Marion “Suge” Knight has stirred controversy this year after explosive claims were made by him during an interview for the Art of Dialogue podcast. Knight pinned the death of Whitney Houston on television host and recording artist Ray J and accused Snoop Dogg of financing the assassination of Tupac Shakur. These unsubstantiated claims caused shock waves around the entertainment industry, stoking the longstanding controversies around the two tragedies.
Once one of the dominant players in the music industry, Suge Knight helped establish the golden era of hip-hop through Death Row Records. Death Row featured some of the best artists ever, including Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, and Dr. Dre. But violence and run-ins with the authorities trailed Knight for much of his professional life, culminating in his now 28-year voluntary manslaughter prison term. Even from jail, Knight is the cause of controversy through his incendiary rhetoric.
Whitney Houston, the best voice ever known, died unconscious in the Beverly Hilton Hotel room where she spent the evening of February 11, 2012. Death by accidental drowning led by contributing causes heart disease and cocaine use.
During the interview, Knight also accused Ray J of complicity in the fatal death of Houston. In his testimony, Houston herself had said something about being upset before she died about “Brandy’s little brother bringing me drugs and doing drugs with me,” something Knight inferred involved Ray J. Knight surmised Ray J’s alleged complicity in the drug consumption being the cause for the premature death. Ray J, the television reality celebrity and ex-boyfriend of Houston, publicly mourned the loss when the incident took place, vowing, “I truly miss my friend.” However, Knight has not provided concrete evidence for his claims, and no investigation has ever officially identified Ray J for the cause of the death of Houston.
The unsolved shooting murder of Tupac Shakur is one of the greatest mysteries in the history of hip hop. He died six days after being shot during the evening of September 7, 1996, in Las Vegas. Since the shooting, the case has witnessed endless conspiracy claims, including the naming of many individuals suspected of commissioning the assassination.
Knight, who himself was also present in the car where the shooting occurred, now claims he has audio-taped conversations where Ray J allegedly confides Snoop Dogg admitted to bankrolling the assassination of Tupac. He also warned Ray J not to bring up the subject of the death of Tupac during interviews, implying Snoop Dogg also benefitted from keeping the matter quiet.
These allegations, like those for the Houston murder, are not supported by anything. Neither the police agency has confirmed Knight’s claims, nor is publicly available data linking Snoop Dogg with the murder of Tupac.
Knight’s statements put the hip-hop culture into overdrive. While some conspiracy theorists and fans accept the claims, others find them the latest salacious claim from the disgraced ex-music mogul.
Neither Ray J nor Snoop Dogg has publicly responded to the claims by Knight. Because of the seriousness of the allegations, their silence has only fanned the rumors.
