Snoop Dogg has officially purchased the legendary Death Row Records.
The iconic label was formed back in 1991 by Suge Knight, Dr. Dre, and Michael’ Harry O’ Harris, who made it an institution. Snoop was one of the signings who helped to establish their name worldwide, and it’s fitting that he swooped in to save the company that his rhymes built.
His first two albums, Doggystyle and Tha Doggfather, were released on Death Row before Snoop decided to part ways in 1998.
Over the last couple of decades, the label has had many controllers and most recently ended up in the hands of MNRK Music Group, which private equity fund Blackstone owns.
It remains unknown what the exact details of the deal are. However, it’s believed he has acquired the rights to their full-back catalogue. “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 said in a press release.
“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.”
Snoop added: “I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of Death Row Records.”
