Damon Dash Says Lyor Cohen Was Behind The Breakup Of Roc-A-Fella Records
Damon Dash remains adamant in his belief that Lyor Cohen was a divisive figure in his and JAY-Z’s relationship, which ultimately dissolved and has remained dormant for nearly two decades.
During the latest episode of his The CEO Show podcast, the Harlem, N.Y. native accused the music industry veteran with convincing Hov to cut ties with Dash and fellow Roc cofounder Kareem “Biggs” Burke. Cohen served as co-president of Island Def Jam Music Group during Roc-A-Fella’s peak years of success.
“He’s the person that told Jay, ‘I’ll do a deal with you or without Dame Dash or Biggs [Kareem Burke],’ and he’s the one that advised him based on what Steve Stoute told me,” Dash claimed. “And based on what Irv Gotti told me that was like, ‘Yo, why would you split it three ways if you could just do it yourself.'”
Dame’s comments come days after Cohen’s appearance on the Drink Champs podcast last month, during which he denied playing a role in JAY-Z’s split with Dash and Burke. “Absolutely not,” said Lyor when asked of Dash’s assertion, reasoning that their relationship may have never been strong to begin with. “If Lyor was the reason, then they never were really together in the first place. Mic drop.”
While Dash lended credence to the tenured music man’s theory, he still insisted that the Hip-Hop legend used underhanded tactics to drive a wedge between the former business partners. “I think he’s right on that, but I do think there could have been more of an elaborate answer,” he explained.
“Are you the one that showcased that? Did you give [JAY-Z] the option? Did you push him to make him aware what he could do and that what you would support? Did you give him the idea to do that? Did you violate and have meetings behind his back? So when that meeting happened when Dame was yelling who made that meeting?”
The 52-year-old continued, “It’s a tape of it and me being mad at that meeting. Those are questions I think should be asked. And people want to know it’s the elephant in the room so why ignore it, you know? Like why wouldn’t people ask?” Dash then lamented being asked his thoughts on JAY-Z, Cohen, and others, pointing out that those same figures are not subjected to the same line of questioning during their own interviews.
“So that bothers me when Jay gets on an interview and when Lyor gets on the interview and people don’t ask the questions that they ask me. If you never ask me that question, I’m fine. But because y’all continuously ask me these questions. How come when they get in front of a camera and y’all don’t ask them?”
He then claimed that members of the media often fail to ask JAY-Z and others follow-up questions and allow them to circumvent their inquiries without much opposition. “And if they give you like one little question to pivot. Y’all just be pressing me,” Dame added. “So I’m just like, give me the same respect you give them. Like, just make it fair. But, either way, I want to know the answer. ‘Cause I can’t get a fair one with him. I can’t get a conversation. So I also kind of want to hear the answer.”
Watch Damon Dash’s new The CEO Show episode below.
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