Death Row Records is an iconic American record label that was founded in 1991.

Synonymous with all things hip hop, the label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum albums by its superstars - including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and 2Pac - and catapulting rap into mainstream music.

“Death Row Records has immense untapped potential with unforgettable audio and visual recordings that we are excited to bring to light for the public. Iron Mountain Entertainment Services gets what we are trying to do and we are pleased with their expertise.”
— Michael Harris, Original label founder and current chief operating officer

Situation

Death Row Records and Nulane Entertainment enlisted Iron Mountain Entertainment Services (IMES) to help manage the immense wealth of rap content accumulated from the last three decades for future licensing in music and film. After a number of acquisitions, the label has come full circle, now owned by one of its first artists, Snoop Dogg (real name Calvin Broadis, Jr.). Day-to-day supervision and direction is led by Michael “Harry-O” Harris, original label founder and current chief operating officer.

Solution

IMES started by helping organize their music archive and has since provided content extraction from hard drives to our Smart Vault digital media preservation platform, making the files safe and accessible. IMES digitized CDs of original, untitled and unreleased music from Death Row, as well as 107 assets from hip hop record producer Battlecat. For the label’s upcoming scripted, miniseries called, “The Chronic,” IMES also digitized interviews from their collection to be used.

Client Value

Death Row Records produced some of the most unforgettable music of the 1990s and IMES is proud to preserve and make accessible its legacy for future audiences. The revitalized label helps new artists produce music as well as uses content that has never before been released to the public for upcoming re-releases, docuseries and albums.