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 Copyright Act and that the rights to Reasonable Doubt will revert to him in six years.’”
He continued, alleging: “’In fact, he has no such termination right and [Roc-A-Fella Records] is entitled to the renewal term, which is now 67 years, meaning it will own the copyright rights until the year 2098. In other words, the highest possible auction price could be more than 10 times higher than is likely now, given Jay-Z’s and RAF’s actions. RAF is complicit by its inaction in pushing back against such false statements.’”
Reporting from All Hip Hop allegedly supports Dame Dash’s comments regarding New York’s filing.
According to a Sept. 23 report from TMZ, Roc-A-Fella Records is pushing back against Dame Dash’s latest claims.
In a statement via its attorney, Alex Spiro, RAF emphasized that Jay-Z didn’t make any public statements regarding the termination of rights, attributing the confusion to the media’s interpretation of comments from his “legal team.”
Spiro also said the argument surrounding whether the termination notice reverts rights back to Jay-Z is “woefully unripe,” TMZ reported.
As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Jay-Z’s attorneys have claimed in court that once the copyright for “Reasonable Doubt” expires in 2031, all rights to the rapper’s debut album will revert to him.
The latest legal filing comes amid the ongoing dispute over Dame Dash’s 33.3% stake in Roc-A-Fella, which was scheduled for auction on Aug. 29 to settle his more than $800,000 in debt to producer Josh Webber in a copyright infringement and defamation of character lawsuit related to the making of the movie “Dear Frank.”
However, Billboard reported that a federal judge approved a motion on Aug. 27 to reschedule the U.S. Marshals Service’s auction by three weeks after the minimum bid price went up significantly from $1.2 million to $3 million. The price of Dame Dash’s shares was increased to help satisfy other debts for the former music executive’s unpaid taxes and child support. That target date of Sept. 21 has also since passed.
Earlier this year, a judge ruled that his shares — reportedly valued at $1.2 million — could be seized to cover his debt, despite objections from Jay-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke over company bylaws requiring board approval for sales. The judge criticized their attempt to enforce a no-sell clause created during a meeting Dame Dash did not attend.
Since the auction announcement, he has sought to enhance the appeal of his stake, offering a Roc-A-Fella grill and an original Roc-A-Fella chain for any bid over $10 million, AFROTECH™ previously reported.
Dame Dash’s attorney, Natraj Bhushan, mentioned that feedback from unnamed interested parties suggests the auction could bring out many notable figures from the sports and entertainment industries, all “interested in a piece of a historically significant company, which holds an interest in a timeless debut album.”
Dame Dash also claimed to have received a direct message from Drake, expressing interest in making an offer on his shares. However, it seems that no formal bid from the “One Dance” rapper has materialized yet.
“Drake hollered at me through DM and made an offer, and I’m not quite sure what happened, but I thought that he had got with Jay or something,” Dash shared on the “America Nu Network” show. “But it would be a good time to close, but if you got it, you know. I wouldn’t do it if you don’t got it… If you want to own ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ if you want to own a third of it [and] have a say at the board meetings for at least the next seven years and make money off of it, I would give these chains.”
Potential buyers should note that acquiring Dash’s shares would only grant them minority ownership with no decision-making power, as all decisions require a majority vote. The investment’s return may also be limited.
