Suge Knight
Born 1965 · Age 60
American former record executive, co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records, former NFL replacement player, and convicted felon serving a 28-year sentence for a 2015 fatal hit-and-run. Central figure in 1990s gangsta rap; associated with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Compton, California
Marion Hugh Knight Jr. born to Marion Knight Sr. and Maxine Dikemen in Compton, CA; childhood nickname 'Sugar Bear' -> 'Suge'.
Graduated Lynwood High School
Graduated from Lynwood High School; was a football and track star.
Entered El Camino College (football)
Attended and played football at El Camino College (1983–1985).
Transferred to UNLV and excelled in football
Transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; played defensive end and won Rookie of the Year on defense (UNLV).
Went undrafted; joined LA Rams training camp
Went undrafted in the 1987 NFL Draft; invited to and cut from Los Angeles Rams training camp then joined as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL players' strike.
Arrest and plea on multiple charges (1987)
According to some biographies, arrested in 1987 for auto theft, carrying a concealed weapon, and attempted murder; pleaded no contest and placed on probation.
Founded music publishing company
Formed a music publishing company (credited as the start of his business career in music).
Married Sharitha Lee Golden
Marion 'Suge' Knight married Sharitha Lee Golden in Las Vegas.
Profited from Vanilla Ice royalties dispute
Reportedly secured royalties/ownership claims related to 'Ice Ice Baby' on behalf of a client (Mario Johnson), resulting in a sizeable profit—resolved in court.
Founded artist management firm; signed DJ Quik and The D.O.C.
Moved into artist management; signed West Coast artists including DJ Quik and The D.O.C., connecting with N.W.A. members.
Co-founded Death Row Records
Co-founded Death Row Records with Dr. Dre and The D.O.C.; Knight served as co-founder/CEO and envisioned it as 'the Motown of the '90s.'
Alleged intimidation to free Dr. Dre from Ruthless Records
Reported incident (per Jerry Heller) where Knight and associates allegedly threatened Eazy-E and Jerry Heller (Ruthless Records) to secure releases for Dre and others (April 1991).
Secured Interscope distribution deal
Death Row signed a distribution deal with Interscope Records, enabling national release and promotion.
Released Dr. Dre's The Chronic
Death Row released Dr. Dre's solo debut 'The Chronic' (1992), a foundational West Coast/G-funk album.
Death Row financial peak estimate (industry reports)
Contemporary reports indicate Death Row grossed more than $60 million in 1993; the label was estimated at ~$100M/year scale by 1995.
Released Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg's debut 'Doggystyle' released on Death Row (1993); certified quadruple platinum in the U.S. in 1994.
Co-founded Let Me Ride Hydraulics
Diversification into a car customization shop with Dr. Dre and other Death Row ventures.
Signed MC Hammer (Death Row involvement)
MC Hammer associated with Death Row around 1994–1995 and recorded tracks with label artists; relationship ended after Tupac's death (Hammer later left).
Released Above the Rim soundtrack; 'Murder Was the Case' film adaptation
Death Row released the 'Above the Rim' soundtrack (double-platinum) and adapted the hit 'Murder Was the Case' into a short film with a soundtrack.
Time Warner/Interscope relationship dissolved under pressure
Political pressure and criticism of gangsta rap (led by activists like C. Delores Tucker) helped scuttle a prospective/actual corporate relationship in 1995.
Pleaded no contest to 1992 assault; sentenced to probation
In a federal 1995 case Knight pleaded no contest and received five years' probation for assaulting two rappers in 1992.
Source Awards speech ignites feud with Puff Daddy
At the Source Awards (Aug 1995) Knight publicly attacked Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs, escalating an East Coast–West Coast rivalry.
Posted $1.4M bail for Tupac and signed him to Death Row
Knight posted $1.4 million bail for Tupac Shakur (Oct 1995) and signed him to Death Row Records; arrangement led to release of All Eyez on Me.
Released Tupac Shakur's All Eyez on Me
Death Row released Tupac's double album 'All Eyez on Me' (Feb 13, 1996), which became Tupac's most commercially successful album (reported sales ~9 million).
Dr. Dre leaves Death Row; forms Aftermath
Dr. Dre departed Death Row Records (March 1996) citing concerns about Knight's violent reputation and started Aftermath Entertainment.
Fight with Orlando Anderson and Tupac drive-by shooting (Las Vegas)
After leaving a Mike Tyson fight Sept 7, 1996, Knight and Tupac were involved in a beating of Orlando Anderson. Hours later a drive-by shooting struck the car Knight was driving; Tupac was critically wounded and died on Sept 13, 1996.
Jailed pending probation hearing (probation violation)
On Oct 22, 1996 Knight was jailed pending hearing for probation violation related to the Sept 7 beatings.
Artists leave Death Row; label decline begins
After Knight's incarceration and Tupac's death, key artists departed (Dr. Dre 1996, Snoop Dogg 1998), initiating Death Row's decline.
Sentenced to nine years for probation violation
Knight was sentenced Feb 28, 1997 to nine years in prison for a probation violation stemming from the 1992/1996 assault cases; later released early.
Established Death Row Prisoner Appeal Fund (while incarcerated)
While incarcerated Knight set up the Death Row Prisoner Appeal Fund to assist inmates with appeals and legal fees (organization of charitable/advocacy efforts).
Renamed company 'The Row' (c.)
