Suge Knight (Gangster)

Marion Hugh Knight Jr, widely known as Suge Knight, (born April 19, 1965) is a rap mogul, founder of Black Kapital Records and co-founder of Death Row Records, born and raised in Compton, California. Suge Knight became one of the most feared and respected person in the music industry. His tremendous size intimidated some of the  most dangerous gangsters on the streets of Los Angeles.

Suge Knight, also founded Club 662, a nightclub located on East Flamingo in Las Vegas, Nevada. “662” on a keypad spells Mob which is reference to his gang Mob Piru. M.O.B. is also acronym “Money Over Bitches” and was used regularly by the late Tupac Shakur, during his music career with Death Row Records.

Suge Knight grew up on the East Side of Compton, in area claimed by the Mob Pirus and was known on the streets as “Sugar Bear” (nickname). He originally intended to play professional football after college, but wasn’t drafted by the NFL (National Football League).  However, he played to games two games for the Los Angeles Rams (currently known as St. Louis Rams) as a replacement player,  during the NFL players’ strike in 1987.

Despite being one of the successful businessman in the music entertainment business. He is manly known for his controversy and his feud with “Sean Puffy Combs” of Bad Boy Records. For instance, Welcome To Death Row (2001) is a documentary that highlights his criminal tactics deployed to achieve success in the music industry.

Rise Of A Rap Mogul

In the past, Suge Knight was noticed for working as a bodyguard for celebrities, mainly singer Bobby Brown. Suge Knight, received $1.5 million to start Death Row Records, from Michael Harris (druglord), known on the streets as “Harry O” with ties to the Bounty Hunter Bloods, a street gang based in the Watts region of Los Angeles.

Suge Knight has graced the cover of several magazines such as XXl (May. 2005), XXL (Oct. 2002),The Source (Dec. 2001), and the Vibe (Feb. 1996). However, The Source Magazine (September 1996), is his most memorable and controversy cover, where he pose with two matching Rolls Royce, in a red suit signifying his affiliation with the bloods.

 Death Row Records

In 1991, Suge Knight and Dr. Dre, both co-founded Death Row Records, one of the most successful music label on the West Coast. The Row, dominated the music charts in the 90s, and is responsible for giving many west coast artist’s they start: Snoop Dogg, The Dogg Pound, Danny Boy, Jewell, The Lady Of Rage, Daz and Kurupt. Death Row Records also signed the late Tupac Shakur, after being bailed out by Suge Knight.

2pac became the lead artist on Death Row Records, taking the label to greater heights. By the mid-1990s, Bad Boy Records, a music label  founded by Sean “Puffy” Combs, made an impact in the music industry with the release of Ready to Die, an album by the late Notorious B. I.G. Suge Knight and Sean Combs, became mortal enemies after the Source Music Awards, in 1995.

Death Row Records, started crumbling after the death of Tupac Shakur who was gunned down on the Las Vegas strip while riding in a BMW, driven by Suge Knight. Prior to the shooting, Suge Knight and rapper Tupac are captured on video by cameras in the MGM hotel, attacking Orlando Anderson, a well-known member of the South Side Compton Crips who was later gunned down by a member of the Poccet Hood Compton Crips.

Life After Death Row

Feb. 2, 2015, Suge Knight was charged with the hit and run murder of Terry Carter and attempted murder of  Cle Bone Sloan, an inactive member of the Athens Park Bloods, a street gang based in the Athens community of South Los Angeles, California. The incident took place on January 29, in the parking lot of  Tam’s Burger, a fast food restaurant located on Rosecrans and Central Ave in the city of Compton, California.

The altercation allegedly steamed from a previous argument that occurred during the filming of a promotional video for “Straight Outta Compton”, a biographical drama film about the rise of NWA (rap group).

On Aug 8, 2014, Suge Knight, was shot multiple times at a west hollywood nightclub, while attending a MTV music awards party, hosted by singer Chris brown. During his performance, gunfire erupted in the crowed causing panic and ko, among the partygoers. Suge Knight was shot 6 times, three bullets pierced through his flesh with the other three bullets enlarged in his stomach.

The suspect manage to disappear among the crowd, as partygoers ran into the streets of Hollywood. After the crowd disperse, Suge Knight managed to walk outside of the club, where he was taking to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, by ambulance to undergo surgery. He was released from the hospital and refused to cooperate with detectives in regards to the club shooting.

In 1996, his participation in the assault on Orlando Anderson, which is a violation to his probation landed him nine years in prison. In 1995, Suge Knight was placed on state probation after assaulting two rappers at a recording studio located in a Hollywood, back in 1992.