Does Dr. Dre still own his 1992 LP "The Chronic"?
Snoop Dogg recently acquired Death Row Records and the albums under its control. However, multiple news outlets, including Complex, clarified that the deal did not include Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre's albums.
It was initially reported that Snoop Dogg was already in possession of Dr. Dre's album - but it was not the actual case at all.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, the "I Need a Doctor" hitmaker's lawyer said that the rapper still owns his G-funk classic.
"There are false reports out regarding ownership by Death Row of Dr. Dre's The Chronic. Dr. Dre owns 100% of The Chronic," Dr. Dre's lawyer Howard King said.
Despite "The Chronic" still being under Dr. Dre's control, Snoop Dogg already gained an impressive catalog of LPs upon his Death Row purchase, including "Doggystyle," "Tha Doggfather," and "Dogg Food."
Why Snoop Dogg's Death Row Deal Does Not Include LPs by Tupac, Dr. Dre
As of press time, Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" is scheduled to be returned by 2023. The album would soon make Snoop Dogg as the best-selling artist on the Death Row label.
It is currently the biggest seller in the catalog, earning 169,000 album units in 2021 alone.
Meanwhile, Tupac's "All Eyez On Me" and "The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory," are no longer under the label. The two albums, which earned 393,000 and 66,000 sales, appear on Interscope Records.
Sources told Billboard these albums were still being negotiated since, for instance, Tupac albums were still under the MNRK Music Group and Blackstone.
READ ALSO: Morris Day Drops Shocking Revelation About Prince's Estate's Dark Secret
Snoop Dogg, however, has since expressed his desire to reclaim Tupac's Death Row albums after they were removed from the roster in January. He said he is confident he would be able to bring them back to their original home now that he has the power over the label.
"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," he said.
In a similar update, Snoop Dogg also aims to be the "first major in the metaverse" by transforming Death Row into an NFT record label.
READ MORE: Snoop Dogg Reveals Biggest Goal on Tupac's Masters Decades After Rapper's Death
