Dame Dash attributes Jay-Z’s legal drama to working with R. Kelly

Dame Dash recently opened up about his falling out with Jay-Z, attributing the split to Jay-Z’s decision to work with R. Kelly.

In an open interview on The art of dialogue, The former Roc-A-Fella Records executive reflected on the controversial partnership, citing Kelly’s previous marriage to Aaliyah as a turning point. Aaliyah, Dash’s late ex-girlfriend, was just 15 years old when she married R. Kelly, a fact that appalled Dash at Jay-Z’s willingness to work with the embattled singer.

“The fact that Jay messed with him just blew my mind,” Dash said. “I never understood why he wanted to work with this guy so badly.”

He revealed that he confronted Jay-Z at the time and questioned his decision to work with someone linked to such serious allegations. “Everyone knew that R. Kelly married Aaliyah when she was 15. It wasn’t a secret. So yeah, we had that conversation,” Dash recalled. “I asked him directly, ‘How are you going to do a project with a guy who raped my girl?’ That alone was enough for me. It was the final straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Dash didn’t mince his words, describing the fallout as a breaking point in their relationship. “That was a burned bridge,” he said. “I left Roc-A-Fella. Nobody pushed me out – I walked away. I said, ‘Forget the money, forget everything.’ I’m done.’ I wanted nothing to do with this mess. I saw where it was going.”

The split marked the start of a tumultuous chapter for Dash, who recently sold his share of Jay-Z’s debut album Reasonable doubt for $1 million. The sale was organized by New York State to pay off Dash’s mounting debts, including $8.7 million in back taxes, an $800,000 settlement and $145,000 in unpaid child support. Dash will receive no proceeds from the sale.

While Dame Dash struggles with his financial difficulties, Jay-Z is dealing with his own legal issues. The rapper is currently battling allegations of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old at a party thrown by Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2000. The civil lawsuit, originally titled Diddy, was recently amended to include Jay-Z. He has vehemently denied the allegations.

Dame Dash’s revelations shed new light on the personal and professional divisions that have marked his and Jay-Z’s storied careers, underscoring how deeply their values ​​and choices have diverged over the years.