Winkle off unless he signed the rights to the song over to Knight; Van Winkle's money helped fund Death Row Records. At one time, Death Row Records was located at the intersection of Wilshire Blvd. and San Vicente Blvd.Knight was also seen on a number of occasions leaving Alex Roberts home in Malibu. Knight also approached Michael "Harry-O" Harris, a businessman incarcerated on drug and attempted murder charges. Through David Kenner, a criminal attorney handling Harris's appeal, Harry-O set up Godfather Entertainment, a parent company for the newly-christened Death Row Records.

The Chronic

With Kenner's expertise as incentive, Suge Knight began signing young inner-city California artists and arranged for Death Row to handle the soundtrack for the 1992 Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...

/Jeff Goldblum
Jeff Goldblum
Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum is an American actor. His career began in the mid-1970s and he has appeared in major box-office successes including The Fly, Jurassic Park and its sequel Jurassic Park: The Lost World, and Independence Day...

 film Deep Cover
Deep Cover
Deep Cover is a 1992 crime thriller film starring Laurence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum and directed by veteran actor Bill Duke. It is also notable for its theme song of the same name, composed by Dr...

. The single, "Deep Cover
Deep Cover (song)
"Deep Cover", also known as "187", is Dr. Dre's debut solo single, his first song since the N.W.A. break up. It was made for the soundtrack from the film Deep Cover . The song features Snoop Dogg making his first appearance on record.-History:...

", established Dre as a solo artist and a young Snoop "Doggy" Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...

 as his protege. Work soon began on The Chronic
The Chronic
The Chronic is the solo debut album of American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, released December 15, 1992, on his own record label Death Row Records, and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman...

, Dre's solo album, which heavily featured Snoop and the rest of the label's core roster. Its singles, "Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')" and "Nuthin' but a "G" Thang", saw Dre and Snoop responding to disses by Eazy-E and other artists at Ruthless over Dre's leaving the label and N.W.A.

The album went on to sell three million records, establishing the west coast in hip-hop and popularizing the distinctive style of g-funk
G-funk
G-funk, or Gangsta-funk, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that emerged from Westcoast gangsta rap in the early 1990s. G-funk incorporates multi-layered and melodic synthesizers, slow hypnotic grooves, a deep bass, background female vocals, the extensive sampling of P-funk tunes, and a high-pitched...

. Continuing to release albums boycotting Dre, Eazy-E claimed the success of the album and its singles netted him nearly as much money as it did Young, though the album became Death Row's first landmark release and solidified the status of the label and its artists.

Doggystyle

After finding solo success, Dre began crafting Snoop Dogg's debut album Doggystyle; the process took two years, and Snoop's debut was finally released in 1993 due to public demand and high pressure from retailers. Though unfinished, it outdid The Chronic at four times platinum, and garnered similarly glowing reviews. Soon after the release of the album, controversy began to hit the label; Snoop was charged with murder, fueling the debate that politicians C. Delores Tucker
C. Delores Tucker
C. DeLores Tucker was a U.S. politician and civil rights activist best known for her participation in the Civil Rights Movement and stance against gangsta rap music.-Early life:...

 and then-presidential candidate Dan Quayle
Dan Quayle
James Danforth "Dan" Quayle served as the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving with President George H. W. Bush . He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Indiana....

 sparked by denouncing gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...

 as against American values, encouraging violence towards police officers, and degrading to black women. They used the music and video images of Death Row Records as examples.

Signing 2Pac and Bad Boy feud

By 1995, the label began to flood with Knight's cronies—friends and gang members fresh out of jail, as well as off-duty police officers later implicated in the Rampart scandal
Rampart Scandal
The Rampart scandal refers to widespread corruption in the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums anti-gang unit of the Los Angeles Police Department Rampart Division in the late 1990s. More than 70 police officers in the CRASH unit were implicated in misconduct, making it one of the most...

, working as security. Emboldened, Knight began taking more control of the label and further sought the spotlight, while Dr. Dre receded into the background, shying away from the increasingly violent atmosphere and Suge's newfound volatility. C. Delores Tucker's pressure to conform extended to a joint proposal by herself and a Warner executive to set up a record label with Knight to put out content-controlled rap music, which Knight billed as a breach of contract, resulting in a switch in distribution from Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...

 to Interscope. At the '95 Source Awards, the Death Row roster's performance garnered a poor reception from the mainly east coast audience; Knight also made comments pertaining to Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Puff Daddy, sparking friction between the two labels (and, later, the two entire coasts). Soon Knight would sign rapper Tupac "2Pac" Shakur, incarcerated on a sexual abuse conviction, after agreeing to post Shakur's bail. At the same time, a rift between Michael and Lydia Harris and Suge and David Kenner began to grow, with the latter pair denying Harris's involvement in the company and refusing to take his phone calls.

Tupac immediately began work on his Death Row album, kicking off his tenure by insulting Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy, who he accused of setting him up to be robbed and shot earlier that year, as well as Bad Boy Entertainment, Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones...

 and Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...

. Tha Dogg Pound
Tha Dogg Pound
Tha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album...

's debut album, Dogg Food
Dogg Food
Dogg Food is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Tha Dogg Pound. Its controversial lyrics were the subject of shareholder protest...

