Suge Knight has such a strong history of violence, it’s easy to believe he’s threatened a rapper or two in his day.

According to an interview on The Murder Masta Show, Eminem‘s former bodyguard, Byron “Big Naz” Williams, claims that Suge Knight once tried to have Eminem killed. Williams said the incident took place at the 2001 Source Awards, which was infamous back then for its violence.

He says Eminem was forced to sit away from his bodyguards with other artists and fans: “That was our first encounter with Suge Knight and his henchman.” Williams continued, “Em was going to his seat. The way they had the seating was all messed up and the bodyguards couldn’t sit with the artists. I think that was by design ’cause I think they really wanted the artists to be able to network with each other, but it also gives people who got beef with other artists to get at them.”

Big Naz revealed that he noticed Eminem was “beefing with all these guys in red shirts [indicating that they were Bloods]… I had to bust through the middle man and snatch him up. Like, ‘Hey, man. What the hell’s going on up here?’ This is exactly what they said, ‘Death Row, motherf*cker. Death Row.’”

Ultimately, Naz and crew were able to save Slim Shady from the madness, but he says that Em was concerned about the entire experience.

Williams is currently promoting his book Shady Bizzness: Life as Marshall Mathers’ Bodyguard in an Industry of Paper Gangsters. 

Suge Knight is still awaiting trial after being charged with murder and attempted murder following a fatal hit-and-run.

SOURCE: Complex | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty 

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