Dame Dash Names Kanye West The "Greatest" Roc-A-Fella Artist Over Jay-Z

BY Erika Marie 19.1K Views
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The former Roc-A-Fella boss says that Ye creates art for the sake of art while Hov makes music for money.

The relationship between Jay-Z and Dame Dash is one that has spawned several think-pieces considering the former business partners' expansive history. They were once sitting on Hip Hop's throne as two of the three leaders of Roc-A-Fella Records, but once the label dissolved, Dash began to share his side of the story. For decades, Dame has alleged that Jay-Z's shady moves were at the crux of their fallout, even making claims that Hov "betrayed" him for money.

In another interview, Dash spoke with podcaster MacG and was asked who he believed was "the greatest artist to represent Roc-A-Fella."

Mark Mainz / Staff / Getty Images

"If it's a choice between Jay and Kanye, I'm going with Kanye," said Dash. "All day, every day."

The hosts seemed surprised at the mogul's answer

"He's more creative," he answered. "If it's about—now, I can speak on that because, you know, I worked with both of them, right?  You know, Kanye is a true artist and he does it for the art and Jay-Z does it for the money. It's two different things."

A memory was revisited when the hosts also mentioned that Dame Dash gave West his Roc-A-Fella chain. Dash added that he took his own chain off his neck to give to Kanye, only "because Jay wouldn't take it off his!"

Check out the clip and the full conversation below.



About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.