Damon Dash Talks Beef with Jim Jones, Breaking Away from 'Slave Mentality' on Mike Tyson Podcast
Damon Dash is all about running his own empire and breaking away from what he calls the mental slavery of working for someone else, and he still has some very strong feelings about people who he believes are trying to exploit hip-hop culture to line their own pockets. Dash sat down with Mike Tyson for his "Hotboxin'" podcast with co-host Eben Britton.
During the podcast, Dash explained how he lives his life making sure that he's not controlled by anybody and outlined his theories on how to break away from the control of others and find personal success.
'Culture Vulture'
Dash explained that he's been able to keep ahead of the curve by using "logic" to assess a situation and then getting himself prepared for what is to come. He explains it as a type of "time travel" that he has been able to tap into throughout his life that put him in a position to win down the road. He also talked about the importance of being able to handle so many different aspects of entertainment, including music, fashion and producing, and being able to handle it himself so he's not dependant on others.
He then took aim at YouTube music head Lyor Cohen, who used to be an exeucitve at Def Jam and has had beef with Dash for years.
"I don't like Lyor, man at all," the Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder said. He explained that Lyor "Exploits my culture. He couldn't survive in his own culture."
Dash believes Cohen takes advantage of hip-hop culture by turning people against each other and reaping the benefits. He claims Cohen had a choice on whether to support the culture or exploit it, and he took the latter.
Beef With Jay-Z and Jim Jones
Last year Dame Dash apologized for longstanding beef he had with other stars in music, including Jay-Z and Jim Jones.
"I’m minding my business. I have no beef with anybody. I’m looking past it," he explained in a series of videos that was released on his Instagram page.
However, Dash explains that nothing has really happened since the apology and has zero relationship with his former cohorts.
"We don't have a relationship, he went a different way," Dash said about Jones.
He added, "I saw him the other day he didn't say a word to me." Dash explained he even called and apologized for their history, but apparently Jones is not interested in making amends.
Dash also spoke about Jay-Z, and said he has no relationship with Beyonce's husband. "He's just another dude, it doesn't matter," he said about his former business partner.
Dash added, "I don't even know this version of Jay-Z ... I have no idea who he is, and I'm not even curious, I'm cool."
Aaliyah's Death
Dealing with the good and bad fame brings is something Dame Dash has learned to accept and explained that when you sign on to a public life, you need to expect that everything is going to be out in the open. Nothing rang more true than when Dash's then-girlfriend, Aaliyah, died in a plane crash in 2001.
"When my heart was broken it was documented. When Aaliyah died, everybody saw me cry."
Dash talked about how much "serious pain" her death caused, but after hitting such a low, he learned how to appreciate the highs he experiences now.
The full interview with Damon Dash, and other episodes of "Hotboxin' With Mike Tyson" are available at Podcast One.