, continued the label's streak of commercial successes; its members, rappers Kurupt
Kurupt
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...

 and Daz Dillinger
Daz Dillinger
Delmar Drew Arnaud , better known by his stage name Daz Dillinger is an American hip hop producer and rapper mostly known for his membership in the rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, with Kurupt, and his work with Death Row Records.-The Chronic, Tha Dogg Pound and Dogg Food:Daz began his career on Death Row...

, joined Shakur in ridiculing New York rappers with their single "New York, New York," featuring Snoop Dogg. The video, set in New York City, was also heightened when the set was fired upon in a driveby after Notorious B.I.G. appeared on radio telling listeners "2pac and Dogg Pound were in town making a music video dissing New York" which was not the case. After the shooting fueled by Biggie, Snoop and Dogg Pound decided to take a new turn with the video production and filmed new scenes kicking down building in New York. Jamal Wright did a song dissing Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

 called "Fucc New York" on his 1994 debut album called Welcome 2 Tha West. Disillusioned with the direction of Death Row, artists RBX
RBX
Eric Dwayne Collins, better known by his stage name RBX , is a former rapper and R&B singer from Long Beach, California...

 and The D.O.C. chose to leave, after which Knight exercised tighter control over the rest of the roster. Dogg Food was not produced by Dr. Dre but was mixed by Dre, a further testament to Young's dwindling involvement with his own label. Though he contributed two tracks to 2Pac's All Eyez on Me
All Eyez on Me
All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released February 13, 1996 on Death Row Records and Interscope Records....

, it was mostly produced by Daz and Johnny J despite Dre being nominally titled as Executive Producer. Shakur's behavior reportedly became erratic as he continued verbal wars with Mobb Deep, Nas, Biggie, The Fugees
The Fugees
Fugees were a Haitian American hip hop group who rose to fame in the mid-1990s. Their repertoire included elements of Hip hop, soul and Caribbean music, particularly reggae. The members of the group were rapper/singer/producer Wyclef Jean, rapper/singer/producer Lauryn Hill, and rapper Pras Michel...

 and Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

. Shakur also turned on the label's co-founder and former head producer, Dre. Shakur was incensed that Dre was getting credit for producing recordings that he had little or no involvement in. In 1996, due to the infighting, Dre left Death Row to form Aftermath Entertainment
Aftermath Entertainment
Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent and Slim da Mobster, with former acts including Busta Rhymes, Game, Raekwon,...

.

Tupac Shakur's murder & Suge Knight's incarceration

Formerly a united front of artists, Death Row's roster fractured into separate camps. Daz, now head producer, worked on Snoop Dogg's second album Tha Doggfather
Tha Doggfather
Tha Doggfather is the second studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg; released by Death Row/Interscope Records on November 12, 1996. The album was re-released July 11, 2005. Snoop spent much of 1995 preparing for the case, which finally went to trial in late 1995. In February 1996, he was...

, which featured Bad Azz and Techniec of his LBC Crew, Warren G
Warren G
Warren G , is an American West Coast rapper and hip hop producer. He is also Dr. Dre's half-brother.His biggest hit is the song "Regulate" with Nate Dogg released in 1994...

 and Nate Dogg
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...

 of his group 213 and Kurupt and Daz of Tha Dogg Pound. 2Pac shut himself into the studio with little-known producers Hurt-M-Badd and Big "D", crafting The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory is the fifth and final studio album by Tupac Shakur, under the new stage name Makaveli, finished before his death and his first studio album to be posthumously released...

--unlike All Eyez on Me, it was devoid of high-profile Death Row guest appearances, instead showcasing Shakur's The Outlawz and Bad Azz. Knight was now barely reachable by his staff, and employees were routinely assaulted as punishment for not following orders.

During a trip to Las Vegas for a Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...

 fight, Shakur was interviewed on the possibility of Death Row East, an east coast branch of the record label, it was also during this time Alex Roberts and David Kenner had been seen at Knights Vegas Club 662 in discussion about the possibility of having Roberts New York underworld connections help pave the way for Death Row East. Though names from Big Daddy Kane
Big Daddy Kane
Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...

 and the Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...

 to Eric B. and K-Solo
K-Solo
K-Solo is an American rapper from Central Islip, New York who, along with EPMD, Redman, Das EFX, and Keith Murray, was part of the Hit Squad in 1990s.-Late years:...

 were mentioned, the label would never be formed; three days later, Tupac, Knight and others were caught on surveillance camera at the MGM Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas assailing gang member Orlando Anderson
Orlando Anderson
Orlando Tive "Baby Lane" Anderson was an alleged affiliate of the South Side Compton Crips and was a person of interest in the brief investigation of the murder of acclaimed American rapper Tupac Shakur by Compton and Las Vegas police...

 who was a Southside Crip (which was rumored to provide security for Bad Boy Entertainment artists). Later that night, Shakur was shot several times while in a car Suge was driving as they headed to Knight's Vegas Club 662; despite living several days in critical condition, the rapper died on September 13, 1996. Shakur's "Makaveli 7 Day Theory" was released in November just one week before Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Tha Doggfather". Although both albums went to platinum sales in their first weeks on the shelves the impact on Death Row had started to mount; Knight was convicted of parole violation and sentenced to nine years' prison time, causing Interscope to drop its distribution deal with the label. His control over the label diminished, Nate Dogg was able to leave, followed by Snoop Dogg and Kurupt; after the release of his own and the Lady of Rage
Lady of Rage
Robin Yvette Allen , better known by her stage name The Lady of Rage, is an American rapper and actress best known for collaborations with several Death Row Records artists, including Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg on the seminal albums The Chronic and Doggystyle...

