Suge Knight is a big name in American music who used to run Death Row Records. He played a big role in making gangsta rap really popular in the 1990s. Suge co-founded Death Row Records, and they had big success with albums like Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic” (1992) and Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle” (1993).
However, before he got into music, he played college football and even had a short time in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 1987. But things changed, and now he is in prison, serving a 28-year sentence for a serious car incident that happened in 2015.
He became known for bailing out Tupac Shakur from jail and signing him up for Death Row, which led to the release of “All Eyez on Me” in 1996. But then, things went downhill when Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg left the label, and Tupac was killed in 1996, making Suge Knight’s reputation worse.
Suge Knight got into lots of trouble, went to jail several times for fighting, and in 2018, he admitted to causing a deadly car accident in 2015. Now, he is in prison for 28 years with a possibility of getting parole in 2034 if he’s allowed.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Marion Hugh Knight Jr |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Date of Birth | April 19, 1965 |
| Place of Birth | Compton, CA |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Record Executive, Record producer & Businessman |
| Parents | Father: Marion Knight Sr Mother: Maxine Chatman |
| Siblings | Charlinda Tubbs Karen Anderson |
| Height | 6’2″ 1.88 m 188 cm |
| Weight | 265 lb 120 kg |
| Ex-Wife | Sharitha Knight (Sharitha Lee Golden) |
| Children | Taj Arion Posh Suge Jacob Sosa Andrew Bailey, and Legend Knight. |
| Net Worth | $200,000 |
Suge Knight Net Worth
Suge Knight used to be one of the top guns in the music industry, and this was true, especially in the 90s. He made lots of money during his time, which enabled him to purchase an island in the Caribbean worth $10 million in 1999.
The record executive had a private plane, six yachts, and many big houses in the United States.
Also, Knight was the one who bailed Tupac Shakur out of prison for $1.4 million in 1995 – equivalent to $2,826,374 as of the time this post was updated. After his release, Tupac struck a deal that led to the release of “All Eyez On Me.” However, his current financial state is nothing to write home about.
Because of his personal and legal troubles, the former CEO of Death Row Records has lost much of his wealth.
Knight lost $46 million to poker and about $2 million to prostitutes and drugs. It got so bad that he declared bankruptcy on October 30, 2008.
Despite his declaration of bankruptcy, sources like Celebrity Net Worth estimate his current net worth to be $200,000. Before his downfall, his net worth was estimated at $200 million.
Suge Knight Mansion
Suge Knight’s mansion was built in 2001. It is an 8,272 sqft property with seven bedrooms, a helipad, a theater, a gym, a pool, and beach access.
This mansion, which cost $30 million to build, was later sold for $4.56 million.
Suge Knight Cars
Suge Knight was a car enthusiast. Before he lost everything, Knight had over 20 cars in his possession. Below is a compiled list of cars that Death Row Records’ former boss previously owned.
- 1964 Chevrolet Impala
- 1996 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible
- 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air
- Bentley Continental GT (Red)
- 1996 BMW 7 Series
- 1996 Hummer H1
- 1996 Range Rover
- 1995 Jaguar XJS
- 2002 Cadillac Escalade (Champagne)
- 1991 Rolls Royce Silver Spur
- Lexus SC 300
- 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
- 2014 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson
- 1979 Chevrolet Blazer K-5
- 2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
- 1995 Mercedes-Benz SLK-320 Convertible
- Lincoln Navigator
- 2002 Mercedes S500
- 2010 Cadillac Escalade (White)
- 1996 Lexus LX
Suge Knight Biography
Suge Knight was born Marion Hugh Knight Jr on April 19, 1965, in Compton, California, USA. Marion Knight Sr (father) and Maxine Chatman (mother) are his parents.
Still talking about family, Knight’s siblings are Charlinda Tubbs and Karen Anderson. For now, that is the only information the internet has on them.
In terms of his educational background, Knight attended and graduated from Lynwood High School in nearby Lynwood in 1983. During his school days, he was a football and track star.
Suge Knight has five well-known children: Taj, Arion, Posh, Suge Jacob, and Sosa Knight. Apart from these, he also has three other kids named Andrew, Bailey, and Legend Knight.
