From Suge Knight to eOne: The Ever-Evolving Ownership of Death Row Records
Death Row Records was a record label that was founded in 1991 by Marion “Suge” Knight, Dr. Dre, and The D.O.C. It quickly became one of the most successful and influential labels in the hip-hop industry, with a roster that included such iconic artists as Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre himself. However, since its heyday in the 1990s, Death Row has faced a number of legal and financial challenges that have led to changes in ownership.
In 2006, Death Row Records filed for bankruptcy, and its assets were eventually sold to a company called WIDEawake Entertainment Group. The sale included the rights to Death Row’s back catalog, which included some of the most important and influential hip-hop albums of all time. WIDEawake Entertainment Group was owned by a Canadian firm called New Solutions Financial Corp., which had acquired the company for $18 million.
However, in 2013, Death Row Records was sold again, this time to a company called Entertainment One (eOne). eOne is a Canadian-based entertainment company that specializes in film, television, and music production and distribution. The company purchased the Death Row catalog for a reported $280 million, making it one of the most expensive music catalog purchases in history.
Since then, eOne has continued to manage and distribute the Death Row catalog, which includes classic albums such as Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic,” Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle,” and Tupac Shakur’s “All Eyez on Me.” The label’s music remains highly influential and continues to be sampled and referenced by artists across the hip-hop and popular music landscape.
Despite the ownership changes, Death Row Records continues to be a controversial and fascinating chapter in the history of hip-hop. The label’s early success was marked by the high-profile feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers, which culminated in the deaths of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. in the late 1990s. Suge Knight, the founder and former CEO of Death Row Records, has also been a controversial figure, with a long history of legal troubles and allegations of violence and intimidation.
Today, the Death Row catalog remains an important part of hip-hop history, and its music continues to resonate with new generations of fans. While the ownership of the label has changed hands several times, the legacy of Death Row Records as a pioneering force in the world of hip-hop remains as strong as ever.
