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Dame Dash’s Roc-A-Fella share is no longer up for sale. As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Dame Dash was hit with an $800,000 judgment stemming from a copyright infringement and defamation lawsuit. Soon after, it was announced that his Roc-A-Fella share, valued at $1.2 million, would be put up for auction to cover his debt. The auction generated buzz as the share included partial ownership of Jay-Z’s debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” and its associated songs. “Based on feedback I have received from interested parties (and I can’t mention names), this auction will likely bring out many household names in the sports and entertainment industries as well as those interested in a piece of a historically significant company, which holds an interest in a timeless debut album,” Dame Dash’s attorney Natraj Bhushan explained to Billboard at the time. The auction attracted attention from artists, including Drake and, unsurprisingly, Jay-Z, who allegedly made public claims that he would obtain...
At this moment in time, a judge is washing his hands of a decision involving Jay-Z and Dame Dash’s shares. As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, Dame Dash is soon having his shares in Roc-A-Fella Records sold at auction following an $800,000 judgement from a copyright infringement and defamation of character lawsuit. The auction has been gaining significant attention as the buyer and new stakeholder would have the rights to Jay-Z’s debut album, “Reasonable Doubt.” Even Drake reportedly showed interest in purchasing the shares through a direct message, Dame Dash had said. “Based on feedback I have received from interested parties (and I can’t mention names), this auction will likely bring out many household names in the sports and entertainment industries as well as those interested in a piece of a historically significant company, which holds an interest in a timeless debut album,” Dame Dash’s attorney Natraj Bhushan explained to Billboard at the time. Jay-Z’s attorney’s has since...
There’s been an update in Dame Dash’s sentiments regarding ownership of “Reasonable Doubt.” In a recent Instagram video, Dame Dash acknowledged that there is “a lot going on” but he was surprised the media hadn’t covered what he considers “very relevant” news regarding his dispute with Jay-Z over the 1996 debut album. Dame Dash asserted that the City of New York, not him, filed a significant court document on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, stating its concern over alleged misleading comments by Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella Records (RAF). Per a report by All Hip Hop, the City, represented by the NYC Department of Social Services, requested a pre-motion conference as well as a stay of Dame Dash’s auction sale as a result. The petition was reportedly submitted to U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger. “’Jay-Z’s statements to the press have poisoned the environment for the auction,'” Dame Dash read from the City’s alleged statement. “‘He has claimed that he has a termination right under the...
Dame Dash claims he is broke. In a video clip on Instagram, the music executive states that his desire to pursue his dreams has also led him to lose his wealth. “Somebody asked me how I got so broke. Investing in my dreams,” Dame Dash explained. “You know, when you’re investing in your dreams and you dream big, you’re always gonna be broke… or have a lot of sh-t. But I don’t have no money for nobody else. That’s what you call broke. But that’s what it is.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dame Dash (@duskopoppington) Currently, Dash is facing a financial bind due to a $800,000 judgement amount that he will now owe as a result of a prior copyright infringement and defamation of character lawsuit, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. As required by the court, the U.S. Marshals are selling Dame Dash’s shares in Roc-A-Fella Records, which amount to 33% and are reportedly worth $1.2 million. They will be up for auction on Aug. 29, 2024. There is great interest surrounding the...
Jay-Z wants to reclaim the body of work that started it all. TMZ reports Jay-Z’s legal team has sounded the alarm that in 2031 the rapper-turned-billionaire will obtain full rights to “Reasonable Doubt,” his debut album released in 1996. Per the outlet, these rights would have reverted back to Jay-Z 35 years after the release as part of the business deal either way. This announcement follows the news of an impending sale of Damon Dash’s 33% share in Roc-A-Fella Records, which is set to hit the auction block sometime on Aug. 29, 2024. Its listing at auction was set in motion earlier this year to cover the more than $800,000 judgement amount Dame Dash owed in a past copyright infringement and defamation of character lawsuit related to the making of the movie “Dear Frank.” As AFROTECH™ previously mentioned, Josh Webber, director of “Dear Frank” filed the lawsuit in 2019, claiming Dame Dash was trying to make the movie on his own after being fired as director himself. More recently,...
History states that hip-hop started in New York in the 1970s. With early acts like DJ Cool, Grandmaster Flash, and Afrika Bambaataa, the genre took off and developed despite early critics and skeptics. The persistent will of the people paid off as more rap and hip-hop artists, executives, and producers came onto the scene, providing space for people like the Notorious B.I.G., Lil Kim, The Lox, Diddy, Wu-Tang Clan — and Damon Dash. Dash is a New York native most known for creating Roc-A-Fella Records alongside partners Jay-Z and Kareem Burke. Officially founded in 1995, according to TIDAL, the label saw some early success by releasing Jay-Z’s debut album, “Reasonable Doubt.” With significant success throughout the ’90s and 2000s, Variety reports that Roc-A-Fella Records became a division of Def Jam, selling 50% of its ownership stake for $1.5 million. Dash would lead the company in signing artists like Cam’ron, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Dipset, and a young Kanye West. via GIPHY...
The “Reasonable Doubt” fiasco between Jay-Z and Dame Dash has finally come to an end … for now. Just one year after Roc-A-Fella filed a lawsuit against Dash for his attempt to auction Jay-Z’s critically acclaimed, “Reasonable Doubt” album as a non-fungible token (NFT), the Hip-Hop mogul has reached a settlement with the label. According to TMZ, Dash is now completely banned from selling the 1996 debut album as an NFT because Roc-A-Fella owns all of the rights to the project. “Unless duly authorized by RAF, Inc., no shareholder or member of RAF, Inc. may alter in any way, sell, assign, pledge, encumber, contract with regard to, or in any way dispose of any property interest in ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ including its copyright and including through any means such as auctioning a non-fungible token reflecting, referring, or directing to such interest,” said legal documents from the case.
