Dr. Dre Sues Death Row Over Rights to The Chronic

 •  XXL Magazine  •  by XXL Staff  •  40 Comments

drdre.jpgRenowned producer Dr. Dre filed a lawsuit against Death Row Records in U.S. bankruptcy court on Wednesday (August 15) over the rights to his groundbreaking 1992 album The Chronic. According to the Associated Press, Dre is asking the court to rescind two prior agreements, made in 1992 and 1996, that first granted Death Row permission to distribute The Chronic, and later relinquished the album’s copyrights to the label. Under the 1996 agreement, he agreed to sign over the copyrights on the condition that he would continue to receive royalties. In 2000 the Aftermath boss notified Death Row that, due to their failure to pay these royalties, he was rescinding the two prior agreements and demanding the rights to the album be returned to him. Dre now claims that, because of that notice, he is once again the rightful owner of the copyrights. The suit also asserts that the Chapter 11 trustee currently overseeing the label is in the process of trying to sell the copyrights without proper permission. The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction against Death Row and the trustee that would prevent any such sale. Dre is also asking to be paid restitution for any revenue earned by Death Row during its use of the copyrights.

  • Alyse

    This just proves that what goes around comes around. Suge Knight was punkin and pimpin everyone on Deathrow, and now he is down and out and Dre is runnin shyt (undeniably) and Dre is taking back what may have been one of Suge’s main assets. cream always rises to the top

  • Mr.Defrosted

    Dre can finally make a real chronic two once he has these rights because Suge no longer is the owner of Death Row big up to Dre cant wait for the chronic 2 then you can detox .

  • HoHo

    Dre, u already #5 on Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list; don’t worry bout it and just focus on gettin Detox out.

  • Big Chops

    First Ass Wipez H-A H-A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • SCARTOWN

    Fuck yeah!Dre should take everything back from that fat fuck.Suge ain’t nothing but a glorified bodygaurd who tried to run his label like a gang.Doesn’t seem right that he should get money,and not Dre,for The Chronic(One of my top 5 albums).Take him to the fucking cleaners Dre!

  • TheRefriedMexican

    He produced the album. He was the reason behind the success, not Suge Knight. The album rights and any profits from the album should be his!

  • havoc

    get that money man. still waiting on detox

  • DURTY

    Without “The Chronic” DeathRow aint got shit no more. No Pac, No Dre, all they got is Snoop shit. And that shit aint no The Chronic. Im surprise 2 know them niggaz still in biz.

  • http://as hhod

    yall dudes retarded,jay said dehaven introduced me to the game spanish hoes introduced me to kane im hustler now..if he saying this man name on that level how could he not go see him and introduce him to his new game the rap game,,he got pictures wit da nigga as a young buck holding this man daughter and he worth over 400 mill u cant throw that nigga a half a mil..please

  • GODFATHERDON

    yeah come on dre, dre should own all rights fuck suge he had the greatest talent roster in the history of hip hop (tupac dre snoop doc) and fucked it all up cause he wanted too b a gansta and not a business man. dre left and now rules hip hop…..WE WANT DETOX!!!!!

  • Vicious Seiger

    Good Luck, Dre! Most definitely lay that suit on before some rich investor scoops up the rights to death row’s catalog for pennies on the dollar.

  • Malone

    Karma.

  • Biggie

    Fuck Death Row, the chronic went platinum because of dre, not death row

  • MasterD

    CHRONIC/2001/…DETOX PLEASE
    Fuck Death Row
    Fuck Suge
    Fuck their way for doin business
    Respect Dre
    Respect Aftermath
    Respect Intescope

  • Novacain

    This is what i likt to call The Aftermath of Death Row. Just don’t let Suggie Bear try to pop a hole in ya ass. We all know that’ll be his next step.

  • http://www.myspace.com/d2dacrecordings DC

    dre just get detox out on the street man

  • The Truth

    Forget trying to sue death row just put out detox. What the fuck does dre do all day??!!

  • Lopediesel

    Dre, bring back that real gangsta shit!! no joke.

  • TOM

    YOU GUYS ARE JOKIN RIGHT? DRE BRINGIN BACK GANGSTA RAP YEA OK..BETTER CHANCE OF SEEIN SNOOP BLOW SUGE IN PUBLIC..

  • dezmond rat

    dre wanted to name his last album ‘the chronic 2000′ but the chronic rights belonged to deathrow, but now he gotta get bak them rights. he produced and rapped on the whole thing, itz his work. without dre they wouldnt b a deathrow. no snoop either. and no california love

  • Shone Jones

    Get em, Dre!!! Fat Suge has been eatin’ off that album for years. The free meal is over!!!

  • 184th BOY

    IT WOULDVE BEEN SMARTER 4 HIM 2 DO THIS B4 SUGE WAS BROKE.

  • Truth Davis

    Suge you made your bed now lay in it, Give Dre his rights

  • http://newjerry26yahoo.com Jerry Evans from Milwaukee

    Dre, I understand that you have to get yours, but brotha when are we gonna get Detox?

  • http://www.myspace.com/lilroebitch Lil Roe

    Dre should’ve known that a label SUGE KNIGHT was runnin(at the time), not to mention Dre LEAVIN the damn label, wasn’t gone pay up………..and by the time Detox drop, MY major label debut will be PLAT and there will be a The Carter 7……..Dre needs to quit bullshittin and drop that ish yo…….

  • doctor69

    two words fuck dre he ain’t shit but a undercover faggot like easy and pac said he don’t produce half the shit he claims most of it was kurupt and the hitmen he doesn’t rhyme has let Nas ,Jay and others write his shit you can put a monkey in his place and get the same result he was a drag queen when he was with the world class wrecking cru fuck this faggot fake asss gaysta

  • Sosa

    Get whats yours and lets get back to business Dre…..the West Coast needs it (Detox) and fuck those who don’t like it….

  • LALO

    don’t get slapped boy

  • http://none big lalo

    don’t get slapped boy! watch out duck!!!!

  • Dre day

    Doctor 69 = hater!!!!!!!!

    If you believe that ish, than Santa Claus is real….fo real’

  • Franchise38

    DOCTOR69 is probably Daz or Suge’s bitch…. The man has done more for rap than anyone out…. you need to recognize and understand that whatever Dre touches turns into Platinum plus and all those people who turned on Dre and talked all that shit and are nothing now!!!

  • http://www.myspace.com innocent

    doctor69:u wish u could have someone write for u ol’ dick in da booty azz hater!!!!!

  • doctor69

    hey dre gay and the other dre stans like pac said fuck you too yeah dre did a lot he was a love singer dressed like a woman in the world class wrecking cru , says he don’t smoke weed or cess then becomes mr chronic man didn’t do half the beats he claimed he did those are the words od daz,pac,the outlaws ,suge,the hitmen and rakim plus he don’t write his rhymes and never banged in his life got slapped by suge and was exposed by pac as a uncover fag please come at me with facts not your opinions next time before I ether you in the blogs ans p. motherfucking s premo is the g.o.a.t of hip hop beats learn your history

  • joe savage

    king dre can i email you some music

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  • djdan

    detox was pushed back until next summer dre should foucs on that

  • Hova

    fuk deathrow… R.I.P Eric Eazy E Wright ..and Tupac Amuaru Shakur

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