's solo albums, Daz and Rage followed suit. Jamal Wright left for good in 1999 and Daz would later return in 1999 with Big C-Style to form Dogg Pound Records only to leave again in early 2001. Kurupt returned to the label in 2002 upon Suge Knight's release from prison. The record label was renamed Tha Row.

2nd generation exodus

Maintaining artistic control from behind bars, Knight launched smear campaigns against several of his former artists, most notably Snoop Dogg. The label supported itself with releases pulled from vaults—most successfully various posthumous 2Pac albums, along with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg re-releases and then-unreleased compilation records such as Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000
Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000
Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 is a compilation album released in 1999 by Death Row Records featuring performances by various artists, including 2Pac, Treach, Scarface, Tha Realest, Swoop G, Lil' C-Style, K-Ci, Soopafly, Jewell, Danny Boy, Outlawz, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, E-40, Top Dogg and DJ...

and Snoop Dogg: Dead Man Walkin. He signed new talent, including Female Rapper SKG, Crooked I
Crooked I
Dominick Wickliffe, better known by his stage name Crooked I, is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the hip hop group, Slaughterhouse with other members Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9. Slaughterhouse is currently signed to Shady Records / Interscope Records....

, Left Eye
Lisa Lopes
Lisa Nicole Lopes better known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper, singer, dancer, actress, television host, and songwriter...

 of TLC, Top Dogg and Tha Realest
Tha Realest
Jevon Jones is an American rapper better known by his stage name Tha Realest, and formerly Tenkamenin The Vigilante . His debut album, Witness Tha Realest, was released on July 14, 2009, following numerous delays...

, picking up affiliates Spider Loc
Spider Loc
Curtis Norvell Williams, more commonly known as Spider Loc is an American rapper signed to G-Unit Records.Loc is also the CEO of G-Unit West.-Biography:...

 and Eastwood. He also appointed former Ruthless Records artist Cold 187um
Cold 187um
Gregory Fernan Hutchinson , better known by his stage names Big Hutch and Cold 187 um, is an African American rapper and producer, and the lead act of the rap group Above the Law. The group signed to Ruthless Records in late 1989, releasing their debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, in 1990...

 head producer, to oversee the 2Pac album Until the End of Time and unauthorized Dogg Pound release 2002. Despite bad blood, Kurupt would again sign with Suge Knight in exchange for the position of Vice President, which sparked a feud between himself and former friends Daz and Snoop Dogg. Mentoring Crooked I, he began work on Against tha Grain
Against Tha Grain
Against tha Grain is the fourth studio album by rapper Kurupt and his first on Death Row Records as a solo artist. Kurupt signed back on to Death Row Records, except as a solo artist in 2002. The album was supposed to be released in 2004, but was delayed. It was finally released in August 2005. It...

; his verbal feud with his former partners continued from 2002 to 2005. TLC
TLC (band)
TLC is an American musical trio whose repertoire spanned R&B, hip-hop, soul, funk, and new jack swing. Originally consisting of singer Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, rapper-singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and singer Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas it found success in the 1990s while also enduring a series of spats...

 band member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes
Lisa Lopes
Lisa Nicole Lopes better known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper, singer, dancer, actress, television host, and songwriter...

 signed with Knight's Tha Row Records, intending to record a second solo album under the pseudonym N.I.N.A. (New Identity Not Applicable). The album was cancelled after Lopes's death in April 2002.

After promoting his new talent for years from prison, directing a campaign against his former artists and exacerbating the conflict between Daz and Kurupt, Suge had still yet to release any albums by his living artists. In 2004, Spider Loc signed a deal with G-Unit
G-Unit
G-Unit is an American hip hop group originating from New York City formed by 50 Cents. G-Unit emerged on the New York scene by independently releasing several mix tapes...

 and enjoined a verbal bout with rapper The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...

, leaving Knight and Death Row behind. After Kurupt's second departure, Against tha Grain was released; soon after, citing dissatisfaction with serving five years on the label and seeing no release, Crooked I also left Death Row, eventually filing a gag order on Knight to prevent the mogul's interference with his finding a new deal. Petey Pablo
Petey Pablo
Moses Mortimer Barrett III , known by the stage name Petey Pablo, is an American rapper from Greenville, North Carolina.-Biography:...

, who had signed in 2005 and started the never-released album Same Eyez on Me, left along with rapper Tha Realest in 2006.

Legal troubles

Further legal troubles included Suge Knight's possible implication in the 1997 murder of The Notorious B.I.G. in Los Angeles, California. A federal informant provided testimony that Los Angeles police officers
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...

 David Mack
David Mack (police officer)
David Anthony Mack , is a former LAPD Rampart Division Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums officer. He is one of the central figures in the LAPD Rampart police corruption scandal. Mack was arrested for masterminding the November 6, 1997, robbery of $722,000 from a South Central Los...

 and Rafael Perez
Rafael Pérez (police officer)
Rafael Antonio "Ray" Pérez , is a former Los Angeles Police Department C.R.A.S.H officer and the central figure in the LAPD Rampart Scandal. He was involved in the coverup of a $722,000 bank robbery, shot and framed Javier Ovando, and stole and resold at least $800,000 of cocaine from LAPD...

