Money Moves: Snoop Dogg Acquires Death Row Records

Snoop Dogg has acquired Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group, according to Blackstone, the investment firm in control of MNRK.

Snoop Dogg famously represented Death Row Records throughout the 1990s, along with other artists such as Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, Nate Dogg, and many other forces in the 90s Hip-Hop scene. His purchase of the label will hopefully (and based on the name, also ironically) bring it back to life.

Death Row Records was founded in 1992 by rappers Dr. Dre and the D.O.C. as well as industry professionals Suge Knight and Dick Griffey following the falling out of N.W.A., and Dre’s pursuit of a solo career. 

While the label was a powerhouse in the 90s and early 2000s, it soon fell on hard times. Tupac’s murder shuddered them in every way possible, Suge Knight continuously faced problems with the law over various offenses and felonies, and their flagship artists eventually branched out to develop their own respective careers. The label was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2006, and since then has changed ownership multiple times.

Snoop Dogg is thrilled about this acquisition not only because he believes there is a wealth of potential in Death Row Records moving forward, but because it’s sentimental to him, too. 

“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,” he said in a statement.

Does this mean that Death Row Records will be back to releasing classics in the 2020s? We certainly hope so.