Suge had previously asked him to join Deathrow, but he said "he just wasn't ready." The reality of it is that Tupac didn't want to join Deathrow, but changed his mind when faced with prison.
Suge said he'd get Tupac out, in exchange Tupac had to do 3 albums for Deathrow. They worked out a contract in which Tupac would receive an advance of $1 million for the first album, in addition to $125,000 for a car, a $120,000 expense allowance for one year, a $250,000 legal fund to be spent as Tupac desired, and David's legal services.
Tupac would be paid a royalty of 18 points for sales of the first album, plus a bonus of 1% if it went Gold, and another 1% if it went Platinum. For the second and third, Tupac would be paid an advance of no less than $1 million, or $1 million for every million copies of the prior album which was sold, and he would be paid a royalty of 18% of sales, plus a bonus of l% if it went Gold, and another 1% if it went Platinum. Tupac said at the time he signed the contract "I know I'm selling my soul." But he couldn't stand another few years in prison.
Tupac agreed and Deathrow lawyer David Kenner went about bailing Tupac out of jail. The New York Court of Appeals granted him leave to post bail. $850,000 was raised by Atlantic Records, which was posted in a corporate guarantee. The rest was put up with a $300,000 bail bond and $250,000 in cash from Suge or Interscope.
Tupac immediately began and released the album All Eyez on Me, a double CD which covered the first 2 cd's of the contract. While on Deathrow Tupac really seemed to change, influenced by Suge in the mob lifestyle and obviously bitter for the setup in the rape case and being shot 5 times.
While on Deathrow he was jacked by Suge Knight repeatedly. He was charged rent on a Wilshire apartment that other Deathrow artists lived in on 9 seperate occasions. He was charged $23,857 for repairs to a porche owned by Steve Cantrock and Suge. Suge and another Death Row representative, who were in California at the time, on the phone told him that he had spent $2 million more than he was entitled to receive.
He was charged $115,507 for three pieces of jewelry from B.L. Diamonds, Suge said that the jewelry was a gift to Tupac from Suge, but the bills were never paid.
On May 2nd, Tupac was charged $14,500 rent for a house in Malibu which David Kenner lived in. He was then charged $100,000 rent for David Kenner, then $12,000 more. He paid $2700 for Nate Dogg's child support and charged $5,845 for jewelry that Suge bought from XIV Karats Ltd.
Sept 3rd he was charged with expenses associated with Michel'le Toussa's Range Rover for $1,453.51. He was also charged over $28,000 for a Chevy Suburban Title. It was taken (bought) in Tupac's name initially, but was given to Suge's brother-in-law, Norris Anderson.
Tupac was charged $51,425 in connection with the cost of transferring the car to Norris.
In August Tupac was charged $2,965, for an American Express bill from Suge's wife.
Tupac was charged with expenses that he never agreed to pay which were attendant to the production of albums released by Death Row.
He was charged $3,421,842 in video production costs and $663,012 in audio production costs.
When Tupac died he had no mutual funds, IRA, or real estate.
He owned no stocks or bonds, and had a checking account that had less than $105,000.
He also didn't own his Woodland Hills house in San Fernando Valley that he had recently thought he had bought.
There was a five-figure life insurance policy, the beneficiary was Sekyiwa, a $61,000 Jaguar that Suge got for Tupac's appearance in a commercial, and a Hummer.
His apartment, Rolls-Royce, and Mercedes were listed in Death Row's name.