Death Row Records

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The label's origins trace back to 1986, when Dr. Dre signed to Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. After Ice Cube's departure over financial disagreements with Jerry Heller, Suge Knight and The D.O.C. allegedly reviewed the books with a lawyer in 1990 or 1991. Convinced that Heller and Eazy-E were dishonest, they approached Dr. Dre about forming a label. Using strong-arm tactics, Suge Knight procured contracts from Eazy-E for The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Jewell, and Michel'le. The name was originally 'Future Shock' before becoming 'Def Row' and eventually 'Death Row Records' in early 1992. Knight approached Michael 'Harry-O' Harris, a businessman imprisoned on drug and attempted murder charges, who set up Godfather Entertainment as a parent company. According to an unconfirmed anecdote, Knight also approached Vanilla Ice, claiming Mario 'Chocolate' Johnson had produced and co-written 'Ice Ice Baby' without receiving royalties; after several incidents, Knight allegedly implied he would throw Vanilla Ice off a 15th-floor balcony unless he signed over the rights to the song, which some claim helped fund Death Row. The label was initially located at 9171 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills, later relocating to Wilshire Blvd and San Vicente Blvd.

In Their Own Story

In 1992, Jimmy Iovine's Interscope Records negotiated a $10-million deal with Dr. Dre and Suge Knight to finance and distribute Death Row. The Chronic was released in December 1992, peaking at number 3 on the Billboard Top 200 and selling 5.7 million records worldwide, popularizing G-Funk. Snoop Dogg's debut album Doggystyle was released on November 23, 1993. Though unfinished, it outperformed The Chronic at Quadruple Platinum. On November 22, 1994, Suge Knight and artists from Death Row distributed nearly 2,000 turkeys to the public. On March 13, 1995, Death Row hosted a private party where Kelly Jamerson, a Rolling 60's Crip, was severely beaten by several Bloods allegedly from Suge's inner circle; Jamerson died the next day. After visiting 2Pac at Clinton Correctional Facility, Suge traveled to the 2nd Annual Source Awards, where he disparaged Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs. On September 24, 1995, at Jermaine Dupri's birthday party, Bad Boy's entourage entered a heated dispute with Suge and his friend Jai Hassan-Jamal 'Big Jake' Robles, a Campanella Park Piru Bloods gang member and Death Row bodyguard. Robles was fatally shot while entering a limousine. The case remains officially unresolved.

Reader's Guide

Snoop Dogg found solo success through his features on The Chronic, leading Dr. Dre to produce Snoop's debut album Doggystyle throughout 1993. The album was released on November 23, 1993 due to public demand and high pressure from retailers. Though unfinished, it went Quadruple Platinum. Soon after its release, Snoop Dogg was charged with murder, fueling debate from politicians C. Delores Tucker and vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle, who criticized gangsta rap for being against American values, degrading to black women, and encouraging violence towards police officers. The Death Row roster during this period included Dre, Snoop, Daz, Kurupt, Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage, The D.O.C., Jewell, RBX, and many more. By the late 1990s, the label began to decline after the death of 2Pac, imprisonment of Suge Knight, and the departures of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. Death Row filed for bankruptcy in 2006 and was auctioned to WIDEawake Entertainment for $18 million on January 15, 2009. The owner of WIDEawake went bankrupt in 2012; the label was sold to Entertainment One, then became a division of Hasbro until April 2021, when eOne Music was sold to the Blackstone Group. Snoop Dogg bought Death Row from MNRK Music Group in February 2022, intending to revive the label.

Did You Know?

• Death Row Records was originally called 'Future Shock' before being changed to 'Def Row' and then 'Death Row Records' in early 1992.
• According to an unconfirmed anecdote, Vanilla Ice's money helped fund Death Row after Suge Knight allegedly threatened to throw him off a 15th-floor balcony unless he signed over the rights to 'Ice Ice Baby'.
• Death Row was auctioned to WIDEawake Entertainment Group for $18 million on January 15, 2009.
• Snoop Dogg bought Death Row from MNRK Music Group on February 9, 2022, intending to revive the label.