Roc-A-Fella Records was founded by Damon Dash, Kareem “Biggs” Burke and JAY-Z in 1995 under the Def Jam Recordings umbrella. Responsible for albums such as JAY-Z’s The Blueprint, Kanye West’s The College Dropout and Memphis Bleek’s The Coming Of Age, the legendary Hip Hop imprint was one of the most lucrative labels in late ’90s/2000s rap. Ultimately, Roc-A-Fella crumbled due to rumored friction between Hov and Dash.
But according to a recent interview with the Social Proof Podcast, Dash says JAY-Z’s real issues were with Burke — not him.
“The reason Roc-A-Fella Records broke up in the first place was ’cause he didn’t want to break bread with Biggs no more,” Dash explains in the clip. “I was like, ‘Yo, we could start something different,’ but I can’t do that to Biggs. He didn’t want Biggs to be a part of it anymore. That’s what happened.”
He added, “They weren’t speaking for like two years and no one knew, though. I don’t know why they would want to devalue my third — I don’t get it.”
JAY-Z and Roc-A-Fella Records sued Damon Dash in June for allegedly trying to auction off JAY-Z’s 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt in a non-fungible token (NFT) form. Although the auction never took place, Dash was accused of “frantically scouting for another venue to make the sale” in efforts to cash out what he feels he’s owed.
Dash quickly fired back and claimed the lawsuit was “full of inaccuracies,” pointing out it’s not just Reasonable Doubt he’s trying to sell. Rather, it’s his entire one-third stake in Roc-A-Fella Records.
He says JAY-Z attempted to buy his share of Roc-A-Fella in March at a price he “deemed unacceptable,” so he was looking for another buyer. When and if he finds the buyer, Dash said, “Under the terms of the deal with a potential buyer, the buyer would buy my share of Roc-A-Fella Records and JAY-Z will have exclusive administration rights.”
Dash believed the lawsuit was simply “a scare tactic to prevent him from selling something he believes he has the legal right to sell.”
Days after the lawsuit was made public, JAY-Z commissioned “multidisciplinary” artist Derrick Adams to carve out a Reasonable Doubt NFT to be unveiled on June 25, exactly 25 years after its initial release, almost like a slap in the face to Dash.
JAY-Z Drops ‘Reasonable Doubt’ 25th Anniversary NFT After Sonning Damon Dash In Court
While Biggs has been silent on the matter — at least publicly — he admitted he wasn’t a fan of JAY-Z early in their partnership during a December 2020 interview for Kevin Durant’s The ETCs with Kevin Durant podcast.
“Actually when I heard Jay early on, I wasn’t even, I wasn’t necessarily a fan,” he said. “It wasn’t until Jay battled DMX and I became a fan. And he started to talk more. Before that he was real lyrical and had a different, you know, talked about different content. And then, there he was talking about things that resonated with us, you know. I became a fan then.”
Listen below.
Biggs said this on episode 15 of Ben ballers podcast in 2019 . Get you timelines correct, and what the did Biggs actually do ?
Provide the startup cash… Thats common knowledge
Roc-A-Fella Records was independent before Def Jam. Get your facts right.
No they had a deal with priority records before def jam get your facts right
is = was
Biggs is doing projects with Jay so don’t know where Damon is trying to go with this…
Where he always goes with it. He’s the victim and everybody is doing him wrong.
Damon Dash is a culture vulture
Bruh…Victim? Job just sued him. Are you paying attention? Did the Nets sue Hov when he sold his shares? Are you serious? Jay sued him… That made Dame a public victim. And it makes Dame have to spend money he should not have to spend.just to sell his shares. That a huge Bitchass move by Jay. Pay Dame what Dame thinks his shares are worth or let Dame sell to the highest bidder. Lol at Victim. Jay is acting like.a Victim for sueing. Its like people are getting dumber.everyday out here. YouTube Educated! Smdh
Your post reveals how much you truly know about business…
Dame’s take makes absolutely no sense… also Biggs has been seen at RocNation brunches….someone was never invited…..
They were originally signed under Priority Records. Reasonable Doubt was released on the label.
Word is Damon Dash ate his belt for dinner last night…
Dame a chatty patty
oh my god this niqqa still on the SAME STORY how many years now??? jayz sonning this muthafucker without doing anything LoL
suing Dame is not “Doing Nothing”. Suing someone with your attorney is VERY VERY VERY Loud and public.
Dane should have the right to sell his ownership. Just like Hov sold his ownership in The Nets and Tidal. This is a.bitch move by Jay. Either pay Dame what Dame thinks his share is valued, or let Dame sell to the highest bidder. That how business works everywhere in the world.
Dame is 100% correct and Hov is crying through a lawsuit because Dame didn’t think his offer was high enough. Period. That Law Suit is pathetic!
The judge didn’t think so; pretty sure Damon Dash is just a shitty business man…
Biggs and Hov just did the Reasonable Doubt NFT with Derrick Adams….
Maybe dame should oc reachex out to his old partners go do the nft
He did and Jay bought it back
i dont know why i clicked to read this article…dame dash is just bitter,jay z fucking him up without saying a word lmao
It’s like why state negative words to the comment box .
When half of you fools wish you were on the same playing field as Jay or Damon .
Let them fools live and figure it out on there own .??
Damon Dash is currently donating plasma for bus fare…
Beat it lame
McDonald’s is tired of you ordering $1 sodas to use their wifi all day, Damon.
Biggs and Hov till this day still do business together Roc96, neither of them do business with Dame.. What does that tell you
Word is Damon Dash begs for change in front of the Def Jam building…
Damon please GET YR LIFE! STOP TRYING AND HOG EVERYTHING UP. JAY & BRIDGG IS DOING THEM, WITHOUT YR BROLL
Remember when Dame Dash was a quest on Sway in the morning or whatever its called. And he brought like donuts or cookies or some shit for everyone. Then during the interview he said give me a donut im diabetic or some shit and he started eating the donuts he brought for the hosts lol. Sway was like bro you really eating these donuts you just said you got diabetes and Dame was like yeah because im diabetic i got low blood sugar and i need sugar so i gotta eat these donuts. LOL. What a fuckin genius! Then when i guess Sway asked some question he didnt like or criticized Dame he started talking about Sway need to take off the hat, like what are you hiding why you always wearing a hat. Of course we all know its because Sway got that Dr Phil hairline, you know the infamous Dr Phil hairline, but still, what a cheap shot. A real low blow.
Um, ok. Thank you, I guess.. Not sure what this had to do with ANYTHING, but alrighty..
Wtf was the point of that story?!?!
Wasn’t Biggs in jail and why would any trust dame look at how he did beans and the state property keds and all other ventures.