Suge Knight
Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. (/ʃʊɡ/ SHUUG; born April 19, 1965)[2] is an American record executive and convicted felon who is the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight was a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in the 1990s.[3] This feat is attributed to the record label's first two album releases: Dr. Dre's The Chronic in 1992 and Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle in 1993.[3] Knight is currently serving a 28-year sentence in prison for a fatal hit-and-run in 2015.[4]
"Suge" redirects here. For the 2019 song by DaBaby, see Suge (song).
Suge Knight
- Record producer
- music executive
- businessman
1987–1996
2001–2015
Incarcerated
5
28 years in prison
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
265 lb (120 kg)
Before founding Death Row Records, Knight played college football at UNLV as a defensive end. He briefly played in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams as a replacement player during the 1987 NFL players strike.
In 1995, Tupac Shakur began serving a prison sentence of up to 4+1⁄2 years for a sexual abuse conviction. Knight struck a deal with Shakur that October, posting his $1.4 million bail and freeing him from prison pending an appeal of his conviction, while signing him to Death Row Records. In 1996, the label released Shakur's greatest commercial success, All Eyez on Me. That September, after departing a Mike Tyson boxing match in Las Vegas, a group that included Knight and Shakur assaulted Orlando Anderson, a Southside Compton Crips gang member. Three hours later, someone shot into the car Knight was driving, injuring Knight and fatally wounding Shakur.
Dr. Dre left Death Row Records shortly before Shakur's death, followed by Snoop Dogg two years later. The label rapidly declined. Meanwhile, allegations mounted that Knight, beyond employing gang members, often used intimidation and violence in his business dealings. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, Knight spent a few years incarcerated for assault convictions and associated violations of probation and parole. In September 2018, Knight pled no contest to voluntary manslaughter in a fatal 2015 hit-and-run.[5][6] Knight's conviction, along with his previous felonies of stealing a camera and sending a harassing text message to Straight Outta Compton director F. Gary Gray, triggered California's three-strikes law. He was sentenced to 28 years in prison, and is eligible for parole in October 2034, when he will be 69 years old.[7]
Early life[edit]
Knight was born in Compton, California, the son of Maxine (née Dikemen) and Marion Knight Sr.[8] His name Suge (pronounced /ʃʊɡ/) derives from "Sugar Bear", a childhood nickname.[9] He attended Lynwood High School in nearby Lynwood, where he was a football and track star. He graduated in 1983.
Knight is affiliated with the Mob Piru Bloods, a set of the Bloods gang.[10]
Football career[edit]
From 1983 to 1985, he attended and played football at El Camino College.[11] In 1985, he transferred to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and played football there for two years.[12]
Knight went undrafted in the 1987 NFL Draft, but was invited to the Los Angeles Rams training camp. He was cut by the Rams during camp, but became a replacement player during the 1987 NFL Players Strike, and played two games for the Rams.[13]
Personal and legal troubles[edit]
1995 convictions[edit]
In a 1995 federal case, Knight pleaded no contest and was sentenced to five years' probation for assaulting two rappers in the summer of 1992 at a Hollywood recording studio.[66]
1996 probation violation leading to incarceration[edit]
On October 22, 1996, Knight was sent to jail pending a hearing on the probation violation that happened on September 7, 1996 when Suge Knight and his Death Row entourage including Tupac Shakur attacked Orlando Anderson, a Crips gang member. Knight was then sentenced to nine years in prison on February 28, 1997, for the probation violation[67] but was granted early release and was let out of FCI Sheridan[68] on August 6, 2001.[69][70]
2006 dispute with Snoop[edit]
In 2006, Knight was engaged in another dispute with former friend and ex-associate Snoop Dogg after Snoop insulted him in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.[49][72]
2008 altercation and gang accusations[edit]
