Death Row Records Archives - New Hip Hop News

Warren G Shuts Down Rumor That He Was Beaten Up By Dr. Dre

April 17, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Warren G is Death Row royalty. The rapper was one of the key members of the West Coast crew, courtesy of hits like “Regulate” and “This DJ.” According to Death Row co-founder Suge Knight, however, Warren G didn’t always get along with his peers. During the April 14 episode of Knight’s podcast, Collect Call With Suge Knight, he claimed that Warren G was beaten up by his own step brother, Dr. Dre. The claim that was denied by the Regulator himself.

Suge Knight started the episode by reflecting on Death Row’s heyday, but things took a turn for the awkward when Knight switched to the Warren G story. “You know when you was trying to use the phone when you wasn’t supposed to in front of Andre — your brother — slapped your a*s around,” he stated. “You start[ed] saying, ‘Okay blood. Okay blood. Please don’t do it no more, I’m sorry.’ You can say that that didn’t happen, but everybody knows it’s true.”

Warren G Exposes Knight’s “Tough Guy” Act

Despite Knight’s insistence that the incident was true, Warren G wasn’t having it. The rapper hopped on Instagram to call out Knight. “History would repeat itself, because n***a you wasn’t the only n***a in the room, n***a,” he reasoned. “You wasn’t by yourself. It was other people in the room, too. I’m not gonna say no names because like you said, we don’t talk…So why you on here talking? Let that sh*t go, man.” Warren G also criticized Knight’s reputation as a tough guy. He claims he defended Death Row’s honor whenever Knight got into trouble in the 1990s. “When you was at the comedy store,” Warren G added. “Fighting that little buff a*s n***a, who saved your muthaf***in ass? Me.”

To call Suge Knight’s reputation dubious would be an understatement. The ex-bodyguard is currently serving 28 years in prison, and will not be eligible for parole until 2034. Warren G, meanwhile, is getting ready to go on tour with fellow West Coast icons Snoop Dogg and DJ Quik. The trio will be embarking on the Cali To Canada tour, which kicks off June 3rd in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old!

March 22, 2024 by newhiphopnews

On this day in Hip-Hop history, Death Row Records, in conglomeration with Interscope Records, released the soundtrack to the popular film, Above the Rim. Winning the 1995 Source Award for Soundtrack of the Year, this album featured so many hits that it could have stood alone from the movie as a compilation album.

Acting as executive producers of the project, Suge Knight and Dr. Dre curated one of the most popular movie soundtracks of all time. This album featured artists 2Pac, Warren G, SWV, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage, and more. Due to the popularity of the artists and the success of the movie, the soundtrack sold 2,000,000 copies in the year of its release and peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. Although it fell short on the mainstream chart, the album was able to grab hold of that #1 spot on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Here are some videos from the outstanding soundtrack to help jog your memory of its greatness.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old! first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Death Row Records’ ‘Above The Rim’ Soundtrack Turns 30 Years Old! appeared first on The Source.

Today In Hip-Hop History: Dogg Pound Singer Nate Dogg Passed Away 13 Years Ago

March 15, 2024 by newhiphopnews

On this date in 2011 in Long Beach, California, Nathaniel Hale, better known as rap/R&B crooner Nate Dogg, died from complications after suffering several strokes. He was 41 years old.

Introduced to the rap game by his Long Beach homie Snoop Dogg via their trio 213, which was the group that was brought to Dr. Dre by his little brother Warren G that made everyone in the trio West Coast legends.
Nate was a trailblazer in the rap/R&B fusion, with smash hits with Fabolous, Mobb Deep, Mos Def, Ludacris and many more, earning four Grammy nods.

Salute and condolences to the entire 213 family from the Mind Squad, The Source Magazine and the entire Northstar Media Group. Nate was an intricate member of our culture and will truly be missed.

The post Today In Hip-Hop History: Dogg Pound Singer Nate Dogg Passed Away 13 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip-Hop History: Dogg Pound Singer Nate Dogg Passed Away 13 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Tupac’s Thug Life: Where Are They Now?

March 6, 2024 by newhiphopnews

These days, Tupac Shakur earns widespread recognition as a legend for his profoundly artistic and socially conscious body of work, all created before his untimely death at the age of 25. Although primarily celebrated for his solo catalog, featuring hit albums like All Eyez On Me and Me Against the World, Tupac contributed to numerous group endeavors, releasing several popular records alongside his collaborators. One of his groups, Thug Life, released only one self-titled album before disbanding, which highlights some of Pac’s greatest lyrical performances.

