DOCUMENT: Crime

The Hostage On Suge Knight's Roof

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The Hostage On Suge Knight's Roof

The case of Suge Knight and the Beverly Hills billboard is headed for a Los Angeles courtroom. The Death Row Records boss has been sued by a Clear Channel subsidiary that claims a billboard it owns--and which sits atop Death Row's headquarters--has been hijacked by Knight and Company. According to this Superior Court complaint, Clear Channel Outdoor (and its corporate predecessors) rented space on the building's roof beginning in 1984, though the firm's lease expired last year. When Clear Channel and Death Row failed to negotiate an extension, Clear Channel sought last month to remove the billboard structure. But the firm was blocked by Suge's posse. The lighted billboard, which looms over the corner of Wilshire and San Vicente, now advertises an album from Crooked I, who records for Knight's new Tha Row Records. The hijacked billboard carries a drawing of Crooked I sitting on a toilet, and announces, "I'm the shit!!!" Since the Clear Channel complaint includes a lousy photo of the ad, you'll find a replica of the billboard art below--with the lawsuit to follow. (15 pages)