Suge Knight (born Marion Hugh Knight, Jr.; 04.19.1965)
Suge Knight is the founder of Black Kapital Records and former Death Row Records CEO; the latter of which is famous for its work with Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.
Early Life: Suge Knight was born in Compton, California and attended Lynwood High School where he excelled at football and track. He landed a football scholarship at El Camino College, but he later transferred to the University of Nevada. Though he wasn't officially drafted by the NFL, he acted as a replacement for the Los Angeles Rams during a players' strike in 1987. He then ended his football career and started working as a concert promoter and even became a security guard for singer Bobby Brown. Despite his nickname coming from his childhood name 'Sugar Bear', he was arrested twice in 1987 - once for domestic violence against his then girlfriend and again for trying to steal a car and shooting the owner.
Career: Suge Knight began his music career by setting up a music-publishing company to which Vanilla Ice was forced to give the royalties for his hit 'Ice Ice Baby', after the song's writer Mario Johnson began working for Knight. Vanilla Ice later accused Knight of threatening to throw him over a balcony. Knight co-founded Death Row Records in 1991 with Dr. Dre and The D.O.C., formerly of N.W.A. The label released Dre's solo album 'The Chronic' the following year to platinum status, with similar success later coming out of Snoop Dogg's debut 'Doggystyle'. In 1995, Knight bailed Tupac Shakur out of prison in exchange for him signing to Death Row. That year also saw MC Hammer join the label. Some time after the death of Tupac, Dr. Dre left the company after becoming angry with the level of violence in its dealings. In 1997, Knight was accused of murdering Tupac's rival Notorious B.I.G. following the former's death in a drive-by shooting. Later theories suggested he was involved in both killings in a bid to stop Tupac signing with another label. Snoop Dogg was open about his belief that Knight killed both rappers, and wrote about it in his 2002 song 'Pimp Slapp'd' that he released independently after leaving Death Row. In 2006, Knight began a struggle with bankruptcy in his company and was finally forced to sell the label to Global Music Group in 2008.
Personal life: Suge Knight spent four years in prison between 1997 and 2001 for probation violation. He later returned there in 2003 after assaulting an attendant in a parking lot. In 2008, police spotted him beating his girlfriend outside a strip club and threatening her with a knife. He was cleared of any charges, however, after the woman failed to take the incident to court. The following year he was accused of being involved in the burglary of Noel 'Detail' Fisher's house and in 2012 he was arrested for numerous traffic violations and possession of marijuana. Knight has six children.
Biography by Contactmusic.com
Suge Knight is facing murder and attempted murder charges.
