Snoop Dogg has acquired the brand rights of his former label, Death Row Records. Founded by Suge Knight in 1992, Death Row Records would grow to become one of the most successful music labels in entertainment history. The now-defunct label was also home to the late Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre.
Despite its massive success, the label was also marred by controversy and Knight’s legal troubles. After the murder of Tupac Shakur in 1996, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre both made career pivots and signed with different labels. Death Row Records struggled to maintain relevance in the years that followed and went defunct in 2008.
In a press release, Snoop Dogg wrote, “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.”
David Kestnbaum, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, the label’s previous owner, wrote “We at Blackstone are strong supporters of the artist and creator community in our entertainment investments. We are excited to put the Death Row Records brand back in the hands of a legend like Snoop Dogg. We wish him success in the years ahead as the brand moves forward under his leadership and vision.”
In the aftermath of the announcement, Twitter users reflected on the full circle moment for Snoop Dogg. See tweets about the major news below. Congrats, Uncle Snoop!
The announcement of the deal comes ahead of the iconic rapper’s scheduled Super Bowl halftime show performance this Sunday (Feb. 13) at 6:30 ET. The show is headlined by fellow former Death Row label mate, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar. Snoop will also be releasing his latest album, Back on Death Row, this Friday (Feb. 11).