Though short-lived, Thug Life represents an important era in Tupac Shakur’s life timeline, and the single album produced by the group remains a worthwhile listen to this day. Here’s a look at what the other four members of Thug Life have been up to since the group disbanded following Tupac’s untimely death in 1996.

Big Syke Tragically Passed Away In 2016

Big Syke was a frequent collaborator of Tupac, even joining the legendary rapper on several breakout tracks from the album All Eyez On Me. Syke was a member of both Thug Life and Tupac’s other rap group, the Outlawz, while also maintaining a solo career spanning four studio albums. In 2016, authorities found Big Syke dead in his California home at the age of 48. Despite his young age, they reported no foul play at the scene, stating that Syke perished of natural causes. The Inglewood-born rapper had suffered from health concerns regarding his heart in the years precipitating his passing.

Macadoshis And Morpheme Have Been Mostly Under The Radar

Macadoshis and Mopreme Shakur, Tupac’s stepbrother, founded Thug Life but now appear to no longer seek the spotlight. Like Big Syke, Mopreme was also a member of the Outlawz, and continued to make music for several years after Pac’s death. Preme’s most recent musical output seems to be a 2007 mixtape titled Black & Brown Pride which he released in collaboration with Los Angeles DJ Assassin. Mopreme maintains an official Instagram account which he previously used to sell NFT images and videos, though he has not posted on the social media app in nearly a year.

Likewise, Macadoshis seems to have quietly retreated from the spotlight, occasionally resurfacing to deliver interviews with rap-centric media outlets. In May 2023, Mac appeared on the YouTube series The Art Of Dialogue, to explain the history of Thug Life, including some never-before-shared behind-the-scenes details.

Read More: A Look At The Life Of Tupac Shakur

The Rated R Is Serving A Life Sentence In Prison

The final member of the Thug Life brand, The Rated R, has gone down a very different road than his peers in the years following the group’s split. The former Death Row signee has been serving a sentence in San Quentin State Penitentiary in California since 2004. While details regarding the case that led to R’s imprisonment are quite scant, sources across the web claim he is serving a life sentence for committing a double homicide.

Some supporters of The Rated R have expressed the belief that the rapper was acting in self-defense, though these claims cannot be verified. Since his arrival in San Quentin, R is said to have fully converted to Islam and renounced all forms of violence. Rated R was previously considered for bail in 2021, but ultimately denied, leaving his future uncertain at the time of this writing.

[Via] [Via]

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Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Dropped His Fourth LP ‘All Eyez On Me’ 28 Years Ago

February 13, 2024 by newhiphopnews

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On this date twenty-eight ago, the Hip Hop legend Tupac Shakur officially released his fourth album, All Eyez On Me, on the Death Row/Interscope imprint.

The album featured five singles with two topping number one on the Billboard Hot 100; “How Do U Want It” and “California Love.” It made Hip Hop history the first double-full-length solo Hip-Hop studio album released. It was the second album from Tupac Shakur to hit number one on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, selling 566,000 copies in the first week. Shortly after his untimely death, the album then won the 1997 Soul Train R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year Award. Shakur also won the Award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist at the 24th Annual American Music Awards. The album was certified diamond by the RIAA on July 23, 2014.

All Eyez On Me, the biopic about Pac’s life with the same name, was released on June 16, 2017.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Dropped His Fourth LP ‘All Eyez On Me’ 28 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today In Hip Hop History: Tupac Shakur Dropped His Fourth LP ‘All Eyez On Me’ 28 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Goodie Mob Reflects On Hearing Tupac’s “Hit Em Up” Before Its Release

December 27, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Goodie Mob, the iconic hip-hop group, recently took a trip down memory lane. They sat down in an interview with HipHopDX and shared stories. They reminisced about a pivotal moment in their past when they were privy to 2Pac’s now legendary diss track, “Hit ‘Em Up,” before its official release. During the interview with HipHopDX, Big Gipp shared insights into the atmosphere surrounding that time, shedding light on the tension within the industry and their connections to both camps involved. “I think the 2Pac song was just so incredible because of the time and the space that we heard it in,” Big Gipp expressed. He captured the essence of a moment that resonated deeply with the hip-hop community. The context, both within the industry and the relationships they held with both camps, added a layer of complexity to their experience. It was, as Gipp described, a very peculiar time.

