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The true story of the rise and fall of Death Row Records.
If you don’t know just how complex the world of rap is, this documentary will give you a brief synopsis of the magnitude of relationships that came together to define the genre and its impact on today’s society. The young black males who formed a brotherly kindred through their shared interest in music and societal woes, became torn apart by their lack of knowledge of the industry and internal warfare that forced them to choose sides in order to maintain their personal and social dignity. In 1988, the City of Los Angeles/Compton was forever changed as Death Row records emerged from severed relationships between members of the controversial rap group NWA and a host of other street-smart financiers who wanted to be silent partners. At the center of the controversy was rapper Eazy E and producer Dr. Dre who started out struggling together while producing top-selling records. The in-your-face lyrics that took the world by storm changed the city’s landscape causing a social and political uproar due to the gangster-type following that seemed to promote thug life.
High Stake players such as Marion “Suge” Knight and Michael Harris lended their aggressive talents to form the record label with the intent of controlling resources with activity from an amassed fortune that was presumed to be the result of drug and gang-related business transactions. Throughout the documentary, several versions of the rift that started small and grew its way into several rivalry groups including what is known today as the East Coast-West Coast rivalry, are told from recording artists, record producers, attorneys, political figures, community activists and many music industry giants who had firsthand knowledge or dealings with one of more of the controversial figures.
Many details about other well-known rap artists such as Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls and Snoop Dogg are woven into the documentary painting a clearer picture of how assets, raw talent, weapons and attitudes were tossed back and forth, negatively and positively depending on the most current battle won for territory. With their own words defining the good, the bad and the ugly, a clearer understanding of the high stakes game serves to educate us about the rise and fall of Death Row and the kindred of brothers that was torn apart by the sum of its successes and failures.
Available to view on Indieflix
