Death Row Records exploded on the music scene in 1993 with a gangsta rap sound that took the world by storm. Yet despite its unprecedented success, releasing six consecutive multi-platinum albums- and creating megastars in Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog and Tupac Shakur, the label quickly unraveled in a firestorm of rivalry, greed, violence and scrutiny by the federal government and the media as CEO Marion Suge Knight’s unconventional business practices increasingly mirrored the violent, hard-edged themes of its music.

The project is based on the documentary and book, Welcome to Death Row by Straight Outta Compton screenwriter, S. Leigh Savidge and examines events from the early days of the label’s inception in the late 80’s to its eventual bankruptcy filing in 2005.

The project is currently in screenplay form (which covers the story’s key narratives) but can also be positioned as a limited series.

Marion “Suge” Knight – 28

Physically imposing at 6’4” 285 pounds, Suge’s street-level smarts regarding the music business come from years as a bodyguard to artists such as Bobby Brown, The DOC and later, Dr. Dre, listening to them express their dissatisfaction with their record labels and contracts. Not afraid to engage in violence to serve a personal or business end and armed with an ability to—in his words—“talk to a brother”, Suge wills the Death Row label into existence on the back of Dr. Dre’s decision to work with him and his own ability to get other key people to buy into his dream.

But once the dream is obtained and the financial struggles are over, Suge begins to see himself as the star of his own label —with devastating consequences.

Michael “Harry O” Harris, 30

Handsome in the manner of a young Idris Elba, the 6’5”, 250 pound Harry O had been legendary figure in both South Central Los Angeles, and the legendry nightspots of the Sunset Strip —prior to his incarceration for cocaine trafficing and attempted murder.  With a veneer of polish and a reputation for treachery, Harry O made his business bones by doing outsized drug deals with relatives of Pablo Escobar and using the proceeds to fund Houston-based Rap-A-Lot Records and other legitimate businesses.

When Suge runs out of money Death Row’s early development, he reaches out to Harry O through Harry O’s attorney David Kenner, and an investment of $1.5 million is arranged behind prison walls …for a 50% share of the label .

But Suge soon finds out that Harry O is going to be anythng but a passive investor.

David Kenner, Esq. – 43

A brilliant former county prosecutor, Kenner is one of a small coterie of criminal defense attorneys handling high profile criminal cases in downtown Los Angeles in the 1980’s. As part of his work, he tends to get very close to his clients, closer than many might consider appropriate. When Harry O sees him in action (defending someone else) in his drug case, he reaches out to him and what appears to be an unshakable bond is quickly formed between them.

At his core, Kenner yearns for a more glamorous life, desperate to impress his wife and kids who often express a dim view of him. In Harry O, he senses a pathway to a new kind of life. Kenner is desperate to enter the record business and needs Harry O’s street cred to make his way. For his part, Harry O needs Kenner’s help with the appeal for his attempted murder conviction. But when Harry O arranges for Kenner to become Suge’s right hand man, where will Kenner’s loyalties lie?

Lydia Harris – 27
Lydia meets Harry O in her native Houston in the mid-80’s when he is in town conducting business with Rap-A-Lot Records. In Lydia, Harry O finds a quality not shared by the many women he’s been with previously: a loyalist willing to embrace dangerous situations to serve a business end for him. When Harry O is convicted of both attempted homicide and federal drug charges, Lydia stays the course, setting up shop at Death Row Records to help oversee Harry O’s interests there.

But amid all the machinations at Death Row and its aftermath, can she possibly stay loyal to her husband?

(Lydia is considered by many to be the model for Empire’s “Cookie Lyon”)

Sharithra Knight – 23

Low key, kind-hearted and blinded by the charms of her first love, Suge Knight’s first wife has known Suge since they dated in high school when he was a football star with dreams of playing pro ball. But when those dreams are dashed amid a gun charge, Sharitha soon finds herself involved somewhat reluctantly in the violent world of the emerging west coast rap movement, assisting Suge when he needs her to serve a business end and looking the other way during his many dalliances with other women.

But when Suge makes a successful play for Dr. Dre’s ex-girlfriend, singer Michele, Sharitha must gather the courage to move on.

Dick Griffey – 58

The founder CEO of Solar Records, a successful R & B label from the 80’s, Griffey’s career is on a downslide when he offers Suge Knight the use of his North Hollywood recording studio. For Dr Dre, the fact that Griffey has a highly prized SSL boards helps seal his decision to throw his lot with Suge.

But Griffey’s old school views about the music business and about music in general soon put him in conflict with Suge who quickly brings a dangerous gang element into Griffey’s more genteel R & B studio world. When Griffey can’t get a record deal for Dre’s album The Chronic done with Sony, Suge will maneuver to push Griffey out of Death Row’s future prospects.

Jimmy Iovine – 45

LA superstar music producer, Iovine is partnered with billionaire entrepreneur Ted Field in Interscope Records which has had only modest success prior to its embrace of Dr. Dre’s album The Chronic. As a music industry veteran, Iovine has seen it all when it comes to aberrant and toxic behavior.

But in trying to help Suge Knight and Death Row navigate their business in the face the label’s astonishing success, this son of a Brooklyn longshoreman will face situations and dilemmas he’s never seen before.

Dr. Dre – 24

A former DJ and NWA group member, Dr. Dre has found his calling as the producer of a series of successful releases from Eazy E’s upstart label, Ruthless Records including the seminal album “Straight Outta Compton”. A stubborn perfectionist who’s feeling underappreciated by Eazy E and Eazy’s manager, Jerry Heller, Dre throws his lot with Suge’s ambition and under financially trying and often violent circumstances creates the albums that transition Death Row from obscurity to notoriety.

But as Death Row flourishes, Dre finds himself increasingly at loggerheads with Suge Knight’s violent and often unscrupulous business practices. Then Suge positions himself as the face of the label, even though it is Dre’s reputation and production that has created its success. When Suge is able to get superstar rapper, Tupac Shakur sprung from prison and onto the label, the seeds of Dre’s departure will be sown.

Snoop Doggy Dogg – 23

6’4” with a voice as smooth as silk, Long Beach native Snoop becomes the first star created by Death Row via the Dre-produced Deep Cover soundtrack and later releases including “Doggystyle”. But Snoop’s time at Death Row will largely be an extended nightmare as he fights to beat a murder rap against a gang member who —jealous of his success— had profiled and taunted him to try and earn his stripes.

Tupac Shakur – 23

Locked up and facing years in prison on a rape charge, notorious rapper Tupac Shakur is offered a get out of jail early card. Suge Knight will post his million dollar bail if Shakur gives Death Row Records his next three albums.

When Shakur accepts, Suge devotes the lion’s share of his time to the rapper. This will involve emercing himself in the mercurial Shakur’s beefs with former friend, rapper Biggie Smalls and his label head, Puffy Combs, resulting in a war of words that will turn deadly.

Suge will also use Shakur as a vehicle to further the growing wedge between himself and Dr. Dre. Shakur’s appearance in the story will set the stage for Death Row ultimate conundrum: he’ll create the greatest music of his career while engaging in activities that will ultimately cost him his life and destroy the Death Row label.