--both implicated in the Rampart scandal—worked as security for Death Row when off-duty, and that they and Suge Knight had conspired to have Biggie killed after a party the rapper attended on the night of his murder. However, testifying in a wrongful-death lawsuit brought by B.I.G.'s mother and widow, he went back on his testimony, claiming it as hearsay. In the same case, a second prison informant named Kenny Boagni claimed that Mack and Perez were indeed on the label's payroll at the time. The case was eventually declared a mistrial, and criminal investigation reopened, though a second suit has thus far brought no claims against Knight directly.

Knight was also investigated in 2005 for paying a man to punch Dr. Dre as he accepted a lifetime achievement award at the 2004 Vibe Awards; though he denies the claim, the assailant apparently told Santa Monica police that Knight offered him $5,000 for the job. A lawsuit was brought against him by Lydia Harris, resulting in a court order to pay her $107 million in profits owed after she'd been forced from the label. The judgment resulted in Knight declaring bankruptcy in 2006, after turning down Warner Music Group's offer to buy at $25 million, and made to auction off all assets of the label.

'06 also saw Dr. Dre bring a lawsuit against the label demanding rights to The Chronic, by reason of unpaid royalties. By 2008, it was reported separately that Susan Berg, president of Global Music Group, bid on the label at auction for $24 million, and that Warner had topped her bid by reiterating its $25 million dollar offer, but neither sale went through; questions regarding Knight's financial status surfaced when he sued Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...

 over a shooting/robbery at the rapper's birthday party.

On January 15 of 2009, Death Row Records was successfully auctioned to entertainment development company WIDEawake Entertainment Group, Inc. for $18 million.

On January 25 of 2009, an auction was held for everything found in the Death Row Records office after the company filed for bankruptcy. Of note was the Death Row Records electric chair which went for $2500.

Acquisition by WIDEawake

WIDEawake-Deathrow Entertainment LLC, the current holder of the Death Row assets, is a Delaware LLC. An off-shoot of WIDEawake Entertainment Group, Inc., the LLC was formed concurrently when the material and associated rights were acquired in February 2009 by WIDEawake Entertainment Group Inc. Since the acquisition, the company has continued to release material from its vast archives of materials acquired in the sale. Noteworthy releases include previously commercially unreleased material from such artists as Snoop Dogg, Kurrupt, Danny Boy, Crooked I, Sam Sneed, LBC Crew and O.F.T.B. Since the acquisition of the material, WIDEawake-Deathrow Entertainment LLC, under the management of WIDEawake Entertainment Group Inc., has made many positive steps towards improving the image of Death Row by making good on its promise to make royalty payments to many of the various artists, producers, and songwriters with commercially released material under the label.

Releases

Album information
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...

 – The Chronic
The Chronic
The Chronic is the solo debut album of American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, released December 15, 1992, on his own record label Death Row Records, and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman...

  • Released: December 15, 1992
  • Chart positions: No.3 Billboard
  • RIAA certification
    RIAA certification
    In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...

    : 3x Platinum
  • Singles: "Fuck Wit Dre Day", "Let Me Ride
    Let Me Ride
    "Let Me Ride" is the third single released by Dr. Dre from his 1992 album The Chronic. It experienced moderate success on the charts until it became a hit after Dr. Dre won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance during the Grammy Awards of 1994. Snoop Doggy Dogg is involved for a "Rollin' in...

    ", "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang"
Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle
Doggystyle
Doggystyle is the debut album from American rapper Snoop Dogg; released by Death Row Records on November 23, 1993. The album was recorded soon following the release of Dr. Dre's landmark debut album The Chronic , to which Snoop Dogg contributed significantly. His musical stylizations for the album...

  • Released: November 23, 1993
  • Chart positions: No.1 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 4x Platinum
  • Singles: "Who Am I (What's My Name)", "Gin and Juice
    Gin and Juice
    "Gin and Juice" is the second single by rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg from his debut album Doggystyle. A top 10 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, peaking at number eight, "Gin and Juice" was nominated for the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance...

    ", Doggy Dogg World
    Doggy Dogg World
    "Doggy Dogg World" is the third single from Snoop Doggy Dogg's debut album Doggystyle. It is the first European-only release with an American video TV-play. It features '70s funk band The Dramatics, with guest rap verses from Kurupt and Daz Dillinger , and chorus singing by background vocalist...

  • Soundtrack – Above the Rim (soundtrack)
  • Released: March 22, 1994
  • Chart positions: No.2 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
  • Singles: "Regulate
    Regulate (song)
    "Regulate" is a 1994 song performed by Warren G and Nate Dogg. Released in the summer of 1994, the track appears on the soundtrack to the film Above the Rim and later Warren G.'s album Regulate...G Funk Era. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #8 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart...

    ", "Anything", "Afro Puffs
    Afro Puffs
    "Afro Puffs" is the first single released by The Lady of Rage in 1994 from the Death Row labeled Above the Rim: The Soundtrack. The Extended, video and instrumental version on the single samples "Superman Lover" by Johnny "Guitar" Watson...

    ", "Part-Time Lover"
  • Soundtrack – Murder Was The Case
    Murder Was the Case
    Murder Was the Case is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection after making a deal with the Devil...