Reflecting on the impact of “Hit ‘Em Up,” Gipp continued, “But to hear that record at the time, it was the smash that we thought it was when he played it. It was the rawest record that we heard at that time.” Gipp’s words paint a vivid picture of the raw energy and authenticity that emanated from 2Pac’s unreleased track, capturing the essence of a moment that would go down in hip-hop history. Acknowledging the skepticism that surrounded the track for years, Gipp asserted, “A lot of people, for 20 years, said that he was lyin’, but now we know he wasn’t lyin’.” This revelation adds a layer of vindication to 2Pac’s authenticity, affirming that the content of “Hit ‘Em Up” was, indeed, a raw and unfiltered expression of the truth.

Goodie Mob On Tupac’s “Hit Em Up”

“Everything about that record was true,” Gipp concluded, emphasizing the realness encapsulated in 2Pac’s words. The interview provides a unique glimpse into the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the hip-hop world during a time of intense rivalry and creative fervor. Gipp’s reflection on such moments highlights the respect and reverence these artists have for each other, even in the face of industry tension.

In essence, the interview dives into the impact of 2Pac’s “Hit ‘Em Up.” Furthermore it also offers a poignant reminder of the power of music to encapsulate and express the complex emotions and realities of life, both within and beyond the studio. What are your thoughts on this topic? Let us know on
HNHH!

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Today in Hip-Hop History: Dr. Dre Dropped His Debut Solo LP ‘The Chronic’ 31 Years Ago

December 15, 2023 by newhiphopnews

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On this date in 1992, Dr. Dre released his debut solo album The Chronic on his own Death Row Records imprint, which was distributed by Priority Records. This album introduced the world to the Death Row experience, G-Funk infused Hip Hop and the one and only Snoop Doggy Dogg.

Recorded in Death Row Studios in L.A., The Chronic album was created under the influence of some of the most powerful marijuana in the United States during that time, hence, the title. It was also fueled by Dre’s relentless passion to show his former crewmates from N.W.A. that he could make it on his own as well as prove to the world that he could do more than just make dope beats.

Timeless tracks where Dre shined on the lyrical side include “Let Me Ride”, “Nuthin’ But A “G” Thang” along with Snoop, and “The Day The Niggaz Took Over”, where Daz, Dre, and RBX went in about racial tensions during the 1992 L.A. riots.

Even with its conceptual perfection and trailblazing sound, which left an open market for artists like The Dogg Pound, 213, and Warren G., The Chronic is still Dre’s second best-selling album behind The Chronic: 2001, which went sextuple platinum.

Salute to everyone at Death Row Records who contributed to this gangsta rap classic! Cali love!!

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Dr. Dre Dropped His Debut Solo LP ‘The Chronic’ 31 Years Ago first appeared on The Source.

The post Today in Hip-Hop History: Dr. Dre Dropped His Debut Solo LP ‘The Chronic’ 31 Years Ago appeared first on The Source.

Treach & Scarface’s “Special Bond” With 2Pac Gets Big Love From Suge Knight

December 3, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Suge Knight recently spoke on the bond that Treach and Scarface shared with 2Pac during the 1990s. “I wanna say this about Pac, I wanna say this about Treach, I wanna say this about Scarface. These three young men, as artists and men, have a bond that we need to teach and people need to use their model. Treach and 2Pac was road dogs. Still today, you can count on Treach to represent Pac. You can count on Treach to live with Pac far as he still represent that man. Same thing with Scarface … Face is gonna fuck with Pac no matter what, that’s why I was joyful when we did that song with Face and Pac, “Smile”,” Suge said on his podcast.

Suge didn’t express the same love for Snoop Dogg. In a previous episode of the podcast, Suge “demanded” answers from Snoop over Pac’s death. “As far as the Puffy situation, I really, really, really gotta have a real conversation with Snoop. I knew that ‘Pac did everything right by him by putting him on All Eyez On Me, speaking about him and being real with him. And if it’s true what they say, face-to-face it’s gonna be a lot of explaining to do,” Suge said. Furthermore, he claimed that Snoop did not travel to Vegas with the rest of the Death Row crew because “something was going to happen”.