Around 2001 Death Row Records underwent rebranding as 'Tha Row'/'The Row' in Knight's post-prison era (reported by contemporary sources).
Released from prison (early release)
Knight was granted early release from FCI Sheridan and left prison on Aug 6, 2001 after serving roughly five years of his sentence.
Sent to prison ~10 months for parole violation (struck parking lot attendant)
In 2003 Knight spent approximately ten months in custody for violating parole after an altercation in which he struck a parking lot attendant and for gang affiliation issues.
Shot at Kanye West's pre-VMA party (Miami)
August 2005: Knight was shot (upper leg) at Kanye West's pre-Video Music Awards party in Miami; later filed claims and included in later lawsuits and bankruptcy filings.
Filed for bankruptcy amid civil litigation
Knight filed for bankruptcy (Chapter 11/other filings cited) in April 2006 amid civil litigation claiming Lydia Harris had been cheated out of a 50% stake in Death Row.
Bankruptcy trustee ordered to take over Death Row
Federal judge ordered a bankruptcy trustee takeover of Death Row Records (July 7, 2006) citing gross mismanagement.
Placed Malibu mansion on market for $6.2M
Knight listed his 7-bedroom Malibu home for sale (June 2007) for $6.2 million as part of financial restructuring.
Named in a Compton gang injunction/crackdown
January 2008: Police and local authorities publicly named Knight as affiliated with the Mob Piru set of the Bloods in a Compton gang crackdown.
Involved in Hollywood nightclub altercation; knocked unconscious
May 10, 2008 (reported): Knight was involved in an altercation outside the Shag nightclub in Hollywood and was knocked unconscious for three minutes; did not cooperate with LAPD at hospital.
Death Row Records catalog auctioned (winning.bid reported $24M)
June–July 2008: Death Row Records assets/ catalog were auctioned in bankruptcy; BBC and others reported a $24M winning bid by Global Music Group though subsequent financing issues meant catalog later transferred to other buyers.
Filed bankruptcy claim naming Kanye West re: 2005 shooting
As part of an Oct 30, 2008 bankruptcy claim Knight filed a suit against Kanye West and associates concerning the August 2005 shooting.
Malibu mansion sold in bankruptcy court for $4.56M
The Malibu property was sold in bankruptcy proceedings for $4.56 million (Dec 2008).
Death Row catalog eventually sold to WIDEawake Entertainment
Following failed financing by earlier auction winner, the Death Row catalog ultimately ended up with Wideawake Entertainment (reported in 2009).
Auction of Death Row office contents
Items from Death Row Records office were auctioned in bankruptcy proceedings (Jan 25, 2009), including the label's electric chair prop which sold for $2,500.
Hospitalized after being punched at private party (Scottsdale)
February 2009: Knight treated for facial injuries after being punched at a private party at W Scottsdale Hotel.
Arrested in Las Vegas for cannabis and outstanding warrants
Feb 8, 2012: Arrested after police found cannabis in his car and for outstanding traffic warrants.
Shot multiple times at pre-VMA party; survives
Aug 24, 2014: Knight was shot six times at a pre-Video Music Awards party hosted by Chris Brown (1OAK) on the Sunset Strip; he walked to an ambulance and underwent surgery.
Arrested with Katt Williams for alleged camera theft
Oct 29, 2014: Knight and comedian Katt Williams were arrested and charged with second-degree robbery related to an alleged theft of a paparazzi camera in Beverly Hills.
Fatal hit-and-run; arrested for murder
Jan 29, 2015: Knight drove his car into two men in Compton after an alleged dispute on the Straight Outta Compton film set; Terry Carter was killed and Cle Sloan was seriously injured. Knight fled the scene and was arrested.
Bail set at $25M; Knight collapses in court
March 2015: Bail was set at $25 million for the murder/ hit-and-run charges, and Knight collapsed in court following the bail decision.
Bail reduced to $10M
April 16, 2015: A court reduced Knight's bail to $10 million.
Robbery trial delayed pending murder trial
2016: The 2014 robbery camera-theft trial with Katt Williams was delayed pending resolution of the murder/hit-and-run case.
Indicted for threatening F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton director)
Feb 2017: A grand jury indicted Knight for sending threatening texts to director F. Gary Gray (c. Aug 8, 2014). Knight pleaded not guilty; the charge was later dropped as part of his plea in the manslaughter case.
Hospitalized for blood clots; trial delayed
March 2017: Knight was hospitalized for blood clots, a condition affecting him for ~2.5 years; his hospitalization delayed the murder trial.
Pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter
September 2018: Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in the 2015 hit-and-run death of Terry Carter as part of a plea deal; first-degree murder and some charges were resolved.
Sentenced to 28 years in prison under three-strikes law
September 2018: Judge sentenced Knight to 28 years in prison (22 years for running over the victim + 6 years due to prior strikes); eligible for parole Oct 2034.
Featured in 'American Dream/American Knightmare' documentary
Documentary by Antoine Fuqua featuring interviews with Knight in 2011–2012 was broadcast on Showtime on Dec 21, 2018.
Incarcerated at R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility (status noted)
As of March 2023 Knight was incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego; parole eligibility Oct 2034 (age 69).
Co-founded 'Collect Call' podcast from prison (announced)
October 2023: Reports indicate Knight co-founded a podcast with Breakbeat Media while incarcerated, promising to address his history and relationships in music.
Key Achievement Ages
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