Dame Dash Details The Moment He Knew Roc-A-Fella Was "Over"

BYAron A.Published on June 06, 202310.1K Views

Jay-Z and Damon Dash during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2004 - Baby Phat - Backstage at Gertrude Tent, Bryant Park in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

Still, Dame Dash feels as though Roc-A-Fella is the greatest crew of all time.

The legacy of Roc-A-Fella is set in stone, although its demise remains a point of conversation. Dame Dash, Jay-Z and Biggs Burke formed one of the greatest labels of all time that soundtracked an era in music and set the blueprint for artists moving forward. Although the company would later dissolve as Hov branched off to create Roc Nation, the imprint they left within music, film, fashion, and culture as a whole remains unseen. However, if there’s one thing for sure, it’s that the internal friction between the executives ultimately led to its demise.

To this day, Jay-Z and Dame Dash continue to detail the stories behind Roc-A-Fella during interviews. However, in a recent appearance on Math Hoffa’s My Expert Appearance that dropped last month, Dash detailed the exact moment when he knew Roc-A-Fella would no longer sustain its position at the top. Apparently, it was a moment when one person, in particular, refused to play “pause” that indicated Roc-A-Fella would be no more.

Dame Dash On Roc-A-Fella’s Demise

Without mentioning names, Dame Dash suggested that he knew when the label was “over” once Jay-Z pushed back against playing juvenile games. “I knew that Roc-A-Fella was over when they stopped playing ‘pause,'” he said. “The other side was kinda like, nah, we don’t play that no more. We grown, you know? And I was like, ‘it’s over.'” The room erupted with laughter as they suggested “the other side” Dame referred to was Jay-Z.

Still, Dame Dash continues to praise the efforts of Roc-A-Fella during their time together. As we celebrate hip-hop’s 50th birthday, Dash explained that the label’s legacy remains discussed in rap circles, despite not working on Roc-A-Fella for 20 years. “During Roc-A-Fella, I never looked at another crew and thought they were having more fun than me,” he explained. “I’m 52. We talking about 25 years ago. I haven’t even touched Roc-A-Fella, pause, in 20 years and they still talk about it like it was yesterday. I gotta be the best that ever did it!” Check out the snippet from the interview above and sound off with your thoughts in the comments below. Is Roc-A-Fella the greatest rap crew of all time?

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.