  • Released: October 15, 1994
  • Chart positions: No.1 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
  • Singles: "Woman To Woman", "Natural Born Killaz
    Natural Born Killaz
    "Natural Born Killaz" is a single from the reunited duo of Dr. Dre and Ice Cube originally intended for the scrapped album 'Heltah Skeltah'. It is the first time the two had been on a single together since their rap group N.W.A had split up. The single was released in 1994 in the US and 1995 in the...

    ", "U Better Recognize
    U Better Recognize
    U Better Recognize was Sam Sneed's first and only single while he was on Death Row Records. The B-Side was Come When I Call by Danny Boy-Single Information:U Better Recognize featuring Dr. Dre, in 1994...

    ", "Murder Was The Case", What Would You Do?
    What Would You Do?
    What Would You Do? is a 30-minute television show hosted by Marc Summers shown on Nickelodeon from 1991 to 1993. Robin Marrella acted as the on-camera stagehand for the show's first season. Both Summers and Marrella performed their respective duties on Double Dare, also on Nickelodeon...

    "
  • Tha Dogg Pound
    Tha Dogg Pound
    Tha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album...

    Dogg Food
    Dogg Food
    Dogg Food is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Tha Dogg Pound. Its controversial lyrics were the subject of shareholder protest...

  • Released: October 31, 1995
  • Chart positions: No.1 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
  • Singles: "Respect", "Let's Play House
    Let's Play House
    Let's Play House is the only album released by pop punk band The Cootees. The song "I'm Ok, You're Ok" was later "covered" by MxPx, it is on their album Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo...

    ", "New York City"
  • 2Pac – All Eyez On Me
    All Eyez on Me
    All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac, released February 13, 1996 on Death Row Records and Interscope Records....

  • Released: February 13, 1996
  • Chart positions: No.1 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 9x Platinum, 4x Diamond (worldwide)
  • Singles: "California Love
    California Love
    "California Love" is a hip hop song by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single upon his release from prison in 1995. A popular remix version of the song appeared on his 1996 double album All Eyez on Me...

    ", "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted
    2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted
    2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted is a hip hop song written by 2Pac, Snoop Dogg and Daz Dillinger for 2Pac's 1996 double album All Eyez on Me. The song is a duet performed by 2Pac and Snoop Dogg. "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" was released as promotional recording and was the album's second single, after...

    ", "How Do You Want It", "All Bout U", "Life Goes On", "I Ain't Mad at Cha
    I Ain't Mad at Cha
    "I Ain't Mad at Cha" is the name of a song by rapper 2Pac released as the sixth single from his album All Eyez on Me. Although the album was released exactly 7 months before his death, the single was released shortly after his death. The song is a heartfelt tribute to his friend who had converted...

    "
  • Makaveli (2Pac) – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
    The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory
    The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory is the fifth and final studio album by Tupac Shakur, under the new stage name Makaveli, finished before his death and his first studio album to be posthumously released...

  • Released: November 5, 1996
  • Chart positions: No.1 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 28x Platinum
  • Singles: "Toss It Up", "To Live & Die in LA", "Hail Mary
    Hail Mary
    The Angelic Salutation, Hail Mary, or Ave Maria is a traditional biblical Catholic prayer asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Hail Mary is used within the Catholic Church, and it forms the basis of the Rosary...

    "
  • Snoop Doggy Dogg – Tha Doggfather
    Tha Doggfather
    Tha Doggfather is the second studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg; released by Death Row/Interscope Records on November 12, 1996. The album was re-released July 11, 2005. Snoop spent much of 1995 preparing for the case, which finally went to trial in late 1995. In February 1996, he was...

  • Released: November 12, 1996
  • Chart positions: No.1 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
  • Singles: "Doggfather
    Doggfather
    "Doggfather" is the last single from Snoop Doggy Dogg's Tha Doggfather album. It was released in August 26, 1997 .-Background:...

    ", "Snoop's Upside Ya Head
    Snoop's Upside Ya Head
    "Snoop's Upside Ya Head" is the second European hit and the first single release of Snoop Doggy Dogg's 1996 sophomore album Tha Doggfather...

    ", "Vapors
    Vapors (song)
    "Vapors" is a single by West Coast rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg from his 1996 album Tha Doggfather. The song features Charlie Wilson and Teena Marie. It is produced by DJ Pooh. The song contains an interpolation from "Vapors" by Biz Markie, 'Blind Man Can See It", and "Papa Don't Take No Mess" both by...

    "
  • Various – Death Row Greatest Hits
    Death Row Greatest Hits
    Death Row Greatest Hits is a 33-track compilation released by Death Row Records, and contains singles by artists such as 2Pac, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. The CD also includes previously unreleased remix tracks. The album was re-released in 2001 and digitally re-mastered.-Track listing:Disc One#...

  • Released: November 26, 1996
  • Chart positions:
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles:
  • Death Row artists – Christmas on Death Row
    Christmas on Death Row
    Christmas on Death Row is a compilation released by Death Row Records on December 5, 1996. The album sold 200,000 copies. The album was made as a form of charity to the community.- Track listing :#Snoop Dogg ft...

