Suge Knight
| Suge Knight | |
|---|---|
| Born: | April 19, 1965 Compton, California |
| Charges: | |
| Sentence: | 28 years in state prison |
| Facility: | Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (California State) |
| Status: | Currently incarcerated (eligible for parole 2037) |
Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. is an American former record executive who co-founded and served as CEO of Death Row Records, one of the most influential and commercially successful hip-hop labels of the 1990s.[1] Knight played a central role in the careers of iconic artists including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur, helping to define the West Coast gangsta rap sound that dominated popular music in the mid-1990s. His career has been marked by controversy, violence, and multiple criminal convictions. In 2018, Knight was sentenced to 28 years in state prison for voluntary manslaughter after running over a man with his truck in a Compton parking lot.[2]
Background
Marion Hugh Knight Jr. was born on April 19, 1965, in Compton, California. He earned the nickname "Suge" (short for "Sugar Bear") as a child. Knight played football at Lynwood High School and later at El Camino College before attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) on a football scholarship.[1]
After college, Knight briefly played as a replacement player for the Los Angeles Rams during the 1987 NFL players' strike. When his football career failed to materialize, he transitioned into the music industry, initially working as a bodyguard and concert promoter.
Death Row Records
Founding the Label
In 1991, Knight co-founded Death Row Records with Dr. Dre and The D.O.C. The label quickly became a dominant force in hip-hop, releasing some of the most influential albums of the decade.[3]
Knight cultivated a fearsome reputation as a music executive. Numerous stories circulated about his alleged use of intimidation and violence in business dealings, including a widely reported (though disputed) account of him dangling Vanilla Ice off a hotel balcony to obtain music rights.[4]
Commercial Dominance
Death Row's first two major releases established the label's commercial power:
- Dr. Dre - The Chronic (1992): Sold over three million copies and defined the G-funk sound
- Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle (1993): Debuted at number one on the Billboard 200[3]
The label became synonymous with West Coast hip-hop and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue during its peak years.
Signing Tupac Shakur
In 1995, Tupac Shakur was incarcerated at Rikers Island on sexual assault charges. Knight visited Shakur in prison and offered to post his $1.4 million bail in exchange for signing with Death Row Records. Shakur accepted the deal, and upon his release, he became Death Row's most prominent artist.[5]
Shakur released All Eyez on Me in 1996, a double album that became one of the best-selling hip-hop albums in history. The partnership between Knight and Shakur also intensified the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry, particularly the feud with Bad Boy Records and its founder, Sean "Diddy" Combs.[5]
The Murder of Tupac Shakur
The Night of September 7, 1996
On September 7, 1996, Knight and Shakur attended the Mike Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon boxing match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. After the fight, a confrontation occurred in the casino lobby between Shakur and Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, a Crips gang member.[6]
Later that night, Knight was driving a black BMW 750 sedan with Shakur in the passenger seat when a white Cadillac pulled alongside them at a red light on Flamingo Road. Gunmen in the Cadillac opened fire, hitting Shakur four times. A bullet fragment also grazed Knight's head.
Knight managed to drive the vehicle to Las Vegas Boulevard before police arrived. Shakur was rushed to University Medical Center, where he died six days later on September 13, 1996, at age 25.[6]
The Murder Investigation
Shakur's murder remained unsolved for nearly three decades. Knight, one of the only surviving witnesses, refused to cooperate with investigators or identify the shooters, citing a code of silence.[6]
In September 2023, authorities arrested Duane "Keefe D" Davis, a former Crips gang leader, and charged him with first-degree murder in connection with Shakur's death. Davis had previously given interviews and written a memoir implicating himself in the shooting. He has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial.[7]
Knight has stated he will not testify against Davis, even though he witnessed the shooting. He has also disputed the allegation that Davis's nephew, Orlando Anderson, was the actual gunman.
Criminal History
Knight's career has been marked by numerous legal troubles:
- 1992: Convicted of assault with a deadly weapon; sentenced to probation
- 1995: Violated probation after an altercation at a Hollywood nightclub
- 1996: Sentenced to nine years in prison for the probation violation; served approximately five years
- 2005: Shot in the leg at a party hosted by Kanye West in Miami
- 2008: Arrested and charged with assault and drug possession
- 2014: Accused of running over two men outside a Compton restaurant[1]
The Fatal 2015 Incident
The Confrontation
On January 29, 2015, Knight was on the set of the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton when he was asked to leave. Following an argument about his portrayal in the film, Knight drove to Tam's Burgers, a nearby restaurant in Compton, where he encountered Terry Carter and Cle "Bone" Sloan, who were also involved in the film's production.[2]
According to prosecutors, Knight engaged in a confrontation with Sloan, then used his Ford F-150 pickup truck as a weapon. He struck Sloan, seriously injuring him, then ran over Carter, killing him. Knight fled the scene but turned himself in the following day.[2]
Murder Charges
Knight was charged with murder and attempted murder. Prosecutors alleged that the attack was premeditated, arguing that Knight had intentionally used his vehicle as a deadly weapon. Knight claimed he acted in self-defense, asserting that he feared for his life during the confrontation.[4]
The case was plagued by delays, attorney changes, and courtroom drama. Knight's defense team argued that he was the victim of an ambush and had no choice but to flee in his vehicle.
Plea and Sentence
In September 2018, Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter.[8] Under California's three-strikes law, his sentence was enhanced due to prior convictions.
On October 4, 2018, Judge Ronald S. Coen sentenced Knight to 28 years in state prison:
- 11 years for voluntary manslaughter
- 11 years under the three-strikes enhancement
- 6 years for use of a deadly weapon (the vehicle)[2]
Knight will not be eligible for parole until 2037 at the earliest.
Incarceration
Knight is currently incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, a state prison in San Diego County, California.[9] From prison, he has given interviews to media outlets, discussing his case, Death Row Records' legacy, and Tupac Shakur's murder.
Legacy
Despite his criminal convictions, Knight's influence on hip-hop is undeniable. Death Row Records helped shape the sound and business model of modern rap music. However, his legacy is also inextricably tied to the violence, intimidation, and legal troubles that plagued his career.[3]
His estimated net worth at Death Row's peak was reportedly $750 million, though years of legal battles, civil lawsuits, and business failures have depleted his fortune.[4]
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Suge Knight and Death Row Records: A timeline". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Rap mogul Suge Knight sentenced to 28 years for hit-and-run death". Associated Press. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Rise and Fall of Death Row Records". Billboard. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Inside Suge Knight's Murder Trial and Death Row Records' Dark Legacy". Rolling Stone. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "How Tupac Signed to Death Row Records". Vibe. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Tupac Shakur murder case timeline: What to know". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.
- ↑ "Man arrested in Tupac Shakur shooting death". CNN. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.
- ↑ "Suge Knight Pleads No Contest to Manslaughter". The New York Times. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.
- ↑ "Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility". California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Retrieved {{{access-date}}}.