Suge Knight is a former football player-turned-bodyguard, record producer, and music executive. He is best known as the co-founder and CEO of Death Row Records.
Knight is currently awaiting trial for the murder of Terry Carter, one of his former associates. The man has a long history of violence and run-ins with law enforcement. Read on to learn more about his personal life, achievements, and struggles.
Early Life and Rise to Fame
Ritter was born Marion Hugh Knight Jr. to Maxine and Marion Knight Sr. on April 19, 1965 in Compton, California. Raised in the Los Angeles area, he attended Lynwood High School where he excelled in track and field and soccer, which earned him a scholarship to El Camino College.
In 1985, after playing for his school for two years, Knight transferred to the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, where he graduated in 1987. Unfortunately, he wasn’t drafted into the National Football League, and even after securing a spot at the Los Angeles Rams’ training camp, he was still cut from their roster. Despite this, Knight still had a chance to play twice as a substitute for the Rams during the 1987 NFL players’ strike.
After his very brief NFL career, Knight began work as a concert promoter and celebrity bodyguard before founding his own music publishing company and creating an artist management company that later became the infamous Death Row Records.
Suge Knight wife and son
Suge Knight has been married twice. The first time was Sharitha Knight (née Goldene) on his high school sweetheart. The two reportedly met at a party in the early 1980s and although they had a series of altercations during which she was awarded a restraining order against him, they stayed together and eventually married. Together the couple had a daughter named Arion.
Following their divorce, the SharithaKnight credited with her husband’s philandering in 1999, married R&B singer Michel’le Denise, with whom he had another daughter named Bailei Knight in 2002. Their marriage lasted six years. Afterwards, Michel’le found that he was still legally married to his first wife. She also accused Knight of physically abusing her.
Suge Knight has a number of other children from different relationships. They include daughter Posh Knight and sons Taj Knight, Legend Knight and Andrew Knight.
How is his relationship with Tupac?
Suge Knight and Tupac Shakur’s relationship began after the then-CEO of Death Row Records offered to pay rapper’s $1.4 million bail on the condition that he signs with his label. Shakur agreed to the deal and upon his release, the two men, along with Dr. Dre West Coast gangster rap back to the forefront of hip-hop.
Knight drove the black 1996 BMW 750iL vehicle in which Tupac was shot four times on the night of September 7, 1996 in Las Vegas, Nevada after participating in the Bruce Seldon boxing match against Mike Tyson. Although Tupac’s murder remains unsolved, Knight has repeatedly been accused of being behind the murder because Tupac is said to have attempted to part ways with his record label.
Suge Knight Net Worth (Income and Earnings)
Despite posting over $750 million in net sales, the revenue from selling albums as Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight is said to have an estimated net worth of just $200,000 today. He filed for bankruptcy in 2006 after the IRS announced he owed $6.5 million in back taxes. In 2009, Death Row Records’ assets were auctioned for $18 million.
Is he dead?
Despite all the numerous attempts in his life,Suge Knight managed to avoid death. However, he is said to be in poor health after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his lungs following a robbery in September 2014.
In March 2015, Knight complained to a judge that he was receiving inadequate medical attention in prison, suffering from blindness and other complications. Later that month, he collapsed in court after a $25 million bail was posted for his release. A few months later, his lawyers told the court that their client may have a brain tumor.
In March 2017, Suge Knight was hospitalized again for the blood clots that delayed his upcoming murder trial. Then, in April 2018, it was falsely reported as part of the ongoing Celebrity Death Hoax series that Knight was stabbed to death in prison.
