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Suge Knight, born Marion Knight, is an entrepreneur in the hip hop music industry and co-founder of Death Row Records with Dr. Dre; the record label rose to dominate the charts after Dr. Dre's breakthrough success The Chronic (1992, 1992 in music). After several years of outstanding chart success for a roster of artists including Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tupac, Tha Dogg Pound and at one time even MC Hammer, Death Row Records disintegrated after Knight's incarceration on parole violation charges in 1996.
A physically huge man, Knight has been accused of acts of violence including forcing business rivals to drink urine and having extensive ties to street gangs, specifically the Bloods. Rapper Vanilla Ice has accused Knight of dangling him out of a window of a high-rise building several stories up. Vanilla Ice claims that he was forced to agree to grant him a majority of Ice's own royalties, while he had his life in his hands. Even though Suge Knight had business relations with him, Vanilla Ice himself previously also declined the whole balcony story.
In 2001 Suge Knight was released from prison, but before having a chance to re-start his fledgling label with new artists such as Crooked I and Above The Law he was incarcerated in December 2002 for allegedly associating with gang members, thus violating his probation.
Knight was arrested and jailed again in 2003, allegedly for assaulting a valet, yet even the valet himself denied Knight attacked him.
Knight was released on April 23, 2004. Original artist Kurupt is now the label's headliner, and the lp Against the Grain coming this summer. After his release, Knight announced Death Row Records would join with other labels to produce by Christmas a hip-hop album to benefit families of soldiers serving in Iraq.
Links
Death Row Records Official Site
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