Death Row Archives

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Snoop Dogg vs. MJG…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

January 8, 2015 Fresh, Throwback

A Long Way Away From 21st & Lewis, How Does Warren G Regulate Today? (Video)

It has been more than 20 years since Warren G & Nate Dogg released "Regulate" in the film, Above The Rim. The storytelling track on a funktafied Michael McDonald sample gave a proper stepping out for Warren and Nate, after some strong assistance a year prior on their 213 homie,... Read more

December 17, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

22 Years Ago Today, Dr. Dre Fired Up The Chronic & We’ve Inhaled Ever Since

Twenty-two years ago today (December 15, 1992), Dr. Dre released The Chronic. Dre's solo debut, after parting ways with N.W.A., also marked the premiere release for Death Row Records, a would-be hundred-million-dollar label he founded with bodyguard-turned-manager Marion "Suge" Knight. Now boasting more than 3,000,000 copies sold, The Chronic may... Read more

December 15, 2014 Throwback

Finding The GOAT: Diamond D vs. Dr. Dre…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

December 2, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Star-Studded 2Pac Single To Be Released By The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation

Not counting remixes or unofficial independent efforts, there have been seven 2Pac albums released since Tupac Shakur's 1996 murder. From those albums, largely released by Death Row/Interscope Records, singles have emerged, ranging from the chillingly revengeful "Hail Mary" to the introspective "Changes" to the immortalizing "Until The End Of Time."... Read more

November 10, 2014 Fresh

Dr. Dre Becomes The First Hip-Hop Artist To Create An Entire College Degree

Earlier this year, Dr. Dre was reported to become Hip-Hop's first billionaire. The Compton, California native has come a long way from selling mixtapes at L.A. swap meets like The Rodium, in the 1980s: The #1 earning Forbes Hip-Hop artist in 2014 is doing big things with his fortune. Teaming... Read more

October 29, 2014 Fresh

Finding The GOAT: DJ Quik vs. Too Short…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

October 14, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Finding The GOAT: Crooked I vs. Jadakiss…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

October 9, 2014 Fresh

Finding The GOAT: The D.O.C. vs. Redman…Who You Got?

As we continue the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time), we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups in a sequence not... Read more

October 6, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Dr. Dre Is Reportedly Back In The Studio With An Old Friend/West Coast O.G., But Who?

Dr. Dre has worked with plenty of legendary peers behind the boards, and made plenty more. Compton's favorite Doctor has shared the swivel chairs in the studio with the likes of Eminem, Mike Dean, DJ Quik, Warren G, Daz Dillinger, Sam Sneed, Chris "The Glove" Taylor, DJ Pooh, Mel-Man, DJ... Read more

September 29, 2014 Fresh

Finding the GOAT: Ghostface Killah vs. Kurupt…Who You Got?

Ambrosia For Heads is proud to present the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank, who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

September 25, 2014 Featured-homepage, Fresh, Throwback

The Notorious B.I.G’s Ready To Die 20 Years Later, The Best Of All Worlds (Food For Thought)

Twenty years ago today (September 13, 1994), The Notorious B.I.G and Bad Boy Records released Ready To Die, one (and many argue the best) of the two handfuls of incredible debut albums introduced in 1994. A long hot summer after Nas' Illmatic, with Wu-Tang Clan's Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)... Read more

September 13, 2014 Featured-homepage, Food for Thought, Fresh, Throwback

Suge Knight May Know Who Shot Him, But He Says “It’s Not Important”

Now released from the hospital following last month's shooting, Marion "Suge" Knight was interviewed publicly for the first time by the outlet who broke the August 24 incident: TMZ. The Compton, California native discussed the event that led public response ranging from Chris Brown to Katt Williams. However, if you... Read more

September 3, 2014 Fresh

Problem & Childish Gambino Freestyle Over Quik’s CPT Classic (Audio)

