Source: Winston Burris/WENN.com / WENN
The infamous former head of Death Row Records, Suge Knight, has taken the first step to having his life story on the big screen.
According to reports, the music executive who co-founded the iconic label that entrenched gangster rap further into the cultural landscape by signing Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg among others has struck a deal with producer Steve Whitney and his TSW Films company to produce a film on his life. The terms of the arrangement ha Knight signing over his life rights to the producer to begin the process, and actor/writer Nick Cassavetes has been tapped to pen the script for the film.
Suge Knight has factored in as a major subject in movies and documentaries within the past decade, with Straight Outta Compton and All Eyez On Me just being two of the more notable entries. For the 56-year old who is currently incarcerated after pleading no contest to crashing his car into Heayweight Records co-founder Terry Carter and filmmaker Cle Sloan in 2015—killing Carter and causing severe injury to Sloan – he felt the time was right to tell his story the way he wanted.
“Over the last 30 years, there has been so much talk about Compton, me, the inner cities, and Death Row – A lot of talk. Even when it comes to making my movie there has been so many imposters saying they have my rights, or they got the deal – that was, and is, all talk,” he said when contacted by Deadline about the deal. Referencing a friend at Ruthless Records who helped him out during tense dealings with that label, he elaborated further: “Mike Klein told me about it and I respect him for it—We became friends. So when it came time to do a real movie and tell the truth about it he introduced me to Steve Whitney. Now, Steve, Mike, and I, and the woman that has my back, are making this movie. Taking it to the next level!”
“During the golden era of rap and hip hop, all roads led through Suge Knight,” said Whitney when contacted. “That era helped define a new brand of music and culture that changed the world.” Knight is currently serving his sentence in the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California and is eligible for parole in 2037.
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