Perhaps Damon Dash is Just Getting Started

We all remember the days of Rocafella Records. The flashy videos by the label's biggest artist Jay Z  in the fast cars, the planes and the yachts. Not too far behind you would always see Damon Dash, Rocafella's pushy and take no prisoners CEO in the background sipping champagne or poring it over bikini clad video models putting on a show for the cameras. But the truth is, that wasn't just some act for our entertainment. This was the life Damon and his crew were used to. They were merely sharing with us all.  However, soon after the curtains came down on what was once self dubbed a dynasty. All parties involved went their separate ways with Jay Z leaving with the biggest slice of the pie and a top job at Island Def Jam. It was nothing but good news and new and exciting business ventures for Jay Z. But for Dash, it was nothing but bad news. Reports of money trouble started to surface. His homes were being foreclosed on. His deal with Keds was falling apart. His son was allegedly almost kicked out of private school because the tuition was months behind. On top of all of that, Dash was in a nasty custody battle with his son's mother and videos started to surface of meetings between Damon and execs at Def Jam and it wasn't pretty at all. In one clip, Dash was so out of control at a Def Jam meeting, that then Def Jam President Kevin Liles had to come in and rescue his staff from Dash's wrath.


The industry seemed to have turned their backs on one of it's top money makers and it was all reportedly due to his mouth.  Some said Dash burned bridges but quickly realized that he wasn't powerful enough to go up against the establishment. So he found himself out in the cold in some ways fighting for his life and slowly started to focus on his comeback.  Fast forward to the current year, and many may not know it, but Damon Dash is back. Hell many would argue that he didn't go anywhere. He merely stepped aside to plan his new attack. Today Dash is slowly building a new hipster media empire under DD172 which serves as the umbrella company for new and exciting brands. A new label called Blu Roc Records and internet based operations like CreativeControl.com an online content label, BlakRoc.com, an art gallery called The Dash Gallery, a new clothing store a magazine and many other ventures all under Dash's rule. He speaks with almost no arrogance and is sharply focused. He walks more now, and hops yellow cabs or so it seems. Though he may never admit it, Dash's reign atop one of the biggest rap labels in history was simply a lesson which perhaps taught him enough to avoid the same mistakes he made in the past. Damon Dash has come back down to earth, with fire in his eyes and a greater passion for business. Could he be stretching himself thin already? We don't think so. Dash has a team of equally dedicated individuals who are riding the Dash train back to relevancy.