It was recently announced that rapper Snoop Dogg recently acquired Death Row records, but according to Dr. Dre’s attorney, The Chronic was not a part of that.
During an interview with Tidal, Snoop Dogg suggested the legendary hip-hop imprint had secured ownership of Dre’s album. However, Dre’s lawyer begs to differ.
“There are false reports out regarding ownership by Death Row of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic,” attorney Howard King said in a statement to Complex. “Dr. Dre owns 100 percent of The Chronic.”
Just days before the two joined the stage to perform at the Super Bowl LVI halftime show, Snoop made an announcement saying he had struck a deal to acquire Death Row Records, which was the label he called home during the earlier part of his career.
It was also reported that the deal gave Snoop full control over the labels, however, that was except for certain projects: 2Pac’s All Eyez On Me, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, and Dre’s 1992 debut effort.
Snoop informed Wilson that Pac’s albums had been returned to his estate sometime last year, but he’s confident he could bring the projects back to Death Row. However, he didn’t go into details, but dis imply that he had already struck a similar deal in regards to The Chronic.
“As far as 2Pac’s masters, 2Pac’s masters came back to him last year. But I got a great relationship with his estate, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to be able to work something out … to continue some Death Row 2Pac business now that Snoop Dogg is in control of Death Row. Same with Dr. Dre and The Chronic. I got The Chronic album. I got Doggystyle, Tha Doggfather, Murder Was the Case, Dogg Food, Above the Rim. I got all those records.”
Billboard previously reported that The Chronic was supposed to return to Dre in 2023, which means that “could give Snoop Dogg time to negotiate with Dr. Dre to try and keep the album on the label, even if it’s only through a distribution deal.”
