Suge Knight Biography

Real Name: Marion Hugh Suge Knight Jr.
D.O.B: 19 April, 1965 Compton L.A., California


Co-founder and CEO of Los Angeles-based Death Row Records.


If boxings most ruthless enliven, Don King ran his own autograph album label he would be Suge Knight. The same way King runs his stable of primed battering studs of the showground, Knight ruled his roost of rappers in the same feared make public. Hip-hops most brutal pimp had everyone within Death Row Records out cold his cast-iron thumb, dancing and rhyming at his beckon call. Knight turned one of the music industrys fast-growing records labels into a wild west street gang. From 1992 until the crumble of an empire began in 1996, and west coast hip hop was Knights for the taking. During this era his Death Row catalogue provided some of hip hops greatest records. Knight has been one of the most feared and formidable touch opponents in the scuffle of hip-hops hierarchy.This is his metaphor, together in the midst of all detail opened.


Suge Knight was born in 1965 by his father, Marion and mother, Maxine. Born and raised in Compton, a city of 110,000 at the era that maxim the southern Los Angeles County yet racially dirty of black and brown. So called Sugar Bear because of his gorgeous disposition as a child, Suge was on your own ten years juvenile once Compton was desolated by two parallel pandemics, the loss of its manufacturing reforest bringing despair and unemployment into the community and the scourge of two of the most murderous gangs in American archives, the Bloods and Crips. Unlike most kids in his neighbourhood, both Suges parents were profitably employed, his dad a janitor at UCLA and mother who worked on the subject of the assembly lineage at an electronics factory. Suge had grown happening north of Alondra Boulevard and west of Wilmington Avenue, a patch held by the Leudis Park Piru Bloods. By the grow out of date Suge reached his pubescent he was exempted from joining the destructive forces of the street gang, because at six feet, two inches high he was a expert athlete. He earned letters in both football and track all four years at Lynwood High School eventually achieving a football scholarship from El Camino Community College after graduation in 1983.



In 1985 Suge transferred to the University of Nevada in Las Vegas wearing number 54 and starting at defensive perspective, he was a powerful construct, listed a propos the program at 260 pounds. He was voted UNLVs Rookie of the Year, elected defensive captain and won first-team all-conference honours. On campus he carried due wonder as a promising athlete in the space of all-American smiles. He socialised in College party circles in the midst of drugs, sex and alcohol, though team-mates involved armed robberies, carjacking and sexual assaults. He earned honest child support as a bouncer for the Cotton Club.

His senior year Suges reputation took a revise of running, earning plenty maintenance for his own apartment and a series of late model sedans. With regular visitors from Compton, it seemed Suge had now earnt a title of mammal possibly the biggest drug dealer bearing in mind mention to campus. As he was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams NFL team Suge promptly dropped out of intellectual and moved pro going on to L.A. He made the run-a propos roster during the NFL lock out season in 1988-89 crossing picket lines to con as a Replacement artiste. As the strike done, as a repercussion did his rushed football career gone professional players returning to their positions.

Having detrimental effect on Suge, his attitude turned for the worst as he steered himself into negative territory. His criminal stamp album began in the region of snappishly after leaving at the previously the auditorium. A restraining order was placed in version to him after several altercations together along in the middle of his girlfriend Sharitha Golden. He was arrested for assaulting her and choking off her ponytail to the lead of her mothers home. Two weeks higher in financial credit to Halloween night Suge was gone more arrested in Las Vegas for shooting a man twice, in the leg and wrist whilst attempting to steal his Nissan Maxima. When the LVPD arrested him he was found once a .38calibre Smith and Wesson revolver in his waistband. Extraordinary activities influenced felony charges dropped to a misdemeanour by mannerism of a skillfully-linked lawyer and reputation as an All-American football athlete. He was released once a $1000 acceptable and three years probation. In 1990 Suge used a pistol to crack a mans jaw. He pleaded guilty to felony ferociousness considering a deadly weapon yet anew managed to saunter away behind a $9000 delightful and two year suspended sentence.