Problem joins Kendrick Lamar, YG and YG Hootie in keeping Compton's Hip-Hop legacy strong in the 2010s. Early in his career, Prob' got some prime, multi-track real estate on DJ Quik & Kurupt's 2009 BlaQKout album. Now perceived protege hops on a David Blake classic released on Murder Was The... Read more

August 28, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Katt Williams Defends Suge Knight In Shooting, Chris Brown To Cooperate

On Sunday morning (August 24), Marion "Suge" Knight was shot six times in West Hollywood, California, at a club. The former music mogul, and co-founder of Death Row Records was stated to be in critical condition upon his hospitalization, while rumors swirled surrounding the events at a party at 10AK... Read more

August 26, 2014 Fresh

2Pac, Ruthless & Priority Records To Be Honored At Indie Entertainment Summit Conference

Three pillars of Gangsta Rap are among those slated to be honored at 2014's Indie Entertainment Summit & Hip-Hop Honors. Iconic artist 2Pac is included, along with two 1980s labels, Priority Records and Ruthless Records. Notably, all three of these acts are tied together. 2Pac appeared on Above The Law's... Read more

August 4, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

2Pac’s Classic Double-Album All Eyez On Me Certified Diamond By RIAA

Over 18 years ago, 2Pac released his "out on bail, fresh outta jail, California-dreamin'" double-album, All Eyez On Me. Today, according to a spokesperson and e-mail from the RIAA, it has been reported that the Death Row/Interscope Records effort has now achieved diamond status, scanning over 10 million copies sold... Read more

August 1, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Two Former Death Row Factions Unite, As Tha Outlawz Re-Link With Snoop Dogg (Video)

In the days following 2Pac's 1996 murder, Tha Outlawz, missing their leader and suffering the additional loss of slain member Khadafi were literally "stranded on Death Row." Label-mates with Snoop Dogg, both parties lost the love with the label that had once been so bountiful and successful at breaking talent.... Read more

June 24, 2014 Fresh, Video

Read 2Pac’s 1995 Letter From Prison To Public Enemy’s Chuck D

In September 1995, Tupac Shakur was in New York's Clinton Correctional Facility, with less than a month remaining on a sexual assault conviction, stemming from 1993. Maintaining that he was innocent of the accusations against him, 'Pac rallied in his year leading up to the sentencing, while working hard at... Read more

June 23, 2014 Throwback

Ep. 2 of The Message Documentary Covers East vs. West Beef, The Rise of The South & More (Full Video)

Part 2 of The Message, BET's 4-part documentary chronicling the history of Hip-Hop, covers the Bad Boy vs. Death Row beef, the rise of Southern Hip-Hop, the "bling" era, the attempted censorship of Rap music and more. The episode features commentary from Snoop, Uncle Luke, Master P, Juicy J, The... Read more

June 17, 2014 Video

Beats Music x Apple Deal Is Confirmed. Dr. Dre To Become Apple Executive

After three weeks of speculation, Dr. Dre is believed to have officially become Hip-Hop's first billionaire. Today (May 28), USA Today confirmed the Beats Electronics (previously Beats By Dre) buyout by Apple for a reported $3 billion. The latter company's CEO, Tim Cook declared, "This [deal] is about music and... Read more

May 28, 2014 Fresh

As Easy as 213: How Warren G Launched the G-Funk Era

Here's a truly amazing piece from Pitchfork on Warren G's impact on the G-Funk era. While Dre's name is often the one most prominently associated with the genre, it quite possibly may not have existed without little stepbrother Warren. Check out the excerpts below and then head to pitchfork for... Read more

May 25, 2014 Throwback

DJ Quik Makes A New Style Of Beats With Bishop Lamont On The Mic (Video)

Just over six months after DJ Quik threatened to hang up his production talents following two stolen MPCs, the Compton veteran is back in the saddle. "Trapped On The Track" perhaps explains why the longtime Profile Records star who worked closely with 2Pac, Eazy-E, and Hi-C is unable to fully... Read more

May 13, 2014 Fresh, Video

Biggie Smalls, Suge Knight, Puff Daddy, Snoop Dogg In The Same Room In The Early ’90s? Check The Tapes (Video)