His first child, Taj (born 1991), is his son with Davina Barnes, and his daughter Arion (born 1993) was born when he married Sharitha Lee Golden. Also, his affair with Michel’le brought about the birth of his daughter Bailei in 2002.
The rest of Knight’s children were born outside of marriage.
Suge Knight Career
Suge Knight played football from 1983 to 1985. He started at El Camino College and later attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Even though he wasn’t picked in the 1987 NFL Draft, he joined the Los Angeles Rams briefly during the 1987 NFL Players Strike.
After football, Suge worked as a concert promoter and bodyguard. Later, he got into the music business. In 1989, at 24, he became well-known when Vanilla Ice gave him royalties from “Ice Ice Baby” because of a legal disagreement. Suge started a company managing artists and signed DJ Quik and The D.O.C. Through Curry; Knight met other members of N.W.A.
In 1991, Dr. Dre, Tracy Lynn Curry, and Knight co-founded Death Row Records intending to establish it as the “Motown of the ’90s.”
Suge played a big part in starting Death Row Records with Dr. Dre and The D.O.C. The label did well initially, getting a deal with Interscope and making successful albums like Dre’s “The Chronic” and Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle.” Both songs were certified triple and quadruple platinum in the US, respectively. Moreover, “The Chronic” earned Dre his first Grammy award. The song was crowned the perfect XXL rating and made the list of The Source’s 100 Best Rap Albums in 1993.
However, Suge Knight got into conflicts, including one with Sean Combs, and faced controversies like criticism about civil rights.
Knight’s conflicts escalated, including a feud with Sean Combs at the Source Awards 1995. This affected Death Row Records’ reputation.
He bailed out Tupac Shakur in 1995, leading to the release of Tupac’s successful album “All Eyez on Me.”
Speculations arose linking Knight to the murders of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., though he was never charged.
M.C. Hammer briefly joined Death Row in 1995 but left after Tupac died in 1996. Dr. Dre, unhappy with Suge’s management, left in 1996 to create Aftermath Entertainment.
Beginning And End Of Death Row Records
In 1991, Death Row Records began with Dr. Dre, The D.O.C., and Suge Knight aiming to be the “Motown of the ’90s.” They did well initially, getting a deal with Interscope. This led to Dre’s “The Chronic” going triple platinum in 1993 and Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle” going quadruple platinum in 1994.
Suge Knight had conflicts, like a feud with Luther Campbell and opening a nightclub in Las Vegas. Criticism from C. Delores Tucker in 1995 made a deal with Time Warner difficult. Knight and Sean Combs’ public rivalry at the Source Awards made Tupac Shakur join Death Row after Knight offered bail.
In 1995, M.C. Hammer, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac signed with Death Row, but challenges followed. Dr. Dre left in 1996, saying Knight’s violent reputation was the reason. The deaths of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. led to theories about Knight’s involvement, but he was never charged.
Accusations about Knight and Eazy-E’s death came up due to their bad relationship. In a controversial interview, Knight hinted at a method involving HIV/AIDS-infected blood, sparking conspiracy theories around Eazy-E’s AIDS-related death in 1995.
Affiliated with the Mob Piru Bloods, Knight hired gang members for Death Row, leading to violence within the group. In 2006, Knight declared bankruptcy amid legal problems, and Death Row Records faced claims of mismanagement.
The label got auctioned off, and Wideawake Entertainment got the catalog. In 2009, an auction featured Death Row items, including Knight’s stuff, and a vault got sold on A&E’s Storage Wars.
Personal Life
In 1999, while Suge Knight was in prison, he married American R&B singer Michel’le. However, their marriage ran into issues, and six years later, Michel’le filed for divorce.
It turned out that their marriage wasn’t valid because Suge was still technically married to his ex-wife, Sharitha Knight, who is now known as Sharitha Lee Golden.
However, before marrying Sharitha, Knight had seen a woman named Davina Barnes.
In 2018, Suge’s fiancée, Toi Lin Kelly, got a three-year jail sentence. She was accused of helping Knight communicate with the producers of a tell-all about Death Row Records in 2015.