  • Released: December 5, 1996
  • Chart positions:
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "Santa Clause Goes Straight to the Ghetto"
  • Soundtrack – Gridlock'd (soundtrack)
  • Released: January 28, 1997
  • Chart positions: No.1 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: Gold
  • Singles: "Wanted Dead or Alive
    Wanted Dead or Alive (2Pac song)
    "Wanted Dead or Alive" is a collaboration song by Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, & Dazdillinger Arnaud released as a single from the Gridlock'd . It was made into a video. The video showed the police trying to catch Snoop Dogg and clips of the deceased rapper Tupac Shakur. The storyline is similar to "2...

    ", "Lady Heroin", "It's Over Now"
  • Lady of Rage
    Lady of Rage
    Robin Yvette Allen , better known by her stage name The Lady of Rage, is an American rapper and actress best known for collaborations with several Death Row Records artists, including Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg on the seminal albums The Chronic and Doggystyle...

     – Necessary Roughness
    Necessary Roughness (album)
    Necessary Roughness is the debut album of female rapper Lady of Rage. After appearing on high-profile, critically acclaimed Death Row releases—including Dr. Dre's The Chronic and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle--and releasing her own, Dr. Dre-produced single "Afro Puffs" , Rage released her debut on June...

  • Released: June 4, 1997
  • Chart positions: No.32
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "Sho Shot", "Get Wit' Da Wickedness"
  • Soundtrack – Gang Related (soundtrack)
    Gang Related (soundtrack)
    Gang Related is a double disc audio soundtrack for the film Gang Related, released on October 7, 1997, under Priority Records. It features four songs by the supporting actor Tupac Shakur. The album peaked at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, and at #1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart....

  • Released: October 7, 1997
  • Chart positions: No.2 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 2x platinum
  • Singles: "Made Niggaz"
  • Daz Dillinger
    Daz Dillinger
    Delmar Drew Arnaud , better known by his stage name Daz Dillinger is an American hip hop producer and rapper mostly known for his membership in the rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, with Kurupt, and his work with Death Row Records.-The Chronic, Tha Dogg Pound and Dogg Food:Daz began his career on Death Row...

     – Retaliation, Revenge and Get Back
  • Released: March 31, 1998
  • Chart positions: No.8 Billboard
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "In California", "It Might Sound Crazy"
  • Michel'le
    Michel'le
    Michel'le Toussant better known as Michel'le, is an American R&B singer-songwriter known for her squeaky, child-like speaking voice, which is a startling contrast to her strong vocals.-Career:...

     – Hung Jury
    Hung Jury (album)
    Hung Jury is the second album by singer, Michel'le, her first since 1989's Michel'le. The album was released on August 24, 1998 for Death Row Records and was produced by Michel'le and Suge Knight. The album was a critical and commercial failure, only making it to #56 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums...

  • Released: August 24, 1998
  • Chart positions: No.56 Billboard
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "Hang Tyme", "Can I Get A Witness?"
  • 2Pac – Greatest Hits
    Greatest Hits (2Pac album)
    Greatest Hits is a double disc greatest hits album for late rapper 2Pac, released by Amaru/Death Row Records in 1998. The album's non-chronological sequence highlights 2Pac's career; the 21 popular hits, some slightly re-edited for legal reasons, are accompanied by four previously unreleased songs:...

  • Released: November 24, 1998
  • Chart positions: No.3 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 10x Platinum
  • Singles: "Changes", "Unconditional Love"
  • Death Row artists – Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000
    Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000
    Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 is a compilation album released in 1999 by Death Row Records featuring performances by various artists, including 2Pac, Treach, Scarface, Tha Realest, Swoop G, Lil' C-Style, K-Ci, Soopafly, Jewell, Danny Boy, Outlawz, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, E-40, Top Dogg and DJ...

  • Released: April 27, 1999
  • Chart positions: No.11 Billboard
  • RIAA certifications:
  • Singles: "Who Do U Believe In?
    Who Do U Believe In?
    Who Do U Believe In? is a posthumous single by 2Pac, released on a compilation album Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000 album. Song featuring: Kadafi, and Big Pimpin' Delemond...

    ", "Like It or Not"
  • Death Row artists – Too Gangsta for Radio
  • Released: September 26, 2000
  • Chart positions: No.171 Billboard
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "Thug Nature"
  • Snoop Doggy Dogg – Dead Man Walkin'
    Dead Man Walkin'
    Dead Man Walkin' is an album released by Death Row Records in 2000, composed of archived Snoop Dogg recordings but was not authorized by Snoop Dogg, nor recognized on the discography on his website. Snoop Dogg was an artist on Death Row from 1993 to 1998, when he left the label following labelmate...

  • Released: October 31, 2000
  • Chart positions: No.24 Billboard
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "Head Doctor"
  • Tha Dogg Pound
    Tha Dogg Pound
    Tha Dogg Pound is a rap group made up of Daz Dillinger and Kurupt. They were signed to Death Row Records in their early careers and were key to the label's success. The group made their 1992 rap debut on Dr. Dre's The Chronic, on various songs. They also appeared on Snoop Dogg's debut album...

     – 2002
  • Released: July 31, 2001
  • Chart positions: No.36 Billboard
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "Just Doggin'"
  • Snoop Doggy Dogg – Death Row: Snoop Doggy Dogg at His Best
    Death Row: Snoop Doggy Dogg at His Best
    Snoop Doggy Dogg's Greatest Hits is a Greatest hits album that includes his hits and also includes 6 never before released songs from Snoop Dogg's Death Row Records days. It was released on October 23, 2001 by Suge Knight. It was re-released on March 20, 2006.Threat appeared courtesy of Da Bomb...

