SNOOP DOG BECOMES OWNER OF DEATH ROW RECORDS 

Snoop Dog has officially become the owner of Death Row Records. The record was before Snoop Dog’s ownership, controlled by the Blackstone company MNRK Music group. According to a press release, the rap prodigy will be heading the record as the owner in the coming years. 

Snoop initially became part of Death Row in 1993 and dropped his much-admired debut album, titled ‘Doggystyle’ with the record. The rap legend purchased Death Row Records and the music publishing company MNRK Music Group, which is funded by the investment firm Blackstone. Details of the deal have not been disclosed, but in a press release announcing the sale, Snoop Dogg said, “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. 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.” He added that this is an “extremely meaningful” moment in his career and thanked everyone “who worked collaboratively with me over several months to make this exciting homecoming a reality.” The musician concluded, “I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of Death Row Records.” 

Snoop Dogg emphasized how excited he is to have acquired such a significant brand to the culture like Death Row. 

Speaking on the history-making moment the former artiste now turned owner  says, 

“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.” 

“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 Kestenbaum, 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.”

Death Row Records was founded by Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, The D.O.C., and  Dick Griffey in 1991. 

The record birthed the legendary West Coast rappers in the history of hip-hop. 

Snoop in an interview described how his request to buy Death Row records was turned down and how this led to a role as an executive creative consultant with  DefJam. “eOne Music [which owned Death Row Music until April 2021] didn’t want to give me action at it. So then, I asked, ‘could I buy it?’ And they acted like they didn’t want to sell it. Then they sold it [to the Blackstone Group], and the man in me  was hurt, but the businessman in me said, “Okay, I got to find something else to  do to take this energy of mine that I’m holding on to.’”

Author: Seyi Awoleye

Los-Angeles, CA, USA

seyiawoleye@yahoo.com