In January 2008, it was stated by police that Knight was one of the members of the Mob Piru street gang in a crackdown by authorities in the city of Compton.[73][74][75] On May 10, 2008, Knight was involved in an altercation involving a monetary dispute outside of a nightclub ("Shag") in Hollywood. He was unconscious for three minutes. At the hospital, he did not cooperate with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).[76][77]
2008 bankruptcy[edit]
As part of an October 30, 2008 bankruptcy claim, Knight also filed a lawsuit against Kanye West and his associates. The lawsuit concerns an August 2005 shooting at West's pre-Video Music Awards party, where Knight was wounded by a gunshot to the upper leg.[78][79]
2014 shooting[edit]
On August 24, 2014, Knight was shot at a pre-Video Music Awards party hosted by Chris Brown at a West Hollywood Sunset Strip nightclub ("1OAK"). Although shot six times, he was able to walk from the venue to an ambulance. His injuries required surgery.[81] Evidence from closed circuit television (CCTV) footage showed that Knight was the intended target of the shooting.[82] Knight was released from the hospital on August 27. Friend Keith Middlebrook told the New York Daily News that Knight returned home with the intentions to "heal up in a few days and be stronger than ever".[83]
Knight refused to cooperate with law enforcement on the matter.[84] Party attendee Jeezy later said on The Breakfast Club that he would have been shot had he not been pushed out of the way just prior to the shooting.[85]
Prosecution on charges of robbery (2014–present)[edit]
On October 29, 2014, Knight and comedian Katt Williams were both arrested and charged with second-degree robbery in connection with an alleged theft of a camera from a paparazzi photographer the previous month in Beverly Hills, California.[86][87] While in jail, doctors found a blood clot in Knight's lung.[88] Both Knight and Williams pleaded not guilty to robbery. In 2016, the robbery trial was delayed until the resolution of the unrelated murder trial.[86]
Prosecution on charges of voluntary manslaughter (2015–2017)[edit]
On January 29, 2015, Knight crashed his car into two men, killing Terry Carter (his friend and co-founder of Heavyweight Records), and fled the scene in Compton, California.[89][90][91][92] The second victim, filmmaker Cle Sloan, suffered multiple fractures in his ankles and head injuries.[93][94] Witnesses said Knight followed the men to a burger stand parking lot after an argument on the Straight Outta Compton film set, and that the collision looked intentional.[95] Security footage video showed Knight running over both men. Knight said he acted in self-defense.[96]
In March 2015, Knight was hospitalized after he told a judge that he was suffering from blindness and other complications. Knight fired attorneys handling his murder case and said he was receiving inadequate medical treatment while in custody.[97] The same month, a court set bail for his release for US$25 million. Knight collapsed in court shortly after the bail setting was announced.[98] On April 16, 2015, Knight's bail was reduced to US$10 million.[99][100] In July 2015, Knight's lawyer said that Knight might have a brain tumor[101] on the same day that Knight's request for lower bail was refused.[102] In January 2016, Knight changed counsel in his murder trial for a fourth time.[103][104] In May 2016, three attorneys replaced the two hired earlier in the year.[105] In July 2016, the judge denied Knight's motion to reveal the identities of several key prosecution witnesses, citing Knight's long history of violence.[106] Knight became emotional after the ruling, stating that because of his health problems, he will die in jail.[107] In March 2017, Knight was hospitalized after suffering from blood clots, a condition that had been affecting him for two and a half years by that time.[108] Knight's hospitalization delayed the trial[109] to September 2018.[110]
When September arrived, Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter.[111][112] The judge sentenced Knight to 28 years in prison: 22 years for running over the victim and 6 years because it was Knight's third strike under California's three-strikes law.[113] As of March 2023, Knight is incarcerated at RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, and will not be eligible for parole until October 2034.[114]
Prosecution on charges of threatening death (2017)[edit]
In February 2017, a grand jury indicted Knight on charges of "threatening death or bodily injury" for sending threatening text messages to F. Gary Gray, the director of Straight Outta Compton, c. August 8, 2014.[115] Knight pleaded not guilty to the charge,[116] and the charge was dropped as part of Knight's plea agreement in the death of Terry Carter.[117]