In his latest conversation with Dr. Boyce Watkins, Dame Dash explained the failure of Roc-a-Fella Records’ “Circle Of Success.” The “Circle Of Success” as Dame describes, was an agreement based on the idea that everyone within their circle would be come rich. Once everyone within the the circle was rich, then everyone would be able to assist anyone who should fall on tough financial times.
“I explained it in Backstage,” Dame Dash says. “Let’s say there’s 10 of us. Part of our agenda was to get all 10 of us rich because if I go broke, I can just take a little from each of you without it hurting you and now I’m rich again. Let’s say it’s 10 of us and I need $1 million. $100,000 from each person and I’m a millionaire all over again and everyone else only had to give up $100,000. That’s nothing that’s gonna crack you. The biggest form of security was to keep your friends rich because whenever you need them, they’d be there for you. It’s crazy because I was thinking about how many of my friends really subscribe to that. It ended up being a fucking farce. None of them [subscribed to it]. I went down for that.”
Dame mentions that Jay Z described the concept on Reasonable Doubt’s, “Feelin’ It,” but later states that Hov never really believed in the idea. He says he doesn’t do business with Kevin Hart, Lee Daniels or Rachel Roy because they do not believe in the principles of the “Circle Of Success.”
“I think my problem was that when you’re the breadwinner around your crew, you’re always expected to be the only one to have a lot of money and no one expects they’re ever going to have it,” he says. “Everyone has a timing issue or makes a wrong move at some point in life. It happens at all times. A lot of the people you give to, they’re just never ready to give back. They’re never ready to be exposed. They’re always looking at it like, ‘I gotta keep all I got.’ Even though you helped them get it, they still don’t want to give it up. It’s a concept that’s really hard for the average human being. If you listen to Reasonable Doubt, Jay Z makes reference to it on the record called ‘Feelin It.’ He says, ‘If every nigga in your clique is rich, your clique is rugged / Nobody will fall because everyone will be each other’s crutches.’ Listen to it one day. But he didn’t believe in it.
“Put it like this, do you see me doing any business with Kevin Hart? With Lee Daniels? Jay Z? With Rachel Roy? None of them.”
Let us know what you think of the concept behind Dame Dash’s “Circle Of Success.” For more on Dame Dash, view the following DX Daily:
It’s not that you are not doing business with them Dame. They are not doing business with you!!
Jay is a talent and you a manager. His success was always more guaranteed than yours. In the end, he helped you way more than you helped him.
if you believe that, your a lost nigga lol. how can a struggling rapper, opening shows for Big Daddy Kane, Rapping like Fu-Shcnickens, doing features on Original Flavor records help anyone. Jay Z could have potentially been a huge waste of time, energy and money for Dame, he believed in Jay Z before everyone and rode til the wheels fell off. Jay Z was not some instantly recognizable talent. Keep in mind they started Rocafella because no one else believed in or was sign Jay Z at the time. That was NAS’ era. Amazing that people think it was possible for Jay Z to both creatively be an artist (studio recording, touring, promo) and pull his weight as a partner at the time. He did minimal work on the business side, Dame and Biggs allowed him to be free to focus on creating product but if the business wasnt handled properly that wouldn’t have meant much.
You obviously have ZERO idea why Rocafella disbanded. It wasn’t b/c Dash was a big waste of time for Jay Z and an a huge inancial availability.
We would be each other’s crutches, making sure every nigga rich with in my cypher-Jay “feelin it”
Oboy here we go again dash and his infatuation with jz,s cock and how he still miss it,,lol..
Yo he should be in Dr.phill and just explain how he still feels emotionally about jz,May be Dr.phill can help him, Jesus.
His claim to game is that he knew Jay-Z…ever interview
How do you help someone that is destined to stay broke. Outside of Roc-a-fella, where has Dame seen success. He continued to squander money until he didn’t have any left, albeit, living above his means when the money wasn’t flowing in like it used to or just bad businesses decisions.
I’d understand Dame and feel sympathetic for him if Roc a fellas breakup wasn’t a bitter one. There was bad blood and dissing going on and now that Dame has fallen on hard times he wants Jay-Z to give him money…..smh… i don’t constantly see Biggs in the news saying Jay-Z should be giving him money….
dame, thats some bullshit fuck ass concept. the fuck? u sound like a bitch for real. if u lose your money, all of a sudden its my responsibility? i dont care if u taking 10 bucks from me, thats MY fucking money, FOH. i love hip-hop but only in this genre will u be introduced to dumbfucks such as Dame Dash.
Like I said before Dame is a very smart man. You have to listen to what he is saying. He is for the culture jay z is just unloyal he aint built like that. I rock with Dame. I think DaMe is still bitter though who could blame him. Look at the buster stuff j did. You really got to know about the music business andthe streets to really understand what happened.
“Everyone has a timing issue or makes a wrong move at some point in life. It happens at all times.”
It happens to all people, very true. When I first start really listening to Reasonable Doubt I was a lil jealous of that “circle of success” because my friends weren’t subscribing to such a thing.
It’s a fucking brilliant idea.
Unfortunately Mr. Dash people who just want money and not willing to learn how it works will remain broke. Jay Z is a businessman. Most rappers are just rappers that become broke
Rappers. Circle means we are equal holding their own Not leaning on one another until you are all broke. Learn from Jay Z. Don’t dislike a person that is smart and made great business decisions and even in choosing a fabulous wife.
Jay Z said he made niggas millionaires more than tha lotto bruh… “Beanz” a say tha same if he wasn’t in his feelings…lol
I remember tha FUBU jersey dayz I used to watch tha Big Pimpin video; Dame just look like a fuck nigga…lol. you can tell he was go blow all his doe in tha future..smh
*Callin Dame: Ring!!! Jay Z voice “Cake, cake, cake, cake, cake…” *Better listen to that Pound Cake B…” *hangs up*
Real talk Dame Dash was Roc-a-Fella he put his all in protecting the artist the business the clothing line fuck even the vodka, making movies product placement in movies video and songs all that shit was Dame & Even Biggs (Hoffa) who doesn’t get the respect he deserves. Sean carter was able to create Jay z because of the freedom he had to be creative and know 1000% they had his back FOH pause!
The more I learn about Dash, the more I realized he was nothing but, a con-man. He truly was the “Ultimate Hustler” cuz this nigga hustled alot of ppl.