Dr. Dre's Role In Death Row Records

The Death Row Records, founded in the year 1991 by Dr. Dre and Suge Knight is considered amongst the most notorious records in the history of music. The label was once the breeding place for some of the stalwarts of music like the Snoop Doggy Dogg, Tupac Shakur and DJ Quik. Dr. Dre whose real name was Andre Romell Young, at one point of his career, left Ruthless Records and started Future Shock Records, a label of his own that was later named the Death Row Records; with Suge Knight and John Payne by his side.

However, in the year 1996, Dr. Dre filed a lawsuit against the label Death Row Records. He alleged that the Death Row and the bankruptcy administrator are trying to sell the copyright of the album featuring hits like “Nuthin” But a ‘G’ Thang” which are exclusively owned by him. He was vocal about his disapproval of the selling of the copyright to the album “The Chronicle”. However, in the year 1992, Dr. Dre permitted the Death Row to distribute the album in exchange of royalties. In an agreement in 1996, Dr. Dre agreed to change hands with the copyright of the album “The Chronicle” in return of royalties. However, in the year 2000 he was compelled to cancel the agreement by claiming that the company who bought the copyright of the album deprived him of the royalties that were promised to him. However, in the year 2008, February 5, Warner Music bought the assets of Death Row for $25 million.