Much has been written, speculated, and sadly, testified in the rift between Bad Boy Records and Death Row Records in the mid-to-late 1990s. While Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. were once friends and collaborators, Heads often fail to realize that prior to the 1995 Source Awards, things were not... Read more

March 26, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Tupac Shakur-Inspired Musical Confirmed To Hit Broadway

Fans of Tupac Shakur in the New York City area have reason to celebrate. Today, Variety confirms that "Holler If Ya Hear Me" will be hitting Broadway's Palace Theater, beginning in June. The play takes its name from 'Pac's 1993 sophomore album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z. The track opened the... Read more

January 8, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Want To Hear Unreleased Dopeness From When Death Row & Rap-A-Lot Were Tight? (Audio & Video)

Despite the fact that Rap-A-Lot Records was born in Houston, Texas and Death Row Records was founded by two men from Compton, California, there's been a lot of cross-over. In the mid-1990s, Death Row artists like 2Pac, Danny Boy, and Tha Dogg Pound were cleared to appear on Rap-A-Lot releases,... Read more

January 5, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

This Week in Video Was Dominated By Kanye West’s Epic Meltdown on Sway…But There Was So Much More. Here’s a Playlist of the Kanye Highlights and Anything Else Worth Watching from the Past Week (Video Playlist)

Kanye West shut down the web with his extremely heated exchange with Sway. In the midst of the furor, last week was one of the best of the year for Hip-Hop video programming--Eminem's Rap God video, Snoop talking TDE vs. Death Row, A Tribe Called Quest discussing their farewell shows,... Read more

November 30, 2013 Playlists, Video

NahRight Looks At Snoop Dogg’s Best Doggystyle-Era Performances (Video)

The homies over at NahRight.com have a cool retrospective of the best early performances by Snoop Doggy Dogg. The videos are from 1994-1996, surrounding Snoop's groundbreaking quadruple platinum debut, Doggystyle. This was the day when an artist could work an album for nearly three years after its release, especially on... Read more

November 27, 2013 Fresh, Throwback

Suge Knight Weighs In On Dr. Dre’s Chronic Influencing Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready To Die

Yesterday, we linked you to Rolling Stone's conversation with Death Row Records co-founder Marion "Suge" Knight. While the published interview focused on Tha Row's second release, Snoop Doggy Dogg's 1993 debut Doggystyle, which just turned 20 years old. The writer of the rare Knight interview, Paul "Gooch" Cantor, self-published the... Read more

November 27, 2013 Fresh, Throwback

Suge Knight Speaks at Length on Doggystye and Death Row, Claiming Dr. Dre Did None of the Production. He Also Speaks About Snoop’s Murder Trial, the Impact of Death Row and More.

Suge Knight spoke at length with Rolling Stone about Doggystyle, Snoop, Dr. Dre, Tupac and Death Row Records in light of the 20th anniversary of Doggystyle. The Death Row captain is not short on words and definitely not afraid of stirring controversy. Below are a few excerpts from the article... Read more

November 26, 2013 Throwback

Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle & The Death Row Records Reign (Food For Thought)

Twenty years ago today, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Death Row Records released Doggystyle. The four-times platinum debut LP by Dr. Dre's then-protege helped put Long Beach, California on the Hip-Hop map, it cemented the dominance and versatility of G-Funk, and despite a 1993 year with acclaimed albums by Wu-Tang Clan,... Read more

November 23, 2013 Featured-homepage, Food for Thought, Fresh

Snoop Dogg Throws Down A Megamix Of All The Doggystyle Samples (Video)

Snoop Dogg has a few different monikers for his crafts. In 2008, as QDT, he quietly teamed with DJ Quik and Teddy Riley to produce a big chunk of Ego Trippin'. As a DJ, Snoop goes by DJ Snoopadelic. Always having fun, Doggy Dogg kicked off a celebration weekend of... Read more

November 22, 2013 Fresh, Throwback