Death Row Records co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight Jr. is still spilling tea about his peers in the music industry despite being behind bars.
Suge is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence for killing his friend, Terry Carter, in 2015. However, his voluntary manslaughter conviction in California has not stopped him from giving interviews from the penitentiary.
In a recent audio interview with “The Art of Dialogue,” Suge was asked about rumors that he physically attacked So So Def Recordings founder Jermaine Dupri, 52.
According to Suge, he recruited platinum-selling rapper Shad “Bow Wow” Moss, 36, to his Death Row roster before the then-child star eventually inked a deal with Dupri’s So So Def. The story goes that Death Row signee Calvin “Snoop Dogg” Broadus Jr., 53, introduced Bow Wow to Dupri. Suge claimed he had a contract with Moss at the time.
“I didn’t want to mess up the little dude’s career and try to destroy his life,” Suge stated.
The Compton native went on to discuss allegedly running into Dupri one night, where he confronted the music producer over money he supposedly owed Bow Wow.
“I said, ‘I’m gonna tell you one more time. What’s brackin?’” Suge recalled saying to Dupri, before suggesting he hit the Atlanta-raised record executive. “It wasn’t one of those somebody gets slapped so hard they slide down the street. But it was something that made you get your attention.”
Suge also called Dupri “one of the smartest little motherf—ers around” before revealing the “Money Ain’t a Thang” hitmaker sought reinforcements.
“He called Joe Jackson and put it on speaker,” Suge asserted, referring to the father of Dupri’s then-girlfriend, entertainment superstar Janet Jackson, and the late King of Pop Michael Jackson.
Knight continued, “He tells Joe Jackson, ‘Help, Suge is right in front of me mad.’ The ex-college football player said he gave his word to Joe that he would not “beat the s— out of” Dupri before allegedly dumping a cup of coffee on his head.
“I could hear Joe Jackson shouting. The phone fell on the ground. It was still on,” Suge noted. Perhaps sarcastically, Suge offered a mea culpa to Dupri by apologizing to “all the short people” he offended.
Dupri has already responded to the allegations that he got slapped by the gangsta rap mogul. On Feb. 26, JD posted a clip to his Instagram Story of Death Row’s former head of security, Reggie Wright Jr., talking about the alleged slapping incident.
Wright appeared on the Bomb1st YouTube channel in April 2024 in a video titled “I Told You Suge Knight Didn’t Slap Diddy and Jermaine Dupri! People Lie For Views!” The ex-bodyguard denied seeing Suge smack Dupri at a party in Atlanta, like behind-the-scenes gossip claimed.
“He’s talking about pouring hot coffee on motherf—. Why wouldn’t he say he slapped somebody? Hot coffee is a more serious crime than a slap. So miss me with that,” Wright argued as a counter to people who defended Suge for not outright confessing to slapping the “Life in 1472” album creator.
Suge previously spoke about the supposed bad blood with Dupri over a Bow Wow contractual dispute. A March 2024 episode of his “Collect Call” podcast featured Suge saying he poured hot coffee on JD, but he did not outright admit to slapping him.
Dupri did not add a caption or any commentary to his Instagram Story post about Wright’s take on the situation. Instead, two hours later, he moved on to sharing a video of himself introducing Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ State of the City address on Feb. 25.
Bow Wow has also addressed Suge claiming he struck his musical mentor in the face. In February 2024, the “Let Me Hold You” rapper had his own interview with The Art Of Dialogue where he contradicted tales of his longtime friend being the victim of Suge’s aggressive tactics.
“Suge ain’t never done no s— like that,” Bow Wow declared. The star of movies such as “Like Mike” and “Lottery Ticket” insisted Knight was always cordial when they ran into each other in Los Angeles.
Bow Wow was directly responding to other “Art of Dialogue” interviewees like former Bad Boy Entertainment artist Mark Curry telling the same story in December 2023 about Suge allegedly slapping JD.
While Suge now maintains he did put hands on Dupri at one point, JD is on the record saying he had been on good terms with the ex-Death Row general since the 1990s.
Conclusion:
The drama between Suge and Dupri continues, with each side presenting their version of events. It remains to be seen how this saga will unfold.
Frequently Asked Questions:
* What is the context of the alleged altercation between Suge and Dupri?
The alleged altercation allegedly took place in the past, with Suge claiming he confronted Dupri over money owed to Bow Wow.
* What is the current state of Suge’s relationship with Dupri?
Suge has been serving a 28-year prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter, while Dupri has been involved in various music projects and has responded to the allegations on social media.
* What is the significance of the 1995 Source Awards?
The 1995 Source Awards featured Suge’s infamous acceptance speech, which some interpreted as a diss towards rising Southern rappers, including Dupri.
* What is the current status of the East Coast vs. West Coast rap feud?
The East Coast vs. West Coast rap feud is still a topic of discussion, with some artists and fans still loyal to one side or the other.
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