From behind bars, Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight is making headlines again—this time calling out Drake over a piece of hip-hop history.
In a new Art of Dialogue interview from prison, Knight claimed that the Tupac Death Row chain Drake owns is not authentic.
“Well, I’m quite sure it’s not true,” Suge said. “When I came up with the idea to make the Death Row chain—one, it had never been done before. Two, it was like wearing your flag, your rag. You can’t tuck it. It means something.”
Knight Says Only He Could Give Chains Out
According to Knight, he was the only person with authority to hand out real Death Row chains, and not everyone in the label’s golden era had one.
- Snoop Dogg was reportedly the first to get one but traded it in for a custom dog paw pendant because he thought a Death Row chain would be too controversial.
- Knight added that Dr. Dre and a handful of others had them.
- Surprisingly, groups like Tha Dogg Pound (Kurupt and Daz Dillinger) never received official Death Row chains.
“None of the b**ches on Death Row had Death Row chains,” Knight bluntly said.
What About Tupac’s Chain?
Knight recounted the moment Tupac Shakur was released from prison in 1995, saying he offered the late rapper his own chain.
“He’s like, ‘Sh*t, you my big bro. Let me wear yours, that’s more important. I don’t want a first one, I want to wear the one you got.’”
Knight says Tupac immediately wore his diamond-covered chain, and no one else ever owned that specific piece.
Suge Calls Out Drake Directly
Knight didn’t hold back, insisting that the chain Drake has been seen wearing is nothing but a fake:
“That’s not Tupac’s chain. It’s not a Death Row chain. Whoever sold you that chain, Drake, you need to go beat his motherf**king ass. Crazy.”
Hip-Hop Reacts
The claim has sparked fresh debate online, with fans torn between Knight’s insider authority and Drake’s recent recognition as one of the most influential figures in rap jewelry.
Regardless, the authenticity of the chain adds yet another layer to the long-standing mythology around Tupac, Death Row, and hip-hop’s rarest artifacts.
Key Takeaways:
- Suge Knight says Drake’s Tupac chain is fake.
- He claims he was the only one who gave out real Death Row chains.
- Snoop Dogg swapped his for a dog paw pendant, while Tha Dogg Pound never had one.
- Tupac wore Suge’s personal diamond chain upon release in 1995.
- Knight told Drake to “go beat” whoever sold it to him.
