Dame Dash claims Jay-Z once told him he needed to distance himself from their partnership to establish his reputation as a businessman.
The former Roc-A-Fella Records executive revisited the alleged exchange during a recent episode of Quiet Part Out Loud, recalling a meeting with music executive L.A. Reid.
According to Dash, Reid specifically requested his presence because “he wanted a businessman to be there.” But Dash claims Jay-Z had a different vision for how he wanted to be perceived.
“He was like, ‘I want to be known as a businessman,'” Dash recalled. “Like, flat-out said, ‘I want to be known as a businessman and I can’t be known as a businessman with you next to me.'”
Dash said he had little interest in maintaining the partnership himself, responding, “You’re not a businessman,” before questioning how much influence Jay-Z actually holds over his business ventures, describing his former partner as a “figurehead,” and giving the credit to executives like Steve Stoute, who played significant roles in building his business empire.
Dame says his beef with Jay-Z had cost him $40 million.
The two co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records alongside Kareem “Biggs” Burke in the 1990s before their partnership dissolved.
