When Dame Dash’s auction of his one-third share in Roc-A-Fella Records finally took place, months of legal battles, delays, and public intrigue ensued.The lead-up to the auction was marked by disputes over royalties, legal motions, and Jay-Z’s involvement in claims about the rights to Reasonable Doubt. This breakdown explores the key developments and the controversy surrounding Dash’s efforts to settle his debts and sell his stake in the legendary record label.
Auction Date
The auction took place on Thursday, November 14, 2024 in Manhattan.[1] In August 2024, Dame Dash stated that anyone who bids $10 million for his shares in Roc-A-Fella records would receive an ‘original’ Roc-A-Fella chain.[2]
Winning Bid
New York State secured Dame Dash’s one-third share of Roc-A-Fella Records with the winning bid.[3] An anonymous Albany representative secured the winning $1 million bid, surpassing the next closest offers of $250,000 and $223,000.[4] Officials in Albany are reportedly planning to sell the shares to help settle Dash’s tax debt, while New York City aims to recover an additional $193,000 in unpaid child support.
Purpose of Auction
The auction aimed to sell Dash’s one-third share of Roc-A-Fella Records to help New York City recover $8.7 million in unpaid child support and taxes owed by Dash.[5]
Auction rescheduling
- Original date: The auction was initially scheduled for the end of August.[6]
- Rescheduling: The auction was delayed after interventions by New York State and New York City.
- State of New York: Claimed $1.7 million in back taxes and $223,000 in child support.[7]
- New York City: Claimed $193,000 in unpaid child support.[8]
- New date: The auction was rescheduled for September 21, 2024.[9][10]
- Postponement: The auction was delayed again to November 14, 2024, due to ongoing legal disputes.[11]
Jay-Z’s Involvement
In August, Jay-Z attempted to claim the rights to Reasonable Doubt, but New York City filed a complaint accusing him of making false statements.[12]
The NYC Department of Social Services accused Jay-Z of “poisoning” the auction with public statements suggesting Dame’s stake in Reasonable Doubt would revert to Jay in 2031.[13] The city argued that, under Jay-Z’s recording deal, the rights to Reasonable Doubt will stay with Roc-A-Fella until 2098, not revert to him in 2031 as claimed. Roc-A-Fella’s attorney Alex Spiro responded, stating that Jay-Z never made public statements about the matter and that the media misinterpreted his termination notice and comments from his legal team.[14]
RAF stated that the issue of whether the termination notice reverted the rights back to Jay-Z was “woefully unripe” and insisted that “this was not the appropriate time, forum, or case” to address such matters.[15]
Dash’s Reaction
Damon Dash broke his silence over New York state’s decision to buy his share of Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records at an auction, saying he was shocked the rap mogul himself didn’t put in a bid. He also said he was short-changed from the label’s profits.[16]
“I think people really don’t understand that from that third of [Jay-Z’s debut album] Reasonable Doubt for the last like over 10, 15 years, I wasn’t receiving any royalties,” Dash expressed on his podcast.[17]
Drake’s Alleged Bid
Dame Dash revealed that Drake offered $6 million for his Roc-A-Fella shares, but then disappeared. Dash stated only Jay-Z’s lawyers and New York State showed up to the auction, where the state placed a winning $1 million bid to cover Dash’s $8 million tax debt. He expressed disappointment over the lack of interest, suggesting rumors about Jay-Z reclaiming Reasonable Doubt may have deterred potential buyers.[18]
[1]https://www.blackenterprise.com/dame-dash-offers-roc-a-fella-chain/ [2]https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dame-dash-one-third-roc-213639986.html [3]https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dame-dash-ordered-sell-roc-175627911.html
[4]Ibid. [5] https://www.tmz.com/2024/11/19/damon-dash-roc-a-fella-shares-bought-by-state-of-new-york/ [6]https://afrotech.com/dame-dash-disputes-jay-z-claims-reasonable-doubt [7]https://www.xxlmag.com/new-york-state-buys-dame-dash-roc-a-fella-records-stake-tax-debt/ [8]https://www.billboard.com/pro/damon-dash-roc-a-fella-auction-delayed-price-increase/ [9] https://www.billboard.com/pro/damon-dash-roc-a-fella-auction-delayed-price-increase/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social [10]https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.508719/gov.uscourts.nysd.508719.398.0.pdf [11] https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/roc-a-fella-auction-paused-jay-z-debut-album-1235113381/ [12] Ibid. [13] Ibid. [14] https://www.tmz.com/2024/09/23/jay-z-damon-dash-reasonable-doubt-auction-child-support/ [13] https://www.tmz.com/2024/09/23/jay-z-damon-dash-reasonable-doubt-auction-child-support/ [14] Ibid. [15] Ibid. [16]https://www.aol.com/damon-dash-breaks-silence-nys-204232644.html#:~:text=Georgett%20Roberts%2C%20Jorge%20Fitz%2DGibbon,share%20of%20the%20label’s%20profits. [17] Ibid. [18] https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/dame-dash-drake-roc-a-fella-shares-1235833670/
