Have Gun Will Travel

This story of the West Coast rap label Death Row Records and its head, Marion (""Suge"") Knight, who brought the techniques of his violent L.A. gang, the Bloods, to his boardroom and terrified the industry, is pitiful and horrifying. Ro (Gangsta) reports the shocking tale of a man who began as a football player, doing a stint with the L.A. Rams, then became a bodyguard and, finally, with an infusion of drug money, according to Ro, in 1993 founded the record label that earned almost $400 million in four years and assembled a stable of stars like Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg. Said to be run by gang members, Death Row pirated top performers from other labels, often substituting expensive gifts for royalty payments, and at length clashed with East Coast rappers. Ro also ventures into the unsolved murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., with several conjectures. He makes a significant contribution to the history of pop music. (Mar.)