4. Death Row
Suge Knight started Death Row records in 1991 after years of serving as a body guard for N.W.A. Legend has it that Knight got money to fund Death Row by forcing Vanilla Ice to sign over the rights to his hit, “Ice, Ice Baby.” Knight used the same bully tactics to get Dr. Dre released from Ruthless Records. Once Dr. Dre released The Chronic in 1992, Death Row was on its way to hip-hop greatness. Snoop Dogg’s top selling Doggystyle followed and the label signed 2 Pac in 1995. But Knight’s negativity caused Dr. Dre to leave the label in 1996. 2 Pac’s untimely death and Snoop’s departure left Death Row with a depleted roster by the late-90s. Knight was forced to serve time in prison and the label filed bankruptcy in 2006. In 2009, Death Row was auctioned to WIDEawake Entertainment for a meager $18 million.