Damon Dash has lost the “Dear Frank” lawsuit. According to TMZ, the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records has been ordered to pay Josh Webber and Muddy Waters Pictures more than $800,000 to settle the company’s lawsuit for defamation and copyright infringement. “I will get every penny due my clients,” promises Chris Brown, the attorney for the plaintiffs in the matter. According to HipHopDX, though, the two parties weren’t shy about exchanging verbal barbs in the media regarding the matter. Webber went on a tear on Instagram (which has since been deleted) calling Damon Dash a liar and accusing him of everything from the verbal abuse of the staff to being high on the set. For his part, Dash claimed that Webber was a “culture vulture” and was “trying to take credit for a Black man’s work.” It bears noting that while Webber’s rants have been deleted, Dash’s rants have not — and according to legal experts, this may have worked against him in the matter. Molly B. Kenny, who works in divorce...
Editorial Note: This piece was edited on March 17, 2022, at 4:01 p.m. EST. — Could the beef between Jay-Z and Damon Dash soon be ending? The clash first began after Jay-Z sued Dash for allegedly attempting to sell his debut album “Reasonable Doubt” as a non-fungible token (NFT) without his permission, as previously shared by AfroTech. His attorneys described the matter as “brazen theft” due to him not having the “right to sell the copyright or any individual ownership interests in ‘Reasonable Doubt.’” Although the lawsuit had been filed, Dash was adamant about continuing with the NFT auction. In addition, his lawyer countersued Jay-Z against what he believed to be false claims and for reportedly changing all the streaming rights for “Reasonable Doubt” “without authorization or agreement” from all Roc-A-Fella Inc. partners. “The misinformation was put out there from me selling my third of the company. It wasn’t misconceived. It was a lie,” Dash shared with Variety. “Jay doesn’t have...
The Damon Dash and Jay-Z beef has just kicked up a notch now that the “Reasonable Doubt” non-fungible token (NFT) auction could still be underway. Last month, AfroTech reported that Jay-Z proceeded with a lawsuit against his former business partner for trying to sell his 1996 debut album as an NFT without his permission. But Dash, a Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder, has his mind set on selling his portion of the record label despite legal threats. According to Variety, the legal proceedings between the two went beyond the NFT sale. While Dash was waiting to “mint” the album, his lawyer sued Jay-Z for supposedly switching the streaming rights for “Reasonable Doubt” from Roc-A-Fella Inc. to the rapper’s own LLC in licensing the music to Spotify, Apple and other streaming platforms. The outlet also reported that Dash’s lawyers then filed a summons in New York Supreme Court on July 13 with these claims — which included breach of fiduciary duty — that Jay-Z transferred all streaming rights...
Roc-A-Fella Records recently stopped co-founder Damon Dash from selling his own (non-fungible token) NFT of Jay-Z’s 1996 “Reasonable Doubt” album. Now the billionaire Hip-Hop icon has announced that he will be making the sale himself. Variety reports that in honor of the album’s 25th anniversary, Jay-Z has partnered with artist Derrick Adams to create a one-of-a-kind animated digital artwork of the famous album’s cover, which is set to be auctioned off as an NFT in a special single-lot auction. “Over the years Jay has collected and supported my work, and so this collaboration is particularly fulfilling,” Adams said in a statement. “With this NFT project, we jointly embrace the opportunity to further the conversation about how artists of different mediums contribute to a more inclusive society. My portraits aim to capture the sensibility, optimism and beauty of urban life, and in Jay’s work I’ve found tremendous kinship.” According to Variety, this collaboration will be the first NFT...
Hip-Hop and the gaming industry have always gone hand in hand, but these days more artists and playmakers in the music industry are taking cues to become the new trendsetters of recreational gaming. After a tumultuous year in the pandemic, the music and entertainment industries found several innovative and tech-advanced ways to stay afloat. And in the midst of so many changes, it gave OTF general manager Ola Ali the perfect opportunity to launch his latest venture, OTF Gaming. Ali — who’s well known for managing artists like Lil Durk, the late King Von and others — spurred the idea for OTF Gaming at the height of the pandemic last year to explore all the possibilities the world of gaming had to offer. In doing so, he’s been able to establish another extension of his business endeavors that’s bridging the gap between music, Black culture and the gaming industry. “I believe during the pandemic people paid attention to opportunities they might have overlooked before the shutdown. I...
Could this be the end of the Roc Boys for good? Jay-Z is suing his former Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder, Damon Dash. According to Page Six, Jay-Z’s attorneys are accusing Dash of trying to sell his debut album “Reasonable Doubt” as a non-fungible token (NFT), a new form of currency that’s making waves on the art market. They allege that he is attempting to do so without Jay-Z’s permission. In paperwork filed on Friday in New York’s Southern District Court, Jay-Z’s lawyers issued the following statement: “Dash had planned to sell at a SuperFarm Foundation online auction on Jun. 23…the copyright to Jay-Z’s album ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ recognized as one of the greatest recordings in history.” The documents also further explain that Jay-Z along with his Roc-A-Fella co-founders Dash and Kareem Burke all own one-third of the shares in the record label and in his 1996 album “Reasonable Doubt.” It also explains that the mentioned auction has now been canceled. “That auction was canceled and...