Knight, mayor engage in rap session

Diana Sahagun

Friday, Nov. 16, 2001 | 11:20 a.m.

News that 21st Century Financial has dropped its plans to build a high-tech center downtown was a disappointment for Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, but Marion "Suge" Knight, who founded Death Row Records, has plans for the site that is rap music to the mayor's ears.

Knight sauntered out of Goodman's office at 9 this morning, a giant grin overshadowing his large, 7-foot frame. City staffers who asked Knight -- a former football player for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas -- to kindly drop his visitor badge off at the front desk, raised their eyebrows when they realized who they had just seen.

Goodman said he and Knight have been discussing starting an entertainment production company in downtown Las Vegas, at the site previously pegged for the high-tech center next to the city-owned 61-acre parcel. Goodman said Knight is discussing building a sound studio that would be renamed "Row Records."

Next week Knight will bring in Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez, from the TLC Group, who has expressed interest in moving to Las Vegas, Goodman said.

Goodman admits that he doesn't know much about rap music, or who "Left Eye" is, but said Knight is a shrewd businessman who -- although he may have a tough exterior -- is as gentle as a pussycat.

"I'm going to be the coolest mayor," Goodman said.

Knight was sent to prison in 1996 for a probation violation stemming from a fight in a Las Vegas hotel. He was released in August after serving five years. The altercation occurred hours before rap star Tupac Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting while in Knight's car just off the Strip.

A car pulled up alongside Knight's car and a man fired several shots into the car, and Knight and Shakur were struck. Shakur later died from his wounds.

The slaying of Shakur remains unsolved, said Lt. Wayne Petersen of Metro Police's homicide unit.

"He was the only victim/witness that ever came into the (homicide) office with three attorneys," Petersen said of Knight.

At the time of Shakur's shooting, Knight was on probation for a previous assault conviction.