Snoop Dogg has acquired Death Row Records, the label where he debuted
“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,” said Snoop Dogg.
Image: ITAR-TASS News Agency/Alamy Stock Photo
Rap icon Snoop Dogg has acquired Death Row Records, the label where he made his debut 30 years ago.
The deal with MNRK Music Group was announced today (9 February), though terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The 30-year-old label, founded by Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, the D.O.C. and Dick Griffey back in the early 1990s, was home to some of the biggest names in Hip Hop. Snoop Dogg himself recorded and released two albums, Doggystyle and Tha Doggfather, under Death Row Records before his exit in 1998.
“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,” Snoop said in a statement.
“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.”
The news comes on the heels of Snoop Dogg’s latest album, Bacc On Death Row, which is set to release this Friday (11 February). Snoop Dogg is also set to perform in his first Super Bowl halftime show this Sunday (13 February), alongside Dr Dre, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar.
