Some of Death Row’s most important records aren’t covered in Snoop’s acquisition.
Earlier this month, Snoop Dogg took ownership of the label that launched his career, Death Row Records. Though great things are already underway with the label being the first to dive into NFT and potentially partnering with Bad Boy Records, a new report from Billboard claims that everything may not be as smooth as anticipated.
While the label acquisition is secure, taking full ownership of the label’s catalog is still being negotiated. Once the deal closes, there’s no guarantee that albums including Tupac’s All Eyez On Me and The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory will be owned by the new Death Row since as of Jan. 1, 2022, both albums were no longer on the label. Death Row recordings are owned by MNRK Music and its parent company Blackstone, which acquired the eOne Music label for $385 million in April 2021.
However, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic is reportedly set to return to Death Row as early as 2023. Snoop’s Doggystyle, Doggfather, and newest album, BODR (Back On Death Row), are all under the label making him the current top-selling artist. The rest of the Death Row catalog includes soundtracks to Above The Rim and Gridlock’d, compilation albums including Christmas on Death Row, and albums from Lady of Rage, Daz Dillinger, and Kurupt.
Billboard estimates that Death Row garnered $15 million in revenue in 2021 including the Pac and Dre albums. Without them, it’s estimated that only $6 million will be generated in revenue.
