A little over fifteen years after Death Row Records fell from the pinnacle of hip-hop notoriety, former label superstar Snoop Dogg and former label CEO Suge Knight appear to have settled their differences.
Snoop performed at the AV Club in Los Angeles, and Knight showed up to catch the performance. After Snoop left the stage, Knight reportedly walked over to the hip-hop star’s table in VIP and the two had drinks and chatted it up. According to reports, there didn’t appear to be any hostility or lingering animosity at all.
Snoop, of course, was Death Row’s biggest star prior to 2Pac joining the label in 1996 (remained an iconic figure among its roster even afterwards). But as things became more chaotic, he set out to distance himself from Knight and even Shakur. Over the span of only several months, the label’s most famous producer, Dr. Dre, departed; 2Pac was shot and killed and Knight was sent to jail. Back in 1998, upon his departure from Death Row, Snoop explained why he had to get away from it all.
“I definitely feel my life is in danger if I stay in Death Row Records. That’s part of the reason why I’m leaving,” Snoop told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. “Because there’s nothing over there. Suge Knight is in jail, the president; Dr. Dre left and 2Pac is dead. It’s telling me that I’m either going to be dead or in jail or I’m going to be nothing.”
In 2006, Snoop also accused Knight of harassing him after his departure from the infamous label.
“The n—a threatened my life when he was in jail,” Snoop told Rolling Stone. “N—as tried to get at me at concerts; they put my address on a tape. He was gonna give a n—a a Benz if a n—a cut my hair. All kinda f–kin’ with me.”
But, once upon a time, things weren’t so contentious between the two, and it’s good that they can let bygones be bygones.
Here are some of Snoop’s high points from his time as Death Row’s signature star…
– stereo williams
