10 Times Suge Knight Lived Up To His Reputation

The rap and hip-hop scene in the '90s was like the wild west. Gangsta rap glorified crime, violence, and debauchery, and The East Coast-West Coast rivalry was seemingly never-ending. Notable names synonymous with the genre include Snoop Dogg, Dr Dre, and Ice T, who have gone on to become mega stars, thriving well after the feud settled down and establishing themselves as icons of the industry.

There is one man however, who ruled the West Coast with an iron first and played a key part in igniting and fuelling the rivalry. Marion Hugh Knight Jr. - better known as Suge Knight - was a key player in the rap game, responsible for founding Death Row Records alongside Dr Dre, and turning Tupac Shakur in to the international sensation he became.

Knight had a knack for getting what he wanted, and many stories from the era tell of Suge allegedly using force and intimidation to do so. Los Angeles rappers looking to launch a career knew that Knight was the man who could do so for them and Death Row was the label to be at, with albums such as The Chronic, and All Eyez on Me all being certified platinum multiple times.

Rappers also knew that to cross Suge Knight was a terrible mistake and he gained a reputation for being a ruthless figure, with stories that still circulate today, establishing him as a pivotal figure in the '90s rap scene.

While this incident itself may be considered a bit more tame compared to others that Suge has been allegedly involved in, its effects were long-lasting and sent shockwaves across the nation, igniting one of the most well-known and hate-filled beefs that the rap game has ever seen.

At the second annual Source Awards in 1995, Suge Knight got on stage and made a short speech that beckoned a chorus of boos from the New York City crowd.

“Any artist out there that wanna be an artist, stay a star, and won’t have to worry about the executive producer trying to be all in the videos, all on the records, dancing, come to Death Row!”

This was a very thinly veiled shot at East Coast native and fellow music mogul Sean Combs, aka Puff Daddy. The parallels between Puff and Suge are uncanny, each being the mascot for music in their states, and each having their own superstar that dominated the charts, in The Notorious B.I.G, and Tupac, respectively.

The New York crowd were vocal about their discontent with Knight's comments and were quick to show their support for one of their own, and thus, the battle lines were drawn. Fans could no longer enjoy artists from both coasts and rappers were engaged in throwing constant shade and diss tracks at one another for years to come. All thanks to Suge Knight and his absolutely ruthless attitude.