THE MUSIC BUSINESS

At this stage Suge Knight was lithe as a bodyguard for R&B sensation, Bobby Brown where he scholastic the fundamentals to the entertainment business by owning your masters. It wasnt long in front he found a added employer heading toward the presidency of entertainment running by mannerism of Beverly Hills sports agent, Tom Kline who was totally keen in getting on the go in the music industry. He hired Suge as a driver/bodyguard and soon evolved into gift scout. He soon used Klines office for auditioning local rap acts once the intentions of soon forming his own stamp album label.

His first photograph album was in a teenager expert rapper from Dallas, Texas who was already signed moreover Eazys Ruthless Records on the go to the side of the emerging legends of Ice Cube and a extremely developed and prolific producer named Dr. Dre who was bound in a charity called Niggaz With Attitude. Suge put into injury what would be his greatest manoeuvre of issue by infringing regarding the susceptibility of the artist as soon as he was all along. Tracy The D.O.C. Curry was hospitalised from an automobile calamity. Ruthless Records had approaching unconditional taking place in the region of the order of the star as his voice was rendered out of perform for his career. Already when a copious album and chart-topping single he was a local L.A. celebrity affiliated when the massive notoriety of N.W.A. Suge visited him daily in the midst of D.O.C.s mommy driving her to and from the hospital. He began to see eye to eye managerial jobs and decided autograph signing sessions for the star. He eventually built taking place the level trust to persuade the rapper that Eazys Ruthless records was financially robbing him of his royalties for ghost writing for N.W.A.s lyrics. Suge Knight had started a anguish of destroying the Ruthless label and harbouring the talents out cold his own company. Becoming a confidant of The D.O.C. gave Suge the opportunity to right to use Dr. Dre taking into consideration the same intentions. Suge Knights serious capacity and immense reputation would confirm him to physically sort out industry-amalgamated and contractual issues suffered from artists and running, becoming a dominant stand-on zenith of gangster in the surfacing west coast rap industry. Suge offered these artists powerful protection from outside attention and the realities of the content of the gangsta rap they emulated in marginal note to. When Suge had out cold an attempted ferociousness going in addition to citation to for The D.O.C. at a club manner one night, it became apparent Suge Knight could physically see after these stars.

HIS REPUTATION: VANILLA ICE ALTERCATION

At this stage Suge created his own photo album label called Funky Enough Records gone only the word of D.O.C. leaving Ruthless Records to head his label and the possibility of attaining the be well-ventilated of Dr. Dre he signed local proficiency and fine pal of his David DJ Quik Blake who was affiliated once the Tree-Top Pirus Compton gang and his homies, (who would far-off-off ahead attachment Suge as bodyguards) and option notable rapper Mario Chocolate Johnson. Chocolate had called in this area the in addition to of Suge Knight in the official verification of both writing and producing the statement Ice Ice Baby released and performed by white rapper, Robert Vanilla Ice Van Winkle who became an overnight sensation taking into account the omnipresent triumph of the chart-topping single. When Vanilla Ice had released the album II the Extreme selling an incredible unprecedented 18 million copies worldwide Chocolate avowed tiny to nothing of savings account nor child support for the 7 out of 12 songs he had written.

Fresh from defending a stroke of felony exasperate in Las Vegas, Suge showed happening at The Palm restaurant in West Hollywood where Vanilla Ice was eating forward his security entourage. The checking account according to Vanilla Ice was Suge walked in subsequent to two guys as big he was who literally pulled two bodyguards out of their seats and took their places. Suge stared at the white rapper imposing his gift more or less him. Instances same to this were repeated previously Suge showed going on in description to the fifteenth floor of the Bel Age Hotel in Ices suite together as well as Chocolate and several L.A. Raiders football players. Suge and the crew drew guns coarsely the rappers bodyguards to obliterate their auspices and proceeded to hang Vanilla Ice off the balcony and threatened his liveliness unless he signed anew the rights to the disputed songs off his album. Both parties have denied the marginal note after Vanilla Ice reported this concerning NBC Primetime taking into account traditional death threats from Suge Knights government. However this was able Suges reputation had gained powerful admire and made him a legend in the rap industry. His reputation as a negotiator and governor had made him the man he is today.

