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Snoop Dogg has acquired the brand of Death Row Records, the legendary hip hop label that released the rapper’s first two albums in the 1990s.Founded by the often controversial Suge Knight, Death Row was legendary in the 1990s for its roster and releases, and then subsequently more legendary for its eventful downfall and Knight’s many legal woes, including a massive legal battle with the label’s co-founded Lydia Harris.The company eventually went bankrupt and – after attempts to sell the thing also proved eventful – ultimately ended up in the ownership of Canadian company WIDEawake Entertainment Group. Which then went bankrupt.A period of stability followed after entertainment firm eOne bought the label and its catalogue.

It’s a very big day for Snoop Dogg!

Snoop Dogg has taken over a popular record label that launched his stellar career.The rapper-mogul, 50, acquired Death Row Records' brand from MNRK Music Group, which is controlled by a private equity fund managed by Blackstone, the investment firm announced Wednesday. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.Snoop Dogg said he's excited about acquiring the label's brand.

Snoop Dogg has acquired the brand that launched him, Death Row Records. He did so just days before he and the label’s co-founder Dr. Dre will take the stage during the Super Bowl Halftime Show before an audience of close to 100 million people.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorRapper-entrepreneur Snoop Dogg, who rose to fame during the 1990s on Death Row Records, has acquired the label’s brand from MNRK Music Group, which is controlled by private equity funds managed by the investment firm Blackstone, the firm announced on Wednesday.Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, however, a source close to the situation tells Variety that Snoop’s acquisition of the Death Row brand is the first part of a transaction that is expected to see him also acquiring some of the label’s music rights — his own and unspecified other artists. The source says the deal is expected to conclude in the coming weeks.In a statement, Snoop Dogg, now owner of Death Row Records, said: “I am thrilled and appreciative of the opportunity to acquire the iconic and culturally significant Death Row Records brand, which has immense untapped future value.