Snoop Dogg, who rose to fame during the 90s on Death Row Records, has acquired the label’s brand from MNRK Music Group. The MNRK Music Group, which is controlled by private equity funds managed by the investment firm Blackstone, announced the news on Wednesday. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, however, Snoop’s acquisition of the Death Row brand is said to be the first part of a transaction that is expected to see him also acquiring some of the label’s music rights — both his own, and unspecified other artists. Details of the acquisition are said to be expected in the coming weeks.
Death Row Records was originally founded in 1992 by Suge Knight and Dick Griffey and rappers Dr. Dre and the D.O.C. in the wake of Dre’s departure from N.W.A. Death Row went on to become one of the most successful, influential — and controversial — record labels in music history, with a roster including Dre, Snoop, Tupac Shakur, the D.O.C., Nate Dogg, Warren G, Michel’le and others. The label released such classic albums as Dre’s “The Chronic,” Snoop’s “Doggystyle” and Tupac’s “All Eyez on Me”.
In a statement, Snoop Dogg, said: “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. I would like to personally thank the teams at Blackstone, MNRK and especially David Kestnbaum, who worked collaboratively with me over several months to make this exciting homecoming a reality. I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of Death Row Records.”
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