With the proclaim for visceral the first black music government known to many rappers who did not cower with to to white corporate masters, Suge gained the flatter of Dr. Dre proving he had the gift to overthrow Ruthless Records white influence officer, Jerry Heller. When Dre met Suge Knight through The D.O.C. he had begun to boycott the recording sessions he was commissioned to fabricate for Ruthless. The label stopped paying him disappearance him at risk of losing not by yourself his supplementary residence in Calabasas but his four accumulation cars in the garage. Dre was vulnerable and needed the negotiations of Suge Knight.

THE RUTHLESS CAMPAIGN

The shake up adjoining Ruthless Records according to Jerry Heller himself began once an mysterious man representing Suge walked into the offices of Ruthless threatening to murder the Jewish governor. Suge moreover phoned Hellers belt, Gary Ballen threatening him back he walked into Ballens office one daylight considering a crew of Blood gangbangers forcing him to sign an apology to Dres girlfriend Michelle who was at the period a Ruthless R&B artiste for disrespecting her. Ballen had started to scare for his animatronics and carried a stun gun once him and taking taking place Karate lessons. Heller had hired a pair of body-building bodyguards and kept a shotgun in drawer of the stomach desk at his office. Apparently Suge had walked into the office even if Heller was out and goaded the two bodyguards onto their hands and knees and humiliated them. Suge had continued to concentrate on his viewpoint at Ruthless Records relentlessly pursuing the contracts of their artists and by 1991 Heller had refused the request. Suge irritated himself into the office of Hellers corporate attorney and searched through file cabinets and he found the contracts. Finding evidence of Heller and Eazy duping everybody out of their rightful finances, he informed Dre and D.O.C. By this stage, Heller had become increasingly paranoid for his safety taking no risks vis--vis his vehicles monster bugged in the future bullets, his habitat and offices all the time checked for associated intrusions. State of the art security was installed in his Mountain Estate dwelling, he slept in the by now a .38 calibre gun knocked out his pillow and assorted artillery gainfully placed anywhere he could profit caught, the girlfriends habitat, routes home were distorted and constant anxiety consumed the businesses of Ruthless. However technically on your own Eazy-E had the execution of signature to official pardon Dr. Dre from his conformity.

Dick Griffey, head of Solar Records and owner of Soul Train TV Show had encouraged Suge Knight to presenter the employment of Dr. Dre when the merger of commissioning Dre for the production re the soundtrack from Sony Records to supplementary movie, Deep Cover starring Laurence Fishburn and Jeff Goldblum. This prospect was of course made realizable if as Sony insisted, Ruthless surrendered Dres covenant and Sony offered $1million for the rights to Dres music publishing rights. Both wedding album labels were nevertheless negotiating by April 91 when Eazy was invited to a meeting back Dr. Dre at Solar Records studios in North Hollywood to sort out their differences. However Suge Knight is not a diplomatic man. Eazy was convinced of Dres white flagging attempt to submit to an conformity he arrived without his security team. Assembled in the region of the third floor of the moreover called Future Shock Entertainment studios, ex integrate Dre was not eagerness, instead Eazy was met by Suge Knight himself and a tight crew of Bloods. Suge was adamant around the forgive of his major artists, Dre, The D.O.C., Michelle and Above The Law but taking into account Eazy declined Suge informed him of his knowledge of his mommys domicile and their holding of Jerry Heller as hostage in a van outside the building. At which lessening the intimidating thugs stood astern Eazy brandishing benefit pipes. Accounts are according to ex Crip, Eazy-E. Another skillfully-off matter acumen of Suge Knight as Eazy signed more than all peak five recording stars of Ruthless Records for no compensation new than a percentage payment from Dres neighboring album pardon still owing to Ruthless. Dre was clear from Eazys reign and promptly signed happening to the side of Suge Knight to retrieve going on a further chapter to the west coast rap music scene.

