Snoop Dogg's acquisition of Death Row Records in 2022 caused the record label's catalog to disappear from streaming services.
Snoop Dogg promised that the catalog would return to all streaming services soon, and on March 9, the promise was kept. The return came as a partnership deal between Gamma and Snoop. As part of the deal, Gamma has exclusive worldwide rights to market and distribute the catalog, and it will also release two new albums from Snoop Dogg. Additionally, Gamma will distribute the catalog exclusively through Vydia, which it recently acquired. The partnership also sees Death Row Records become an active label again, with Gamma and Snoop planning to sign new artists.
Death Row Records was founded in Los Angeles in 1991 and quickly became one of Hip-Hop's most influential record labels. They produced legendary albums like Dr. Dre's "The Chronic," Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle," and 2Pac's "All Eyez on Me." The reintroduced catalog includes Snoop's "Doggystyle," Tha Dogfather," 2Pac's "All Eyez on Me," and soundtracks for "Above the Rim" and "Murder Was the Case," among others. Snoop and Gamma provided a selection of classic songs from the catalog exclusively to TikTok, which resulted in millions of uses and further increased thirst for the influential music.
The partnership being designed as a long-term licensing agreement allows Gamma to distribute the Death Row Records catalog exclusively and the deal shows that with proper organization and strategy, at least a legendary record label like Death Row can make a strong comeback in the digital age.