  • Released: October 23, 2001
  • Chart positions: No.28 Billboard
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "Midnight Love"
  • 2Pac – Until the End of Time
  • Released: March 27, 2001
  • Chart positions: No.1 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 3x Platinum
  • Singles: "Until the End of Time
    Until the End of Time (2Pac song)
    "Until the End of Time" is a posthumous single off a 2001 2Pac album of the same name. The song was very successful and was a big contributor to the album going 3x Platinum. The song features R.L. from the R&B group Next. An alternate version features Mr. Mister's lead singer and bassist Richard...

    ", "Letter 2 My Unborn
    Letter 2 My Unborn
    "Letter 2 My Unborn" is a song by Tupac Shakur, released as a posthumous single from his album Until the End of Time in 2001. The accompanying music video received moderate airplay though it was less successful than the lead single from the album, the title track...

    "
  • 2Pac – Better Dayz
    Better Dayz
    -Disc 2:-Album chart positions:...

  • Released: November 26, 2002
  • Chart positions: No.5 Billboard
  • RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
  • Singles: "Still Ballin'", "Thugz Mansion
    Thugz Mansion
    "Thugz Mansion" is a song by 2Pac, released as a posthumous single with two known popular versions both released on the 2002 album Better Dayz....

    ", "Who Do U Believe In?"
  • Death Row artists – 15 Years on Death Row
    15 Years on Death Row
    15 Years on Death Row is a double album compilation released in 2006 by CEO of Death Row Recordings, Suge Knight. The release features several notable Death Row artists such as Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Nate Dogg, Daz Dillinger, and The Lady Of Rage. A music video DVD is included.-Disc One:-Disc...

  • Released: December 26, 2006
  • Chart positions:
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles:
  • Various Artists – Death Row: The Singles Collection
    Death Row: The Singles Collection
    Death Row: The Singles Collection is a compilation album released in 2007 by CEO of Death Row Recordings, Suge Knight, it contains hard to find remixes and b sides by artists such as Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, 2Pac, Dr. Dre plus more.-Disc #1:...

  • Released: June 26, 2007
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles:
  • Dr. Dre
    Dr. Dre
    Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...

     – The Chronic Re-Lit
    The Chronic
    The Chronic is the solo debut album of American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, released December 15, 1992, on his own record label Death Row Records, and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman...

  • Released: September 1, 2009
  • Chart positions:
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: ""
  • Snoop Doggy Dogg – Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1
    Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1
    Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1 is a compilation of outtakes Snoop Dogg recorded between 1993 and 1997 on Death Row Records.Four tracks have been Produced by Dr. Dre, the other tracks were produced by Daz Dillinger, Soopafly, LT Hutton and other producers. The track "Doggystyle" was originally...

  • Released: October 13, 2009
  • Chart positions:
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: "Fallin Asleep On Death Row"
  • Various Artists – The Ultimate Box Set
  • Released: November 24, 2009
  • Chart positions:
  • RIAA certification:
  • Singles: ""
  • Kurupt
    Kurupt
    Ricardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...

     – Down & Dirty
  • Released: April 9, 2010
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles:
  • Danny Boy
    Danny Boy (singer)
    Daniel O’Connor, , best known as Danny Boy O’Connor, is an American rapper and a member of the hip-hop group, House of Pain. Danny Boy moved to California in the 80s where he masterminded House of Pain, one of the first all white hip-hop groups...

     – It's About Time
  • Released: April 20, 2010
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles: "All About You"
  • Crooked I
    Crooked I
    Dominick Wickliffe, better known by his stage name Crooked I, is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is a member of the hip hop group, Slaughterhouse with other members Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Royce da 5'9. Slaughterhouse is currently signed to Shady Records / Interscope Records....

     – Hood Star
  • Released: June 16, 2010
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles:
  • Sam Sneed
    Sam Sneed
    Sam Sneed is a producer and rapper. He originally got his start working as a producer for K-Solo and the Hit Squad.-Death Row Records:...

     – Street Scholars
    Street Scholars
    - Personnel :* Sam Sneed – vocals, keyboards, producer* Dr Dre – Vocals ,Engineer, Mixing* Brian Atmore – Keyboards* Stu Bullard – Keyboards* Tony Burgess – producer* Terrence Cash – Mixing* Tom Daugherty – Engineer* Jon Dough – producer...

  • Released: January 25, 2011
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles: "Lady Heroin", "New World Order", "The Exodus"
  • LBC Crew
    LBC Crew
    The LBC Crew are a collective of Long Beach-based rappers. They were the first act to be executively-produced by Snoop Dogg. In 1997, The LBC Crew were signed to Doggystyle Records, a label operated by Snoop and distributed through Snoop's then record label, Death Row Records...

     – Haven't You Heard...
    Haven't You Heard...
    Haven't You Heard... is the first studio album released by the collective, the LBC Crew. The album was initially due for release in 1996, on Doggystyle/Death Row Records - a sub-label of Death Row, run by Snoop Dogg & Big C-Style...

  • Released: February 8, 2011
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles:
  • Snoop Doggy Dogg – Three Disc Collection: Tha Doggfather
    Tha Doggfather
    Tha Doggfather is the second studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg; released by Death Row/Interscope Records on November 12, 1996. The album was re-released July 11, 2005. Snoop spent much of 1995 preparing for the case, which finally went to trial in late 1995. In February 1996, he was...

    , Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1
    Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1
    Death Row: The Lost Sessions Vol. 1 is a compilation of outtakes Snoop Dogg recorded between 1993 and 1997 on Death Row Records.Four tracks have been Produced by Dr. Dre, the other tracks were produced by Daz Dillinger, Soopafly, LT Hutton and other producers. The track "Doggystyle" was originally...

     & Murder Was The Case
    Murder Was the Case
    Murder Was the Case is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring Snoop Doggy Dogg. The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection after making a deal with the Devil...

  • Released: March 8, 2011
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles:
  • O.F.T.B. – Damn Near Dead
    Damn Near Dead
    Damn Near Dead is the long delayed Death Row debut album released by the rap group O.F.T.B.. The album was initially due for release in 1997, on Death Row Records. However following 2Pac's death and the incarceration of Suge Knight, the album was shelved.Upon purchasing the Death Row catalogue...

  • Released: July 12, 2011
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles: "Check Yo Hood"
  • Jewell
    Jewell (singer)
    Jewell is a female R&B singer who was signed to Death Row Records from 1992-1996. She was working part-time - though still unsigned - for IV Life Records. She had a video and charting hit "Woman to Woman", that reached 72nd on the Billboard Hot 100...

     – My Blood, My Sweat, My Tears
  • Released: TBC, October 2011
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles:
  • Jewell
    Jewell (singer)
    Jewell is a female R&B singer who was signed to Death Row Records from 1992-1996. She was working part-time - though still unsigned - for IV Life Records. She had a video and charting hit "Woman to Woman", that reached 72nd on the Billboard Hot 100...

     – Black Diamond
    Black Diamond
    -Minerals:* Anthracite* Carbonado, a natural diamond that is black in color* A black synthetic diamond, specifically CVD polycrystalline diamonds or HPHT polycrystalline compact diamonds...

  • Released: TBC, November 2011
  • Chart Position:
  • RIAA Certification:
  • Singles:


  • On "Record Store Day
    Record Store Day
    Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose, as conceived by independent record store employee Chris Brown, is to celebrate the art of music...

    " April 18, 2009, the label has issued a free Death Row "Record Store Day" CD sampler, which included Petey Pablo's "Pay for the Pussy," Crooked I's "Hoodstar," and Danny Boy's "Do What You Do." On May 14, John Payne announced that the label plans to re-release Dr. Dre's The Chronic. Remastered to work with current equipment, and featuring new songs recorded in the same time frame as the album, the project will be called The Chronic Relit. In addition to this, he announced a competition in which fans may submit verses over Dre production, which will not be featured on the album.

    "The Chronic Re-Lit" was released on September 1, 2009. The album contained the original Chronic album re-mastered and 7 bonus songs from the vault by Snoop Doggy Dogg, CPO, Kurupt, Jewell, and more and a DVD containing music videos, a rare Dr. Dre interview, a Dre and Snoop mini movie, and rare 1992 television commercials for the original Chronic release.

    "Snoop Doggy Dogg – Death Row The Lost Sessions Vol 1" was released October 13, 2009 and contains 15 previously unreleased tracks with 4 being produced by Dr. Dre.

    "Death Row The Ultimate Collection" was released on November 24 and was a special box set containing 3 audio CDs (1 greatest hits disc and 2 discs of unreleased content), 1 DVD of music videos which includes the unreleased Dr. Dre music video "Puffin' On Blunts" and a limited edition Death Row T-Shirt. The set boasts over 20 unreleased tracks from the likes of: Snoop Doggy Dogg, LBC Crew, Dogg Pound, Kurupt, Lady of Rage, O.F.T.B., Crooked I, Petey Pablo, J-Flexx
    J-Flexx
    James E. Anderson better known as J-Flexx is a former artist/producer of Death Row Records.-Life On Death Row:J-Flexx spent several years ghostwriting lyrics for Dr. Dre during his tenure at Death Row Records. The first song he co-wrote in that collaboration, "Natural Born Killaz," became a Top 40...

    , Sam Sneed
    Sam Sneed
    Sam Sneed is a producer and rapper. He originally got his start working as a producer for K-Solo and the Hit Squad.-Death Row Records:...

    , Lil C-Style and more.

    Further reading

    • Have Gun Will Travel: The Spectacajr Rise and Violent Fall of Death Row Records, Ronin Ro, Doubleday, 1998, 384 pages.
    • Labyrinth: A Detective Investigates the Murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., the Implications of Death Row Records' Suge by Randall Sullivan, Atlantic Monthly Press, April 2, 2002, 384 pages, ISBN 0-87113-838-7
    • Welcome to death row. Dir. S. Leigh Savidge & Jeff Scheftel, 2001
    • The Killing of Tupac Shakur
      The Killing of Tupac Shakur
      The Killing of Tupac Shakur, a biographical and true-crime account, by journalist and author Cathy Scott, of the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. The book made news upon its September 1997 release, on the first anniversary of Shakur's death, because of an autopsy photo included in its pages. It...

      , by Cathy Scott
      Cathy Scott
      Cathy Scott is an American true crime writer and investigative journalist, born and raised in San Diego, United States growing up in nearby La Mesa, California...

      , Huntington Press, 2002 (2nd ed), 235 pages, ISBN 092971220X

    External links

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