Dame Dash Says Kanye’s Catalog Is Better Than Jay-Z’s
The Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder was asked to compare his former partner’s catalog to the artist he signed to the label.
Kanye West and Damon Dash during State Property 2 New York City Premiere - Arrivals at Clearview's Chelsea 9 Theater in New York City, New York, United States.
Jamie McCarthy
Dame Dash is taking a dig at his old business partner, yet again. The Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder appeared on Art of Dialogue recently, where the conversation turned to the catalog of Dame’s former partner Jay-Z as compared to Kanye West’s, whom Dash signed to Roc-A-Fella Records to start his career.
“Kanye destroys Jay,” Dash said. “It’s not even the same class. You know what I mean? As far as artistry goes and being creative and all the verticals that are stimulated, and the people — no one wants to dress like — Jay can’t do a clothing line. Kanye has a movement, he’s unstoppable. Kanye don’t need nobody to fill an arena. You know, homeboy needs friends. This n—a just stands up there and just, he don’t even have to rap. He just does listening sessions in a stadium.
“Kanye is different and he’s bipolar,” Dash continued. “He’s pure art. The world should be so grateful for Kanye’s presence because he keeps things so interesting. The world would be so boring without Kanye. It’s like Van Gogh. Like any minute he could cut his ear off while he’s painting, but it’s always art. Kanye is an artist. Jay’s not an artist… I would say Jay’s just more of a — he’s cunning, and he doesn’t mind playing with the devil.”
Dash was asked to elaborate on what he meant by “cunning.”
“[Jay-Z] will make you believe he’s your brother when he really hates you,” he explained. “That’s cunning to me.”
At one point in the interview, Dash dismissed Jay’s critically acclaimed debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Not only was it Jay’s first LP, it was the album that put Roc-A-Fella Records on the music industry’s radar as an upstart rap label to take seriously. But Dash says the album is irrelevant today.
He even mentioned that the state of New York was auctioning off his Roc-A-Fella Inc. shares to collect on the taxes Dash owed.
“Reasonable Doubt doesn’t sell sh-t. Why you think I gave it away,” he said of the album, which has been certified platinum. “That sh-t barely went gold. Nobody gives a f—k about Reasonable Doubt other than people that were there.”
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