Deion Sanders Was Secretly Part Of Death Row Records, Suge Knight Claims

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Furthermore, last month, Suge made the claim that Deion Sanders was once part of Death Row Records. “Deion Sanders — when Prime wanted to be a rapper, he said: ‘I want to be a rapper. I spent over half a million dollars of my own money. I put guys in the studio, I paid Dallas Austin, I did all these songs — did everything. Then one day he came to me and said, ‘Well, y’know, Prime deal with Nike and Death Row is a Black-owned company, and we don’t really want to deal with a Black-owned company. Even though you paid for everything and we signed to you, put us on the Interscope brand’,” Suge told The Daily Cannon.

Sanders put out two albums – 1994’s Prime Time and 2005’s The Encore Remix. Prime Time even charted, reaching #70 on the Billboard Hip Hop chart and #14 on the US Heatseekers chart. However, it’s definitely brand-new information that the album could have originally come out under Suge’s iconic brand.

[via]

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The Game Reveals Why He Didn’t Sign To Death Row, Recalls Time With Suge Knight

December 2, 2023 by newhiphopnews

During a recent interview with VladTV, The Game opened up about the time he spent with Suge Knight. He says he hung around him and other artists like Eastwood and Crooked I for a couple of months, but ultimately decided not to sign to Death Row. According to him, he simply concluded that the label just wasn’t the right fit.

He cited the competitive nature of West Coast hip hop, adding that he felt as though he “belonged on records.” Eventually, he got connected with Diddy who “pushed him over” to Dr. Dre. The Game also agreed that at that point, the label was only a “shell” of what it once was. 2Pac had already passed away and Snoop Dogg and other notable artists had moved on.

Diddy Speaks On Suge Knight, Death Row Records

He later spoke about meeting people like Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes. According to him, it was like being a “kid in an amusement park.” The Game also reflected on meeting Dr. Dre, calling it nothing short of “life-changing.” He went on to give Dr. Dre his flowers for the impact he’s had on West Coast hip-hop and his career. He wasn’t always so appreciative of Dr. Dre, however. During a precious appearance on Drink Champs, he claimed that Kanye West did more for him in two weeks than Dr. Dre ever did, though he later backpedaled.

“Having Dre do anything for your project, anything in your career, touch any part of anything you’re doing in life is such a blessing that I shall not ever s**t on that again,” he explained. “I should have actually gave him more grace for what he did do and that was actually mentoring me and doing things that nobody could have done for me in my career.” What do you think of The Game’s explanation for deciding not to sign to Death Row? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

[Via]

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How To Buy Mitchell & Ness’ Rap Label Throwback Jerseys

November 18, 2023 by newhiphopnews

As documentarians, networks, event organizers, award shows and more celebrate hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, Mitchell & Ness revealed their unique way of paying homage to the genre. Hip-hop is a culture that extends far beyond its most popular pilar, namely rap music. Since its inception, everyone who emerged in the scene has curated a flavorful fashion sense.

Throughout the decades, several staple garments have entered the mainstream scene thanks to hip-hop influence. One of the early 2000s biggest trends include Mitchell & Ness throwback jerseys. To spotlight that, the brand has rolled out a new line to highlight some of the genre’s most impactful record labels including Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records, Snoop Dogg’s Death Row Records, Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def, Ruff Ryders, and Top Dawg Entertainment.

How To Buy Mitchell & Ness’ Rap Label Throwback Jerseys

Mitchell & Ness’ rap label throwback jerseys, as part of their Hip-Hop Heritage Jersey Collection, will be made available to ComplexCon 2023 attendees first on November 17 and 18. After which the items will be made available on the company’s official website here. Each item will fall in the $275 to $325 price range.

In a statement, Mitchell & Ness CEO Eli Kumekpor spoke about the line. “We are thrilled this partnership presents fans a unique opportunity to celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary as well as their favorite artists and labels through this collection,” he said. “These jerseys represent an era that revolutionized music, fashion, and popular culture, and we’re proud to honor that legacy.”

View the jerseys including includes the re-release of JAY-Z’s 2003 Roc-A-Fella Records coveted piece below.

Mitchell & Ness Rap Jersey - Roc A Fella — Mitchell & Ness

Mitchell & Ness Rap Jersey - Ruff Ryders — Mitchell & Ness

Mitchell & Ness Rap Jersey - Death Row Records — Mitchell & Ness

Mitchell & Ness Rap Jersey - So So Def — Mitchell & Ness

Mitchell & Ness Rap Jersey - Top Dawg — Mitchell & Ness