Michael “Harry-O” Harris, co-founder of Death Row Records, is having his story told on the big screen thanks to Snoop Dogg and Denzel Washington.
In the early 1990s, Harry-O teamed up with Suge Knight to found Death Row Records. The label helped launch the careers of legendary hip-hop artists such as Snoop Dogg himself, Dr. Dre, and Tupac Shakur.
The company has produced several multi-platinum albums including, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, Snoop’s Doggystyle, and Tupac Shakur’s All Eyez on Me.
Referring to an interview Harry-O gave to AllHipHop, RollingOut confirms that Denzel and Snoop are heading up the production of a biographical documentary. “I’ve been working on my story for a long time,” Harry-O said, stressing that he wanted it to be a “cautionary tale.”
“Denzel has always been a friend to me, like a brother. It’s not about business, it’s about friendship and faith,” Harry-O said in the interview with AllHipHop.
The union between Harry-O and Denzel is a full circle moment. Harry-O explained to AllHipHop that he helped Denzel financially with his Broadway debut. This opportunity eventually led to his numerous collaborations with young producer Spike Lee. Washington and Lee’s collaborations resulted in such hit films as Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, and Inside Man.
According to the outlet, Washington will direct the biopic while Snoop Dogg will serve as producer of a more comprehensive documentary.
“we [are] Just trying to figure out how we want to communicate it to the world. “But this story is coming and it has just blessed me,” Harry-O continued. “I thank God that there are people who feel like my story needs to be told. And we’re just trying to figure out if it’s going to be a series or what way it’s going to be, because we’ve got some pearls to drop.
In 2021, in a surprise pardon from then US President Donald Trump, Harry-O was granted his freedom after spending 33 years behind bars. While many thought Death Row Records had closed for good, Harry-O returned to work immediately after his release, partnering with Snoop Dogg as COO of the all-new Death Row Records.