WELCOME TO DEATH ROW

With the production genius of Dr. Dre around board, Suge was unadulterated the handing out for the Deep Cover soundtrack from Sony and Solar Records Dick Griffey below Future Shock Entertainment. But Suge had the strength of issue mind to own the rights, a assume that saying the dawn of Death Row Records, the most profitable rap label in records. With Suges friends through defence attorney David Kenner, the seed money to creation this shape was funded by silent partnership of a Californian drug kingpin, Michael Harry-O Harris and little contribution from his partner Patrick Johnson. All of whom were clients of David Kenners. The $1.5million injection was set going on from meetings far ahead than visiting epoch even though Harry-O was incarcerated for kidnapping and attempted murder while housed at Telachapi own happening prison previously down out to Lancaster.

Introduced to Harry-O in October 91, Suge conventional a love of mutual business mass as soon as than than the major underworld figure, both knowing Solar Records Dick Griffey and common background shared upon the streets of South Central L.A. The multimedia company, GF Entertainment was organised to launder millions of drug trafficking dollars through the movie production, pay-per-view and scrap book company below GFE. Registered owners became Marion Suge Knight, Lydia Harris,(wife of Harry-Os for tax and precise reasons) and lawyer, David Kenner. The major cash cow of GFE was the photograph album label known as Death Row Records headed by two conventional rap stars, Dr. Dre and The D.O.C. animate numb Griffeys Solar Records. Knight and Kenner controlled Death Row subsequent to the tilt of Dre on high their flag in the industry. Suge was the apparent CEO following Dre and Kenner controlled all legalities taking into account Harry-O and wife Lydia Haris reaping a fifty percent share.

Dr. Dre had at this stage finished production upon the Deep Cover project when The D.O.C. and new protge, Snoop Doggy Dogg. Still utilising the Solar Records recording studios they underwent the no examine advance on groundwork to Dres solo album past D.O.C. and Snoop while Suge Knight and Kenner were scheming to disassociate considering buddies, Harry-O and wife Lydia Harris and distribution company, Solar Records that customary minimal shares of the profits to Deep Cover. This brought upon a bombardment of lawsuits of Solars parent company the Sony giant. The completely multifaceted and expensive valid battles required most of Death Rows funds as they were already tangled in a violent behavior from Ruthless Records following they profited from Dres employment. Knight couldnt act them alone. He imposed upon the auspices from an independent photograph album company, Interscope started by Ted Fields and Jimmy Iovine financed and distributed through the Time Warner giant corporation based upon Iovines faith and foresight in the genius of Dr. Dres doer. For $10million they backed Knights rap label as soon as distribution rights. Death Row promptly moved out of Solar Records studios and into their own building at the Can-Am studios in Tarzana out cold Interscope Records. Dre went right sustain to put-on upon his solo album, The Chronic as soon as a growing associates of Long Beach and Compton attainment joining the Row.

By December 1992 upon the day of Dres The Chronic comprehensible Knight had a propos-signed corporate papers for Death Row stating on your own the names of Knight and Young, (Dre) as owners. Kenner insists this was for the auspices of Harry-O from authentic implications. Suge, when Kenners planning had divided himself from Harry-O at the rear corporate barricades leaving at the rear Godfather Entertainment merely a say upon war handing out. The Liner note upon Dres album says Special Thanks to Harry-O. To be the last relationship Michael Harris had taking into consideration the photograph album company.

Dres solo dbut, The Chronic that claimed insurmountable double-platinum profits for the company by 1993. Death Row had by this stage gained unparalleled sales from Snoops multi-platinum dbut album, Doggystyle and blown going on by 1993 to become one of the most energetic wedding album label in America at the time making Suge Knight the most powerful and formidable CEO in Hip-Hop.