Although Snoop may not feel TDE is the new Death Row, Suge Knight definitely sees the “Row’s” influence in Kendrick Lamar. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Suge sent his praise toward the young Compton emcee.
Kendrick is a dude that’s an incredible artist. I’m not surprised because he’s from Compton. He grew up in Compton, that’s where he lived at, hung out at, and the guys he hangs with from his neighborhood, is p-folk. So there’s no way it wouldn’t rub off on him. There’s no way that his vision wouldn’t be aggressive or that he wouldn’t have the lyrics he has, if he didn’t grow up there. Kendrick know, anybody from Compton, that’s pretty much saying they’re a Death Row artist. That’s what they grew up to, that’s what they know, that was the people they’re involved with… they mimicked their stuff off of the blueprint I laid down. But Kendrick by far is one of them guys that they can’t fuck with. They can’t fuck with that boy lyrically and they better not sleep. Kendrick got a whole army behind him. He got real love out here.
Suge also took time out to address Biggie’s “Ready to Die” album
If you look at Biggie’s album, Biggie’s album is all West Coast. The first album. When they did the Biggie album, I helped them with that fucking record. I let Puff use every [The Chronic] sample on [Ready to Die], the hottest record of all time, and didn’t charge them. To show some love. Like here. It ain’t shit. We do this shit like we do. I don’t care if it’s a Down South record or East Coast record. If it’s successful, it’s a West Coast vibe.
You can read the rest of the outtakes here.
