In a revealing interview, Daz Dillinger shared stories from the turbulent mid-90s era at Death Row Records. He confirmed that aspiring rappers seeking to join the label often faced brutal beatings as a harsh form of initiation. “Anybody trying to get on Death Row was getting beat up,” Daz recalled, describing violent confrontations to test newcomers’ toughness—a “Death Row penitentiary school.”
Daz also discussed the infamous 1995 Source Awards moment when Suge Knight publicly disparaged East Coast artists, a move many credit as the start of the East Coast-West Coast beef. Suge was reportedly driven by his ambitions to become the “$700 million man.” At the time, Tupac was imprisoned but already aligned with Suge and Death Row, with efforts underway to secure his release.
This candid account sheds light on the intense environment behind Death Row’s rise and the origins of one of hip-hop’s most infamous rivalries.
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