Snoop Dogg has had a busy few weeks. Having performed as part of the greatest Super Bowl Halftime Show of all time, the artist also managed to become the owner of Death Row Records in a shrewd move. But while the West Coast were in raptures at the prospect of the label returning to the acclaimed artist, the intricacies of the deal have yet to be properly finessed.
The deal is apparently still “being negotiated” as it becomes clear that some of Tupac Shakur and Dr Dre‘s albums will not be included as part of the deal. It’s a body blow for those hoping for new reissues of the classic albums.
Billboard claim that Pac’s Death Row albums, All Eyez On Me, Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory and The Don are “no longer on the label” and therefore not part of the deal. Another Death Row release, The Chronic by Dr Dre is similarly out of Snoop’s reach.
While Dre’s solo debut is likely to be a part of the label’s plans in 2023, Snoop has become the most successful artist on the label’s roster. Whichever way it plays out, the reality of this deal being complete is far from accessible for Snoop. The catalogue of Death Row Records remains “under negotiations”.
“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.
“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.”