Details of Suge Knight’s Arrests Explained
Marion Hugh “Suge” Knight Jr., popularly known as Suge Knight, used to be one of the big guys running the show in the American music industry back then in the 90s.
For the record, he was the one who bailed Tupac Shakur out of prison for the sum of $1.4 million.
Compared to now, $1.4 million was a pretty big deal back then, but the former boss of Death Row Records pulled it off. However, the bail resulted from the record deal Shakur signed, which led to his album “All Eyez on Me” success.
Co-founder Dr. Dre also recorded success with the release of his debut album titled “The Chronic,” including Snoop Dog’s debut album “Doggystyle,” which got quadruple platinum certification. It was a back-to-back success from 1992 to 1994.
But then everything began to change when Knight started causing trouble for himself and Death Row Records. One might say maybe the name “Death Row” wasn’t so much of a good idea.
Suge Knight 1995 Legal Troubles – 2014 Gunshot Survival
In 1995, Suge Knight faced legal trouble when he admitted guilt in a federal case for assaulting two rappers at a Hollywood studio in 1992. He got five years of probation.
The next twist came in 1996, as Knight landed in jail for violating probation after a brawl with Orlando Anderson and his Death Row crew. Sentenced to nine years, he got out early in 2001.
In 2003, Knight served ten months for hitting a parking attendant, leading to financial troubles for Death Row. A feud with Snoop Dogg in 2006 added to the drama.
In 2008, Knight faced gang accusations and a hospital stint after an altercation. He also sued Kanye West during a bankruptcy claim related to a 2005 shooting.
The years brought more incidents – a 2009 altercation, a 2012 arrest for cannabis possession, and a 2014 shooting at a party where Knight was shot six times but survived.
Suge Knight 2015 Fatal Hit-And-Run Incident Till Date
Also, in 2014, Knight and Katt Williams were arrested for second-degree robbery, and Knight faced charges of voluntary manslaughter for a fatal hit-and-run in 2015. His trial was repeatedly delayed due to health issues.
In 2017, Knight faced charges of threatening death, but they were dropped as part of a plea agreement in the death of Terry Carter.
In September 2018, Knight pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, receiving a 28-year sentence. He started serving his sentence as of March 2023 at the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility and will not be eligible for parole until October 2034.
Starting from 1995, it has been from one court hearing to another, which has resulted in many jail sentences for Knight. Somehow, he got lucky and was released early till 2018, when he received his 28-year sentence.
Knight was 53 years old when he received his 28 years sentence, meaning that when he completes his jail term (i.e., excluding the 2034 parole), he will be 81 years old.
Legal Issues Summary
Here’s an information table summarizing Suge Knight’s legal issues from 1995 to 2017:
| Year | Legal Incident | Outcome/Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Assaulted two rappers in a Hollywood recording studio | Pleaded no contest, sentenced to five years’ probation |
| 1996 | Probation violation (assault on Orlando Anderson) | Sentenced to nine years in prison, released in 2001 |
| 2003 | Violated parole by assaulting a parking lot attendant | Imprisoned for ten months |
| 2006 | Dispute with Snoop Dogg | No legal action specified |
| 2008 | Accusations of gang membership, altercation outside a nightclub | No legal action specified |
| 2008 | Bankruptcy claim and lawsuit against Kanye West | No legal action specified |
| 2009 | Involved in an altercation at a private party | No legal action specified |
| 2012 | Arrested in Las Vegas for cannabis possession and traffic violations | No legal action specified |
| 2014 | Shot at a pre-Video Music Awards party | Injuries required surgery, refused to cooperate with law enforcement |
| 2014 | Arrested and charged with second-degree robbery with Katt Williams | Both pleaded not guilty |
| 2015 | Involved in a hit-and-run incident, killing Terry Carter and injuring Cle Sloan | Charged with voluntary manslaughter |
| 2017 | Indicted on charges of “threatening death or bodily injury” for sending threatening text messages | Charge dropped as part of a plea agreement |
| 2018 | Pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter | Sentenced to 28 years in prison |
As of March 2023, Suge Knight is incarcerated at RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, and he will not be eligible for parole until October 2034.