Ongoing Feud Between Jay-Z and Dame Dash Heats Up Over Reasonable Doubt Rights
The legal battle between Jay-Z and his former Roc-A-Fella Records business partner Dame Dash continues to intensify, this time over the rights to Jay-Z's classic debut album Reasonable Doubt.
According to a recent court filing, the state of New York has stepped in to delay an upcoming federal auction where Dame Dash was set to sell off his 33% stake in Roc-A-Fella Records. The auction, originally scheduled for September 21, was meant to help satisfy a previous lawsuit judgment against Dash.
However, the state argues that Jay-Z's "statements to the press have poisoned the environment for the auction." Specifically, Jay-Z's attorneys had previously filed documents claiming the rights to Reasonable Doubt would revert back to Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) in the year 2031.
The court filing alleges these statements from Jay-Z are "false and extremely damaging" to the auction, as they could significantly impact the potential selling price of Dash's Roc-A-Fella shares. The filing states that in reality, Roc-A-Fella owns the copyright to Reasonable Doubt until the year 2098 - over 60 years longer than Jay-Z has claimed.
As a result, the state of New York has stepped in to delay the auction, arguing the "highest possible auction price could be more than ten times higher than is likely now, given Jay-Z's and RAF actions."
This is just the latest development in the long-running feud between Jay-Z and Dame Dash. The two co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records together in the 1990s, helping launch Jay-Z's career. But the business partners had a falling out in the early 2000s, leading to a messy split.
Now, it appears the battle over the rights to Reasonable Doubt - one of the most iconic rap albums of all time - has reignited their feud. With the auction delayed and the legal wrangling ongoing, it remains to be seen how this high-stakes dispute will ultimately be resolved.
Comments