Snoop Dogg and Suge Knight's relationship has been one of the most dramatic sagas in hip-hop history, marked by early mentorship, bitter fallout, and a surprising reconciliation.(Grunge)
In the early 1990s, Snoop Dogg was signed to Death Row Records, co-founded by Suge Knight. His debut album, Doggystyle, was released under the label and became a massive success. However, Snoop grew increasingly uncomfortable with Knight's aggressive business tactics and the violent culture surrounding Death Row. After the murder of Tupac Shakur in 1996, Snoop decided to leave the label, signing with Master P’s No Limit Records. Knight was reportedly furious, leading to a public feud between the two.(Pitchfork, Showbiz Cheat Sheet)
Snoop's 2002 diss track "Pimp Slapp'd" was a direct attack on Knight, accusing him of underpaying artists and attempting to control them through fear. The song's lyrics were explicit and confrontational, reflecting the intensity of their animosity. (Wikipedia, Wikipedia)
Despite their past conflicts, Snoop and Suge began to mend their relationship in the mid-2000s. In 2005, Snoop organized a summit called "Unify The West," aiming to resolve tensions within the West Coast hip-hop community. During this period, Snoop expressed a desire to move past their differences, acknowledging Knight's role in his early career. (Metro, Grunge)
In 2019, Snoop released "Let Bygones Be Bygones," a track that paid tribute to Knight's leadership at Death Row Records. Snoop rapped about their shared history, including Knight's role in bringing Tupac to the label. He emphasized that despite past issues, he still respected Knight's contributions to hip-hop. (NME)
In 2025, Suge Knight reignited the feud, criticizing Snoop's management of Death Row Records. From prison, Knight accused Snoop of failing to revive the label's former glory, calling recent releases "flops." He expressed disappointment that Snoop had not lived up to the legacy of Death Row. (Rolling Out)
In response to Knight's recent comments, Snoop released a new diss track aimed at his former mentor. The song features aggressive lyrics, including lines like "Suge Knight's a bitch, and that's on my life," and "Run up, get done up, I stay one up." Snoop accuses Knight of underpaying him and promoting Death Row Records as a fraudulent enterprise. The track also promotes Snoop's own label, Doggystyle Records, as a more authentic alternative. (Wikipedia)
This new track marks a significant escalation in the long-standing feud between Snoop Dogg and Suge Knight, indicating that their complex relationship is far from over. Listen to it here...