Kanye West This article is more than 13 years oldSuge Knight sues Kanye West for $1m
This article is more than 13 years oldDeath Row Records founder seeks damages for injuries sustained at star-studded party hosted by rapperOne of hip-hop's most notorious characters is suing rapper Kanye West and a Miami nightclub for injuries sustained in a shooting five years ago. Marion "Suge" Knight, founder of Death Row Records, was shot in August 2005 at a party hosted by West at the Shore Club.
No one has ever been arrested in connection with the attack, which left Knight with a shattered femur and more than $200,000 (£131,570) in medical bills, according to his lawyer. He also apparently lost an, er, earring. Attorney Marc Brumer claims West and the Miami Beach nightclub provided insufficient security for the event, held before the MTV video music awards and attended by stars such as Jessica Alba and the Black Eyed Peas. Knight is seeking damages "well over" $1m.
"[Knight] is an icon in the music industry," Brumer told the court. "He walks in a room and he lights it up. He had an expectation of security there. How someone came with a gun into a VIP party, that just doesn't meet the smell test in life."
Besides his injuries, Knight claims a 15-carat diamond earring, worth $135,000 (£88,800), came loose during the commotion of the shooting. A Shore Club employee allegedly promised to return it, but Knight never heard from them again. Although at least six shots were fired that night, few witnesses have come forward.
According to Knight's court papers, West should have been prepared for a "dangerous environment" due to the much-publicised hip-hop feud between east and west coasts of the US. Never mind that this rivalry was mostly a 90s phenomenon, made famous with the murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG. Relatives of Biggie have accused Knight of orchestrating the rapper's murder, but he has never been charged.
However, Knight has been charged on many other occasions, resulting in several stints in jail. Over the last year, he has been linked in several altercations with R&B singer Akon's entourage, including assaults and a robbery. Over the last five years, Knight has filed for bankruptcy and Death Row Records went on the auction block. If Knight wins his case against West and the Shore Club, damages will be shared with Death Row's bankruptcy trustee and the Internal Revenue Service.
A trial has been set for 6 December in Miami.
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