Though he has since enjoyed a long and storied career in the rap game, many fans tend to forget that KXNG Crooked originally began his career as a Death Row signee; we actually spoke about his time working on Suge Knight's label right here, an era that Crook clearly looks back on with fondness. Yet despite his appreciation for the legendary label, KXNG Crooked wasn't always on board with their vision for his career trajectory. In fact, he recently spoke to Math Hoffa about an unfortunate request he received while repping Tha Row.
Dr. Dre & Eminem In Death Row Era">Image via Artist
"I was on the radio, live with Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, and Ja played that joint “Loose Change” that he had dissing Eminem," reflects Crook, around the fifty-two minute mark. "He said uh some real crazy stuff about Em’s daughter and all that. He premiered it on the radio, and you know, it was lit, he was at it. And the host was like, 'Yeah, so Crooked, you’re up next. You’re about to send some shots to Dre and Em, you got something for them?’ And I was like, ‘Nah, that’s not my beef. I just got over here, you know. I’m trying to make great music. I’m trying to bring that back to the W. That’s my focus. Yo, Dre is the greatest producer ever. Sounds like Em got bars and all that’."
As fate would have it, Crook's decision to remain neutral would ultimately place him in high regard in the Shady/Aftermath camp. "I went to Fat Beats, got The Chronic 2001 instrumental vinyl, and my phone rang," continues Crook. "That was Dre. I was off Death Row at the time, and he was like, ‘Yo, I heard you that night when you was on the radio. Me and Em was listening. And he was like, ‘Yo, you never took a shot. Every time they try to get you to shoot at me, you never did’. And he said, ‘I respect the fuck out of that. So, you know, you want to get down, holla at me.”
"I truly believe that that night is one of the reasons why I was able to have a Death Row past and still be able to go over there to Shady and have a future, and it’s all good," explains Crook. "It would have been easy for me to say, ‘Hell yeah, f*ck them ni**as, let’s go’. That was easy. But I was like, ‘Nah, I’m not gonna do that’. And that’s just what was on my heart.”
Now, KXNG Crooked is currently sitting on an unreleased duet with Dr. Dre, a banger that many are speculating will be included on the Good Doctor's forthcoming album. Check out KXNG Crooked's conversation with Math Hoffa on My Expert Opinion below.