Snoop Dogg recently shared that he would be interested in owning the record label that started it all for him back in 1992.
The hip-hop veteran caught up with Wallo267 and Gillie da King on their show Million Dollaz Worth of Game and revealed that he believes he should be in control of the business handlings of the label.
“I think all of Death Row should be in my hands. I should be running that s**t. Just like I’m [in] a position at Def Jam, Death Row means more to me because I helped create that. I think they should give me that and let me run that s**t with the merchandise out, with the music all over the world. [Add] some new West Coast acts,” he said.
Snoop remained with Death Row Records until 1998 and, alongside Dr. Dre and the late 2Pac, assisted in cultivating the label that helped catapult West Coast rap across the country.
Snoop further explained he would sign artists like YG, Roddy Ricch and Ty Dolla $ign to the hip-hop label, citing “anything coming out the West” would have a home at Death Row.
Having been absent from the label for over 20 years, Snoop's interest in returning to the label comes with experiences he's gained over time. His current role working as an executive creative consultant at Def Jam Records has helped him reimagine how to manage the business in the digital music era.
“It’s just a lot of heat over there [Death Row] and it’s not being handled right,” he told Gillie and Wallo. “A little birdie told me it may fly my way and if it do, you’ll get everything I told you.”
“If I can get Def Jam poppin’, what could I do with Death Row? Just imagine that,” he added.
Rolling Stone reports that Death Row Records was purchased by Entertainment One (eOne) in 2013 for $280 million dollars. Toy company Hasbro (which offers products like “G.I. Joe" and ''Jem and The Holograms”) added eOne to its portfolio for $4 billion back in 2019. After Death Row declared bankruptcy in 2006, eOne acquired its music catalog.
Death Row was birthed by Dr. Dre and Suge Knight in 1991. Dre has experienced success after partnering with record company executive Jimmy Iovine to create the Beats electronics line. Knight, as Blavity previously reported, is serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter.
As for what's in the near future for Snoop, the "Gin and Juice" rapper is releasing his 19th studio album, The Algorithm, on Nov. 12.