As if his empire couldn’t get any bigger, Snoop Dogg purchased the label on which he built the foundation of his career – Death Row Records.
Just days before performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the SoCal born-and-raised rapper made the dream-acquisition. MNRK Music Group relinquished the rights to the label, allowing for Snoop to swoop in and make the purchase. The label is controlled by the Blackstone investment firm.
While the terms of the deal were not released, Snoop made the announcement that he had purchased the label in a statement.
“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 extremely meaningful for me…”
David Kestnbaum, a senior managing director for Blackstone, said in a statement that the group wishes Snoop all the best. “We are excited to put the Death Row Records brand back in the hands of a legend like Snoop Dogg. We wish him success in the years ahead as the brand moves forward under his leadership and vision.”
Death Row Records was founded in part by Dr. Dre and Suge Knight and was created in 1992. It was home to some of the biggest names in West Coast hip-hop, including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur, The D.O.C. and Nate Dogg. After having gone through a variety of ownership changes following a 2006 bankruptcy, the Blackstone Group acquired the label in April of last year.
Snoop Dogg will join a talent-packed halftime show this Sunday at Super Bowl LVI, alongside the likes of Eminem, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar.