Podcast appearances and mentions of Damon Dash

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 9:58)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail Online

A shocking statistic reveals that Black men make up less than 20% of the student body at Howard University, highlighting a growing gender gap at HBCUs. As college enrollment declines, more young adults are seeking alternatives to higher education. Severe storms and tornadoes hit the Midwest, and a racist attack in Brooklyn leaves a 16-year-old victimized. In political news, Trump is threatening oil tariffs against Russia while floating the idea of running for a third term. Meanwhile, Regina Hall and Snoop Dogg take on commencement speeches, Damon Dash faces a $4M defamation lawsuit, and Diddy is being sued over an alleged assault. The show wraps up with a special tribute to George Foreman from the CEO of the National Urban League.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 9:58)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail Online

"Hi, it's us. You won't believe what we're doing." Pop fans, for our final episode of 2024 we absolutely couldn't miss celebrating 21 years of Victoria Beckham's final solo single (to date). Join Joel and David as they revisit one of their favourite solo Spice Girls eras: Victoria Beckham's double A-side single 'This Groove' / 'Let Your Head Go'. Two different vibes, two stunning music videos and live performance meauxments that dominated telly throughout December 2003 and January 2004. Posh went all out with the electro-pop dance banger 'Let Your Head Go' and the silky, R&B siren's bop 'This Groove', giving fans a taste of two potential bodies of work from her new record deal with Telstar Records. We revisit the lore of this era all the way through to the R&B-flavoured tracks exec produced by hip-hop mogul Damon Dash of Roc-A-Fella Records that were included on "The Réal Beckhams" DVD. Most infamously, 'Resentment', which was later covered by Beyoncé. What solo Spice Girls project should we revisit next? Let us know in the comments! Follow Right Back At Ya! https://www.instagram.com/rightbackpod/ https://twitter.com/rightbackpod https://www.facebook.com/rightbackpod Follow Joel https://www.instagram.com/dr_joelb/ https://twitter.com/DR_JoelB Follow David https://www.instagram.com/lovelimmy/ https://twitter.com/lovelimmy Email us rightbackpod@gmail.com

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 9:58)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail Online

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 9:58)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail OnlineBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Sign up at Patreon.com/IlluminatiWatcher using discount code "DIDDY" to get 80% off until Dec 16, 2024On today's episode of the Occult Symbolism and Pop Culture with Isaac Weishaupt podcast we'll catch up on the bombshell allegations against Jay-Z. We'll review the charges from October's Diddy allegations and how it fits into a larger conspiracy surrounding the silencing of Jaguar Wright and Beyonce's involvement. We'll cover Jay-Z's response and firing shots at conspiracy theorists – then we'll look at the conspiracies! Torey Lanez, Desiree Perez, Beyonce, Aaliyah, R Kelly, Damon Dash and much more!Sign up at Patreon.com/IlluminatiWatcher using discount code "DIDDY" to get 80% off until Dec 16, 2024Links:1/24: Katt Williams Interview on Club Shay Shay: Conspiracies, Illuminati, Selling Souls, Hollywood Gatekeepers & MUCH MORE! https://illuminatiwatcher.com/katt-williams-interview-on-club-shay-shay-conspiracies-illuminati-selling-souls-hollywood-gatekeepers-much-more/10/24 Blink Twice Film Analysis: MKULTRA Models, Smiley Faces, Lucifer & Hidden Alchemy Meaning! https://illuminatiwatcher.com/blink-twice-film-analysis-mkultra-models-smiley-faces-lucifer-hidden-alchemy-meaning/6/24: BONUS: Diddy 3 Hour Deep Dive- Gangsters, Illuminati Wealth, Blood Sacrifices, Satanism & Synchromysticism https://illuminatiwatcher.com/bonus-diddy-3-hour-deep-dive-gangsters-illuminati-wealth-blood-sacrifices-satanism-synchromysticism/Get my 2016 hip hop conspiracy book- Sacrifice: Magic Behind the Mic!Signed paperbacks: https://isaacw.gumroad.com/l/UGybAudible (*narrated by yours truly): https://www.audible.com/pd/B01H0IIROA/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-061192&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_061192_rh_usShow sponsors- Get discounts while you support the show and do a little self improvement!*CopyMyCrypto.com/Isaac is where you can copy James McMahon's crypto holdings- listeners get access for just $1 WANT MORE?...Check out my UNCENSORED show with my wife, Breaking Social Norms: https://breakingsocialnorms.com/GRIFTER ALLEY- get bonus content AND go commercial free + other perks:*PATREON.com/IlluminatiWatcher : ad free, HUNDREDS of bonus shows, early access AND TWO OF MY BOOKS! (The Dark Path and Kubrick's Code); you can join the conversations with hundreds of other show supporters here: Patreon.com/IlluminatiWatcher (*Patreon is also NOW enabled to connect with Spotify! https://rb.gy/hcq13)*VIP SECTION: Due to the threat of censorship, I set up a Patreon-type system through MY OWN website! IIt's even setup the same: FREE ebooks, Kubrick's Code video! Sign up at: https://illuminatiwatcher.com/members-section/*APPLE PREMIUM: If you're on the Apple Podcasts app- just click the Premium button and you're in! NO more ads, Early Access, EVERY BONUS EPISODE More from Isaac- links and special offers:*BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS podcast, Index of EVERY episode (back to 2014), Signed paperbacks, shirts, & other merch, Substack, YouTube links & more: https://allmylinks.com/isaacw *STATEMENT: This show is full of Isaac's useless opinions and presented for entertainment purposes. Audio clips used in Fair Use and taken from YouTube videos. 

Briana Cole is a multi-talented entertainment mogul in both the book and film industries. She is the author of the nationally-acclaimed Unconditional series and has also penned several novels under her alternate pseudonym, Brielle Montgomery. Briana began writing short stories and poetry at a young age, then went on to use her poems to start a greeting card business in high school. She was a 2023 EssenceFest Official Selection Screenwriter and she has over 10 projects in various stages of production. She was also a Staff Writer on season 2 of "Lace" a TV series streaming on ALLBLK. She is the Screenwriter and Producer for many films currently streaming on TUBI and Peacock, including "Pseudo", a movie she wrote and executive produced which Damon Dash acquired. She has been in many community theater projects, commercials, movies, and TV shows, including Fatal Attraction and Trois 3: The Escort. In 2019, Briana took on the role of Editor-in-chief when she launched Blacktion, a digital, interactive magazine spotlighting black creative entrepreneurs. She is also a motivational speaker and website/creative designer.​Briana has been recognized in many popular blogs and magazines, the most prominent being MS Magazine, Sophisticate's Hair Magazine, Popsugar, Sheen, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, The Literary Journal, and Publisher's Weekly. She is an Atlanta native, proud mother of three, and an active member of the illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated organization. Her motto and ultimate drive towards success is a famous quote from Mae West: “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/hardcore-grind-podcast-w-lissha--4931234/support.

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 12:02)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail Online

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 9:58)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail Online

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 9:58)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail Online

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 10:30)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail Online

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 9:58)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail OnlineBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

In light of the recent legal troubles surrounding Sean "Diddy" Combs, a growing number of celebrities are actively distancing themselves from him and his infamous parties. The fallout stems from a series of disturbing allegations, including sex trafficking and violent misconduct at Diddy's so-called "Freak Off" parties, where many high-profile individuals were once regular attendees.Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Megan Fox have been notably swift in creating distance, with DiCaprio's camp emphasizing that he hasn't been involved with Diddy for years, despite old photos resurfacing from parties they both attended. Megan Fox, meanwhile, deleted posts featuring Diddy across her social media platforms. Others, like Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, who were previously seen at Diddy's high-profile gatherings, have remained silent but have quietly distanced themselves as well. Some stars, such as Damon Dash, have gone on record to clarify that they only attended one or two events many years ago, often framing their association as minimal.PR experts suggest that this silence is part of a calculated strategy, as discussing Diddy's legal issues publicly could lead to unwanted scrutiny. Celebrities are now avoiding the topic entirely, trying to remove themselves from the narrative to protect their personal and professional reputations as Diddy's legal battles continue to unfold.Meanwhile, the public outcry demanding answers from these people continues to grow.   (commercial at 10:30)to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:TOM LEONARD: Which A-Listers will be dragged into P Diddy's drugs and orgies scandal next? A nervous Hollywood is full of friends who were once so thrilled to be invited to his notorious parties | Daily Mail OnlineBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Send us a textEpisode 113 is here!! I got my homie  C Biz on this episode with me and we get into, trending topics!! #Pickupthephone as we chat about celeb news, & trending topics!! Both CBiz and I are Scorpios and it's ALMOST are SZN so we come together to chop it up!  As  per the usual you will be thoroughly entertained!  Be sure to check out this episode! —————————————————Ep 113  “What's good Candi?! Rip #RichHomieQuan + Did #Jayz give #KendrickLamar over #LilWayne the #SuperBowl performance to spite #Drake? #50cent & #DamonDash Beef? + Cardi B allegedly welcome's baby girl & more Ft guest Co-host C Biz “is now available for your listening pleasure. —————————————————— Remember to subscribe, download, leave a comment, rate this podcast and SHARE. xo- Candi HussleEngineered by Ronnie Location: Patchwerk Studio Atlanta, GA Follow On Social MediaInstagram: @DopeChickWithAmbitionPersonal Instagram: @CandiHussleTwitter: @CandiHussle 

Send us a textIn this episode of Veto's Corner, we kick things off by diving into the latest headlines, including the wild car chase in Chicago where kids were chasing the police, and what Kamala Harris is up to these days. Then, we take a moment of silence to honor the legacy of Rich Homie Quan, sharing our thoughts and condolences.The drama continues as we discuss 50 Cent's feud with Damon Dash and the viral moment of Damon's teeth falling out during his latest Instagram stream. Plus, we break down the frenzy surrounding Kendrick Lamar's headlining spot for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, with fans wondering if Lil Wayne should've been chosen, and whether Jay-Z had a hand in the decision. Tune in for all this and more on Veto's Corner!--- Feel free to copy and paste!Support the showFollow Veto's Corner: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vetoscornerpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VetosCornerPodcast Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@VetoscornerpodcastYoutube Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@vetoscornerpodcast Follow Veto Vangundy: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vetovangundy Twitter: https://twitter.com/vetovangundy Follow Kyng Musix: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Ky.n.gmusix Disclaimer "Welcome to “Veto's Corner”. Please note that the views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the views of “Veto's Corner”or its affiliates. Some of the content shared on this podcast may be intended for comedic or entertainment purposes only, and should not be taken as factual information. We encourage our listeners to conduct their own research and form their own opinions on any topics discussed. Thank you for listening!"

What You Thought #192 | The Get Him Babe Episode - The Funniest Podcast On The Planet

Join @thebuzzknight with this Classic Replay with Damon Dash and Freeway. Freeway is an American rapper, and Damon is a musician and music executive, in the news today involving his stake in Jay-Z's Rock-A Fella Records, where the state of New York says Damon owes more than 8.7 million in unpaid taxes and that proceeds of the sale of Rock-A-Fella must be used to pay down debt.  Listen to this episode where Damon doesn't mince words about his feelings about Jay-Z. If you have questions or comments, write buzz@buzzknightmedia.com Connect with Buzz on Twitter @TheBuzzKnight and Instagram @takinawalkpodcast. Like this show? Leave us a review here.  Review  Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

- Chipotle CEO says that they will be increasing their portion sizes - Damon Dash sells his shares of Roc a Fella to pay off debt - Ice Cube Challenges the Olympic 3x3 Basketball Winner to an exhibition against his Big3 Champ - Olympics debuts Break Dancing - Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes seeking TV Comeback

TONY T ROBERTS Has been coined by his peers as the “comedian's comedian.” His hard hitting, energetic, style of comedy has catapulted him into one of the top ranked comedians on the comedy circuit. Born and raised in Detroit Michigan.  Tony has always found himself growing up, quick and witty, with a short attention span. That is ultimately what led him into the military and where he served his country for 10 years. (Till this day some still refer to him as the “sergeant of comedy”.) Tony Roberts stumbled up on stage for the first time, one night at Mark Ridley's comedy club in Royal Oak Michigan, as a result of a bet from his childhood best friend, Perry Conway. Tony recalls that night being a total Train wreck of nerves. Tony quickly became a favorite to the club owners. With his improvisational skills and quick wits, he soon landed his first Television Standup appearance on BET Comic View, where he received the “Robin Harris Award” for most original comic of the year. Following the award he performed at the HBO Def Comedy Jam set in New York City, Tony immediately made this his home. The name, Tony Roberts, quickly became a popular and respected name in the comedy world, among colleagues and fans; after (9) appearances on BET Comic View, (4) headlining sets on HBO Def Comedy Jam, Showtime at the Apollo. Tony has been nationally touring with a few stage plays, along with his international tours in Asia, Africa, Canada and the UK.  In the UK is where he landed a nomination in 2009 for the England's Best International Comedian. Currently, Tony has (3) consecutive 1-hour standup specials with Netflix, Showtime and Amazon Prime; Co-Starring roles in sitcoms from NBC, ABC and Entertainment Television. Movies such as Damon Dash's “Death of a Dynasty”, “Speed Dating” “Meet the Blacks” “Durdy Game” and “A Get2gether”…Tony Roberts has become a living legend to anyone who's grabbed a microphone and told a joke.

Godfrey joins Brendan Schaub and Bryan Callen and the guys talk Godfrey's lengthy career in standup comedy as well as a his long history with Bryan, appearing on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe and his take on Katt Williams, a crazy meeting with Comedy Central, love for country music, being a Nigerian comic, advice he got from Damon Dash, his skeptical hippo eyes with the NFL and Tom Brady and much more! True Classic - Upgrade your wardrobe and get up to 25% OFF @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/FIGHTER ! #trueclassicpod #sponsored Sportsmans's Cove Lodge - http://alaskasbestlodge.com/ Use code “TFATK” at checkout for 10% off your first trip! JOYMODE - https://usejoymode.com/fighter or enter code: Fighter at checkout for 20% off your first order Fieldcraft Survival - https://fieldcraftsurvival.com/fighter Use code: Fighter20 for 20% OFF Training and Product

Thanks for joining me on the Being Beautifully Honest channel! Leave a comment, like & subscribe for more and check out my other videos.Your beautiful skin is waiting at www.inezelizabethbeauty.com and enter the code PERFECT10 for 10% off your first order! Get THE BEST EYELASH STRIPS here! https://temptinglashes.com Get your long-lasting roses rose at Rose Forever shop: $20 off discount code: Honest20https://bit.ly/3CxENWX Get your Byte Aligners For a Discount of $100 off and 75% off an impression kit! http://fbuy.me/v/ewill_1 Build your credit and earn reward points with your debit card! Check it out and you'll get 50,000 points ($50) if you sign up: https://extra.app/r/ELZABG2EGV... Join me on my other platforms!WEBSITE: WWW.BEINGBEAUTIFULLYHONEST.COMPODCAST: bit.ly/thebbhpcastSUBSCRIBE TO MY OTHER CHANNEL AT bit.ly/ytcmobeautyTHE BEING BEAUTIFULLY HONEST PODCAST DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this video and on The Being Beautifully Honest Podcast Youtube Channel are just that, opinions and views. All topics are for entertainment purposes only! All commentary is Alleged.COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1976, ALLOWANCE IS MADE FOR "FAIR USE" FOR PURPOSES SUCH AS CRITICISM, COMMENT, NEWS REPORTING, TEACHING, SCHOLARSHIP, AND RESEARCH. FAIR USE IS A USE PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT STATUTE THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE INFRINGING.#damondash , #volettawallace , #seancombsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/being-beautifully-honest-podcast--2633173/support.

Kayne, Amy Winehouse Shirley Murdock, Chrissie Hynde Music compositions can become legendary for decades after they first debut's by the original artist. New life & versions of compositions can keep artists alive for New Generations to enjoy!!Kanye West, Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse, John Legend, Will Smith,  Damon Dash, Rick James, Annie Lennox, Bone Thugs and Harmony, Arrested Development have recorded, sampled, used a song title for Movies ofThe Poindexter's Music over the years. Jackie Members joined them as a vocalist and songwriter in 1966. She became Robert's wife. Richard  & Robert performing at the The Apollo Theatre in New York City,  legends Jimi Hendrix, The Ojay's  Maya Angelou, Florence Ballard, famed songwriter & vocalist Alonzo Tucker, member of The Royals.Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, Producer & Songwriter Jerry, Ragovoy PLUS:The Persuaders are a New York City-based R&B vocal group best known for their gold hit single in the 1970s, "Thin Line Between Love and Hate". It sold over a million copies, topping the Billboard R&B chart, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 29, 1971.Linda Jones was an American soul singer with a strong gospel-influenced style who had the 1967 top 10 R&B hit single, "Hypnotized" Jones was born in Newark, New Jersey,After her death in 1972 and in 2008, an album entitled, "Soul Talkin" featuring her vocals. on "Baby I Know" was nominated for a Grammy Award at the 51st Awards Ceremony in 2008.On June 3, 2021, The Grammy Museum in Newark, New Jersey added artifacts of JonesOn December 14, 2021, The City of Newark, New Jersey honored Jones with renaming Sherman Avenue, the street she lived on, to Linda Jones Way.Platinum and gold records awarded to the Poindexters include Slow Dance on the John Legend 2007 platinum album Once Again, He Can Only Hold Her on the Amy Winehouse 2007 platinum album Bacck to Black, Thin Line Between Love and Hate on the 1984 Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders platinum album Learning to Crawl, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate on the Annie Lennox 1996 platinum album Medusa, Willow is a Player on the Will Smith 2002 gold album Born to Reign, Girls Girls Girls remix on the Jay Z 2002 platinum album The Blue Print, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate on the H-Town 1996 gold single. A Thin Line on the Martin Lawrence 1996 movie soundtrack.© 2024 Building Abundant Success!!2024 All Rights ReservedJoin Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBAS

Patrick Bet-David and Roc-A-Fella Records founder Dame Dash have a heated discussion about Diddy's sex trafficking allegations, Biggie and Tupac's murders, Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign & much more! DAMON DASH Connect with Damon Dash on Minnect: https://bit.ly/3VVVbLV MERCH: Buy two PBD Podcast or Valuetainment mugs, get a third FREE! Use promo code "pbdmugs" at checkout: https://bit.ly/3TBAMsq PBD LIVE W/ TULSI GABBARD ON APRIL 25TH: ​​Purchase tickets to PBD Podcast LIVE! w/ Tulsi Gabbard on April 25th: https://bit.ly/3VmuaRm MINNECT: Connect one-on-one with the right expert for you on Minnect: https://bit.ly/3MC9IXE Connect with Patrick Bet-David on Minnect: https://bit.ly/3OoiGIC Connect with Adam Sosnick on Minnect: https://bit.ly/42mnnc4 Connect with Tom Ellsworth on Minnect: https://bit.ly/3UgJjmR Connect with Vincent Oshana on Minnect: https://bit.ly/47TFCXq CHOOSE YOUR ENEMIES WISELY: Purchase PBD's Book "Choose Your Enemies Wisely": https://bit.ly/41bTtGD BET-DAVID CONSULTING: Get best-in-class business advice with Bet-David Consulting: https://bit.ly/40oUafz VT.COM: Visit VT.com for the latest news and insights from the world of politics, business and entertainment: https://bit.ly/472R3Mz VALUETAINMENT UNIVERSITY: Visit Valuetainment University for the best courses online for entrepreneurs: https://bit.ly/47gKVA0 TEXT US: Text “PODCAST” to 310-340-1132 to get the latest updates in real-time! YOUR NEXT 5 MOVES: Want to be clear on your next 5 business moves? https://bit.ly/3Qzrj3m ABOUT US: Patrick Bet-David is the founder and CEO of Valuetainment Media. He is the author of the #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller “Your Next Five Moves” (Simon & Schuster) and a father of 2 boys and 2 girls. He currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pbdpodcast/support

Join host Maria Jordan on Afternoon Tea Radio for an inspiring conversation with the prolific author, screenwriter, and actress, Briana Cole, widely acclaimed as the Literary Drama Queen. In this captivating interview, Briana shares her remarkable journey to becoming a celebrated author, with eight novels under her belt and two of her works adapted into movies. Delve into Briana's deeply personal story as she opens up about overcoming the profound grief of losing a sibling and finding solace and purpose through her writing. Gain insights into her experiences working with industry titan Damon Dash and the delicate balance she maintains between her thriving career and motherhood. Tune in for a compelling exploration of resilience, creativity, and the transformative power of storytelling.

With another SXSBreaks in the bag, Confucius and Fresh recommend submitting your stuff for next year’s consideration sooner rather than later. Does hip-hop need another Damon Dash and how much does talent account for success in the current generation? See what the fellas have to say in the latest. The post Start Submitting Music / Another Dame Dash? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Welcome back to shoptalkpodcast episode 411! J and Dame are back for another lively discussion filled with laughter and insight. In this episode, we dive into the complexities of relationships, gift-giving etiquette, and the nuances of buying lunch. Plus, we dissect recent video clips sparking conversation on these topics. But that's not all – buckle up as we delve into the latest scandal involving P.Diddy (Sean Combs) and the surprising revelations implicating other popular rappers. And don't miss our exploration of the recent sale of Roc-a-fella records by Damon Dash to Cam'ron and Mase, and what it could mean for the future. Tune in for an episode packed with humor, thought-provoking discussions, and shit talking. ❶ Youtube ☞ YouTube.com/jjohnson313 ❷ Website ☞ www.shoptalkpod.com ❸ Book some time ☞ www.shoptalkpodcastudio.com ❹ Facebook ☞ https://m.facebook.com/ShoptalkPod/ Follow @jjohnson313 on Instagram and Twitter Follow @dame___313 on Instagram and Twitter Follow Shoptalkpodcast on Instagram and Twitter --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shoptalkpodcast/support

We reminisce on Mardi Gras and celebrate Queen Bey hitting #1 on the country music charts. We rank Usher's super bowl performance. Buff recaps a tale that hits home with him and gives a plug for the movie Waves. We give our thoughts on Mea Culpa, Book of Clarence, and American Fiction. Ferg gives a couple news recaps that will make your jaw drop. We get back to the Wooisms interview and we flip the script and they interview us. We close talking about Katt Williams Dark Matter Tour, Damon Dash being the king of petty, and DC's incarceration reduction act. We apologize to Mr Cheeks and shake our head at Alabama Republicans and their IVF facepalm. And finally we give Fox News some props. This one is a wild one. Enjoy. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/threebrothersnosense/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/threebrothersnosense/support

Steve & Izzy continue There Can Only Be 1 Month, a month-long celebration of the absolutely crazy Highlander movies, as they are joined by TV's Travis of Wait, You Haven't Seen? Podcast to discuss 2000's "Highlander: Endgame" starring Christopher Lambert, Adrian Paul, Jim Byrnes, Bruce Payne, Donnie Yen, Damon Dash & more!!! Where are the Magic Portals that I was promised in the trailer? Is this a Christmas movie? Is this the best sequel? Don't you want to be inside of me?!? Let's find out!!! So kick back, grab a few brews, shoot up some windex, and enjoy!!! This episode is proudly sponsored by Untidy Venus, your one-stop shop for incredible art & gift ideas at UntidyVenus.Etsy.com and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Patreon at @UntidyVenus for all of her awesomeness!!! Try it today!!! Twitter - www.twitter.com/eilfmovies Facebook - www.facebook.com/eilfmovies Etsy - www.untidyvenus.etsy.com TeePublic - www.teepublic.com/user/untidyvenus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dame Dash is a music executive, musician and entrepreneur known for his previous business venture with Jay Z called "Rock A Fella", discovering The Black Keys and he is collaborating with Philly Rapper Freeway on a new musical collaboration. Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame is a musician; music executive and business entrepreneur and he is teaming up with Philly Rapper Freeway on a new project called "365".Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the accusations against Puff Daddy/ P Diddy continue to ramp up, implicatting many others from the rap and hip-hop world, I rejoin Lou Collins to provide some background on the origins of hip-hop culture, and how it has been systematically degraded and toxified. Along the way we also discuss Tim Westwood, Afrika Bambaataa, R Kelly, Aaliyah, Jay-Z, Damon Dash, Biggie, Tupac and many others.Please listen even if you're not a fan of hip-hop, as the revelations regarding Diddy are representative of the satanic and paedophilic state of entertainment and popular culture generally. It seems as if everything is starting to unravel.*If you have found value in this information, please consider supporting my work with a donation if you are able, in order that it can continue.You can do so at Buy Me A Coffee here:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/markdevlinOr, to make a direct donation via www.paypal.com, find me under the e-mail address markdevlinuk@gmail.com there.To order signed copies of any of the books, or to obtain a copy of the MD Archives. please e-mail:markdevlin2022@protonmail.comTo order Root Wellness natural health/ immune boosting products as featured in a previous Good Vibrations episode:https://www.therootbrands.com/markdevlin

This "Paltrocast" features interviews with music industry legend (and The Black Guns frontman) Damon Dash and "Monarch: Legend Of Monsters" stars Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski. Theme song by Steve Schiltz.

The countdown to Christmas officially begins today with the calendar flipping to December, and what better way to celebrate than with a jam packed show!In the first hour, SKOR North's Phil Mackey talks dogs with the crew and previews the Vikings game against the Raiders, KSTP's Chris Egert informs about a bad car crash on Hiawatha that resulted in 2 people confirmed as dead, and updates on the Hunter Biden indictments.Hour #2 has Bob Sansevere who talks about different memory types and memory loss, discusses the Panama Canal being low with water, and previews the Vikings Sunday game in Las Vegas. Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash and rapper Freeway join the show to discus their upcoming collaborative album releasing in early 2024 called "365". The pair just recently released "365" which is the title track of the upcoming album.In hour #3 Tim Lammers shares his review of Dream Scenario, the watching of which is apparently a dream scenario itself. Less of a dream scenario is what happened in Minneapolis in 2020. Kristyn Burtt decides to avoid controversy by bringing it back to the holiday season. What Christmas movie is the best? Are there too many of them? These are questions that need answering.On the Family, we get religious. Or more accurately, we get counter-anti-religious. There's a lot of animosity going around toward Jews and Christians, particularly Catholics. Is it the old testament thing? I know there's this new one that everyone is talking about, but a lot of the memorable stories are in the old stuff. What can I say; they're classics.Stream the show LIVE on the Tom Barnard Show app M-F from 8-12PM or get the show on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The countdown to Christmas officially begins today with the calendar flipping to December, and what better way to celebrate than with a jam packed show! In the first hour, SKOR North's Phil Mackey talks dogs with the crew and previews the Vikings game against the Raiders, KSTP's Chris Egert informs about a bad car crash on Hiawatha that resulted in 2 people confirmed as dead, and updates on the Hunter Biden indictments. Hour #2 has Bob Sansevere who talks about different memory types and memory loss, discusses the Panama Canal being low with water, and previews the Vikings Sunday game in Las Vegas. Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash and rapper Freeway join the show to discus their upcoming collaborative album releasing in early 2024 called "365". The pair just recently released "365" which is the title track of the upcoming album. In hour #3 Tim Lammers shares his review of Dream Scenario, the watching of which is apparently a dream scenario itself. Less of a dream scenario is what happened in Minneapolis in 2020. Kristyn Burtt decides to avoid controversy by bringing it back to the holiday season. What Christmas movie is the best? Are there too many of them? These are questions that need answering. On the Family, we get religious. Or more accurately, we get counter-anti-religious. There's a lot of animosity going around toward Jews and Christians, particularly Catholics. Is it the old testament thing? I know there's this new one that everyone is talking about, but a lot of the memorable stories are in the old stuff. What can I say; they're classics. Stream the show LIVE on the Tom Barnard Show app M-F from 8-12PM or get the show on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The countdown to Christmas officially begins today with the calendar flipping to December, and what better way to celebrate than with a jam packed show! In the first hour, SKOR North's Phil Mackey talks dogs with the crew and previews the Vikings game against the Raiders, KSTP's Chris Egert informs about a bad car crash on Hiawatha that resulted in 2 people confirmed as dead, and updates on the Hunter Biden indictments. Hour #2 has Bob Sansevere who talks about different memory types and memory loss, discusses the Panama Canal being low with water, and previews the Vikings Sunday game in Las Vegas. Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash and rapper Freeway join the show to discus their upcoming collaborative album releasing in early 2024 called "365". The pair just recently released "365" which is the title track of the upcoming album. In hour #3 Tim Lammers shares his review of Dream Scenario, the watching of which is apparently a dream scenario itself. Less of a dream scenario is what happened in Minneapolis in 2020. Kristyn Burtt decides to avoid controversy by bringing it back to the holiday season. What Christmas movie is the best? Are there too many of them? These are questions that need answering. On the Family, we get religious. Or more accurately, we get counter-anti-religious. There's a lot of animosity going around toward Jews and Christians, particularly Catholics. Is it the old testament thing? I know there's this new one that everyone is talking about, but a lot of the memorable stories are in the old stuff. What can I say; they're classics. Stream the show LIVE on the Tom Barnard Show app M-F from 8-12PM or get the show on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The countdown to Christmas officially begins today with the calendar flipping to December, and what better way to celebrate than with a jam packed show! In the first hour, SKOR North's Phil Mackey talks dogs with the crew and previews the Vikings game against the Raiders, KSTP's Chris Egert informs about a bad car crash on Hiawatha that resulted in 2 people confirmed as dead, and updates on the Hunter Biden indictments. Hour #2 has Bob Sansevere who talks about different memory types and memory loss, discusses the Panama Canal being low with water, and previews the Vikings Sunday game in Las Vegas. Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash and rapper Freeway join the show to discus their upcoming collaborative album releasing in early 2024 called "365". The pair just recently released "365" which is the title track of the upcoming album. In hour #3 Tim Lammers shares his review of Dream Scenario, the watching of which is apparently a dream scenario itself. Less of a dream scenario is what happened in Minneapolis in 2020. Kristyn Burtt decides to avoid controversy by bringing it back to the holiday season. What Christmas movie is the best? Are there too many of them? These are questions that need answering. On the Family, we get religious. Or more accurately, we get counter-anti-religious. There's a lot of animosity going around toward Jews and Christians, particularly Catholics. Is it the old testament thing? I know there's this new one that everyone is talking about, but a lot of the memorable stories are in the old stuff. What can I say; they're classics. Stream the show LIVE on the Tom Barnard Show app M-F from 8-12PM or get the show on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The countdown to Christmas officially begins today with the calendar flipping to December, and what better way to celebrate than with a jam packed show! In the first hour, SKOR North's Phil Mackey talks dogs with the crew and previews the Vikings game against the Raiders, KSTP's Chris Egert informs about a bad car crash on Hiawatha that resulted in 2 people confirmed as dead, and updates on the Hunter Biden indictments. Hour #2 has Bob Sansevere who talks about different memory types and memory loss, discusses the Panama Canal being low with water, and previews the Vikings Sunday game in Las Vegas. Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash and rapper Freeway join the show to discus their upcoming collaborative album releasing in early 2024 called "365". The pair just recently released "365" which is the title track of the upcoming album. In hour #3 Tim Lammers shares his review of Dream Scenario, the watching of which is apparently a dream scenario itself. Less of a dream scenario is what happened in Minneapolis in 2020. Kristyn Burtt decides to avoid controversy by bringing it back to the holiday season. What Christmas movie is the best? Are there too many of them? These are questions that need answering. On the Family, we get religious. Or more accurately, we get counter-anti-religious. There's a lot of animosity going around toward Jews and Christians, particularly Catholics. Is it the old testament thing? I know there's this new one that everyone is talking about, but a lot of the memorable stories are in the old stuff. What can I say; they're classics. Stream the show LIVE on the Tom Barnard Show app M-F from 8-12PM or get the show on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The countdown to Christmas officially begins today with the calendar flipping to December, and what better way to celebrate than with a jam packed show!In the first hour, SKOR North's Phil Mackey talks dogs with the crew and previews the Vikings game against the Raiders, KSTP's Chris Egert informs about a bad car crash on Hiawatha that resulted in 2 people confirmed as dead, and updates on the Hunter Biden indictments.Hour #2 has Bob Sansevere who talks about different memory types and memory loss, discusses the Panama Canal being low with water, and previews the Vikings Sunday game in Las Vegas. Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash and rapper Freeway join the show to discus their upcoming collaborative album releasing in early 2024 called "365". The pair just recently released "365" which is the title track of the upcoming album.In hour #3 Tim Lammers shares his review of Dream Scenario, the watching of which is apparently a dream scenario itself. Less of a dream scenario is what happened in Minneapolis in 2020. Kristyn Burtt decides to avoid controversy by bringing it back to the holiday season. What Christmas movie is the best? Are there too many of them? These are questions that need answering.On the Family, we get religious. Or more accurately, we get counter-anti-religious. There's a lot of animosity going around toward Jews and Christians, particularly Catholics. Is it the old testament thing? I know there's this new one that everyone is talking about, but a lot of the memorable stories are in the old stuff. What can I say; they're classics.Stream the show LIVE on the Tom Barnard Show app M-F from 8-12PM or get the show on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The countdown to Christmas officially begins today with the calendar flipping to December, and what better way to celebrate than with a jam packed show!In the first hour, SKOR North's Phil Mackey talks dogs with the crew and previews the Vikings game against the Raiders, KSTP's Chris Egert informs about a bad car crash on Hiawatha that resulted in 2 people confirmed as dead, and updates on the Hunter Biden indictments.Hour #2 has Bob Sansevere who talks about different memory types and memory loss, discusses the Panama Canal being low with water, and previews the Vikings Sunday game in Las Vegas. Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash and rapper Freeway join the show to discus their upcoming collaborative album releasing in early 2024 called "365". The pair just recently released "365" which is the title track of the upcoming album.In hour #3 Tim Lammers shares his review of Dream Scenario, the watching of which is apparently a dream scenario itself. Less of a dream scenario is what happened in Minneapolis in 2020. Kristyn Burtt decides to avoid controversy by bringing it back to the holiday season. What Christmas movie is the best? Are there too many of them? These are questions that need answering.On the Family, we get religious. Or more accurately, we get counter-anti-religious. There's a lot of animosity going around toward Jews and Christians, particularly Catholics. Is it the old testament thing? I know there's this new one that everyone is talking about, but a lot of the memorable stories are in the old stuff. What can I say; they're classics.Stream the show LIVE on the Tom Barnard Show app M-F from 8-12PM or get the show on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The countdown to Christmas officially begins today with the calendar flipping to December, and what better way to celebrate than with a jam packed show!In the first hour, SKOR North's Phil Mackey talks dogs with the crew and previews the Vikings game against the Raiders, KSTP's Chris Egert informs about a bad car crash on Hiawatha that resulted in 2 people confirmed as dead, and updates on the Hunter Biden indictments.Hour #2 has Bob Sansevere who talks about different memory types and memory loss, discusses the Panama Canal being low with water, and previews the Vikings Sunday game in Las Vegas. Roc-A-Fella co-founder Damon Dash and rapper Freeway join the show to discus their upcoming collaborative album releasing in early 2024 called "365". The pair just recently released "365" which is the title track of the upcoming album.In hour #3 Tim Lammers shares his review of Dream Scenario, the watching of which is apparently a dream scenario itself. Less of a dream scenario is what happened in Minneapolis in 2020. Kristyn Burtt decides to avoid controversy by bringing it back to the holiday season. What Christmas movie is the best? Are there too many of them? These are questions that need answering.On the Family, we get religious. Or more accurately, we get counter-anti-religious. There's a lot of animosity going around toward Jews and Christians, particularly Catholics. Is it the old testament thing? I know there's this new one that everyone is talking about, but a lot of the memorable stories are in the old stuff. What can I say; they're classics.Stream the show LIVE on the Tom Barnard Show app M-F from 8-12PM or get the show on-demand on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

B. Cox reminisces about Jay-Z's eight album The Black Album as it turns 20. Heading into this album, it was being touted as Jay-Z last album as he was to "retire" to take up the mantle of president of Def Jam Records after the album was released. The news and fallout from it lead to a acrimonious split of the three founders and owners of Roc-A-Fella Records: Jay, Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. The news of Jay-Z's impending retirement while he was still on top of his game in every aspect, raised the profile of this album to another level. Teaming up with an all-star cast of producers, it was an epic album to say goodbye: mainstays Just Blaze, Kanye West, the Neptunes, Timbaland were on board to produce songs along with newcomers 9th Wonder and the Buchanans along with industry veterans DJ Quik and Rick Rubin. Focusing on his last album, Jay-Z toed the line of lyrically exclaiming his career in review as proud veteran while simultaneously giving us his trademark varied flow and style to show he could still make a hit and be hungry. Noted in the album is a more mature and at peace vibe from Jay-Z as he celebrated and reflected. The album was boosted by three singles: "Change Clothes" feat. Pharrell Williams, "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" and "99 Problems". The anticipation and acclaimed pushed the album to triple platinum certification. It is noted along with 1996's Reasonable Doubt and 2001's The Blueprint with being Jay-Z's classic albums. The album was also supported by a documentary feature film Fade To Black, which chronicled Jay-Z's "farewell" concert at Madison Square Garden in 2004. Visit The Vault Classic Music Reviews Onlinewww.vaultclassicpod.comBuy Exclusive The Vault Podcast Merchandise!www.vaultclassicpod.com/storeSupport The Vault Classic Music Reviews on Buy Me A Coffeehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/vaultclassicpodBuild Your Own Amazing Podcast Website In Less Than 5 Minutes!https://www.podpage.com/?via=ivecre8Show NotesAlbumism: Jay-Z 'The Black Album' Turns 20 | Album Anniversary https://albumism.com/features/jay-z-the-black-album-anniversaryGRAMMY Awards: 8 Ways Jay-Z's 'The Black Album' Changed Hip-Hophttps://www.grammy.com/news/jay-z-the-black-album-changed-rap-game-hip-hop-anniversaryAndscape: The enduring allure of Jay-Z's 'The Black Album'https://andscape.com/features/jay-z-the-black-album-anniversary/Capital Xtra: Jay-Z: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Black Albumhttps://www.capitalxtra.com/artists/jay-z/lists/the-black-album-facts/dangermouse-the-grey-album/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vault-classic-music-reviews-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

August 11, 2023 is the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. What started out mostly as a spoken word artform has become a worldwide juggernaut. Thanks to the moguls who pushed the genre forward, hip-hop went from 0 to 100.In this episode, we rank the 50 greatest moguls in hip-hop's history. We reached out to industry experts — from artists to execs to media personalities — to help us compile the list. Friend of the pod, Zack O'Malley Greenburg, joins me to count them down from No. 50 to No. 10:39 How do we define “mogul”7:06 Honorable mentions09:10 The “Don't overlook their influence” group (ranks 50-41)16:19 The “Playing chess not checkers” group (ranks 40-31)23:38 The “Our impact runs deep” group (ranks 30-21)33:47 No. 2035:37 No. 1937:56 No. 1841:32 No. 1744:27 No. 1647:21 No. 1551:22 No. 14 55:55 No. 1359:09 No. 121:00:46 No. 111:02:16 No. 101:04:39 No. 91:06:44 No. 81:10:20 No. 71:14:06 No. 61:15:37 No. 51:17:11 No. 41:20:53 No. 31:29:06 No. 21:30:34 No. 11:33:22 Who got snubbed?1:35:42 What trends stick out from the list?1:41:21 Who would you pick to run your empire?Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Stitcher | Overcast | Amazon | Google Podcasts | Pocket Casts | RSSHost: Dan Runcie, @RuncieDan, trapital.coGuests: Zack O'Malley Greenburg, @zogblogThis episode is sponsored by DICE. Learn more about why artists, venues, and promoters love to partner with DICE for their ticketing needs. Visit dice.fmEnjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapitalTrapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital's free memo.TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Zack Greenburg: ownership. Was just such an important thing for Nipsey. Such an important thing for Berner. And, you know, interviewing the two of them, I would say, their mindset around ownership was the closest I've ever seen to Jay Z.[00:00:13] Dan Runcie Intro Audio: Hey, welcome to the Trapital Podcast. I'm your host and the founder of Trapital, Dan Runcie. This podcast is your place to gain insights from the executives in music, media, entertainment, and more who are taking hip hop culture to the next level.[00:00:39] Dan Runcie Guest Intro: This episode is a celebration to hip hop's 50th anniversary. This is a countdown on the 50 greatest moguls ever in hip hop. I'm joined by Zack O'Malley Greenburg, friend of the pod, and we both reached out to. A bunch of label heads, executives, people in hip hop that would know best. And we put it together in an aggregate list.And we're here to break down that list today. We talk about what does it mean to be a mogul? What are some of the considerations we made when we were looking into this list ourselves, how the results looked, what surprised us? What were the snubs? What were the misses? And what can we learn from this overall?And if Zack and I were putting together our dream teams, what would that look like? This is a lot of fun. Really happy with how it turned out. So let's dive in.[00:01:25] Dan Runcie: All right, hip hop's 50th anniversary is right around the corner and we decided to celebrate it in the only way that we know best countdown hip hop's greatest moguls and I'm joined by Zack O'malley Greenburg, who reached out to me about this. I was really excited about it and we spent some time over the past couple of weeks, reaching out to people we know, making sure that we have the best insights looking through and making sure that we had all of the. Breakdowns to share. So Zack, I'm ready for this. How are you feeling?[00:01:55] Zack Greenburg: I am stoked. Yeah, I mean, you know, 50th anniversary of hip hop. We reached out to 50 different judges. amongst, you know, the sort of, the most respected folks from, you know, label heads to artists to entrepreneurs, you know, I think we've got half of them, roughly half of them replied since in their votes, we're going to keep their individual votes anonymous, but, you know, Dan could tell you about some of the judges.Yeah, and it was just really fun to kind of mix it up, you know, I think the thing about this list, a lot of these characters are just kind of an apples to oranges comparison as you'll see once we dive into it, but that's the beauty of it, right? I mean, how do you, you know, compare like a pioneering executive to like a modern day artist mogul? And we really kind of left it in the hands of the judges. And we just said, basically the only guidance was, this is a business focused list, but you know, you can rank artists, executives, people who are both. It just, whatever your definition of mogul is, that's how, you know, that's how you should rank them. And people submitted lists and obviously the higher they rank somebody, the more points we gave them and, you know, the lower they got, but, you know, so there's some people on there who are like accumulators. They ended up on everybody's list, but not so high, but, you know, as a result, they ended up on the top 50.And then there are some who were just like, not ranked at all by most people, but had a couple of really high ranks so that they made the list. So I think it's a pretty cool mix.[00:03:10] Dan Runcie: Right? It's kind of like how we look at artists. There's some artists that have just been consistent, steady through and through each year. You'll always get some reliable output from them, but then there are other artists too. They were the best for a certain amount of time. Maybe they cooled off for a bit.Maybe they came back and that's kind of the way music is too. One of the things that. I was asked whenever I was reaching out to people about this was the same thing that you posed earlier. People wanted to know, how are we defining mogul and we left it up to their interpretation. It is a term that means different things to different people, but maybe for the sake of this conversation, let's kick it off here.Zack, how do you define mogul? And how did you define it when creating your list?[00:03:51] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, I mean, to me a hip hop mogul, more general is just, you know, somebody who not only is a business person, but has some degree of ownership, in whatever it is that they're doing. that's not the only definition of it for me, but like, you know, when I was putting together my rankings, I thought, you know, who are the owners?the same time, you know, people who are executives who are in a decision making place. you know, that counts for something. And I think also, you know, if you're an artist, and you simply have some control over your own work, you maintain your copyrights, whatever, like that counts as being a mogul. So, you know, specifically when it comes to hip hop, you know, I'd say people who are, you know, definitely getting in charge of your own work, but also creating new lines of business, you know, influencing the culture. but you know, a way that they've got some skin in the game from a business perspective, you know, that, kind of thing.That's kind of how I looked at it. but you could see from the votes that, you know, everybody had a slightly different definition too.[00:04:47] Dan Runcie: Yeah, there was definitely a lot of correlation with the artists who tend to be the ones that are the wealthiest. They end up at the highest rankings in on some of those lists, too, but it wasn't exactly correlated because there's a difference. And these are some of the things I kept in mind, too, with the mogul definition, thinking specifically aboutinfluence and impact, were you having, or did you create opportunities for others around you? Were you able to be a bit of a kingmaker or queenmaker in your respective right? Was there a impact in terms of other generations that either looked and modeled how they're doing what they're doing and looking at you as some form of inspiration with that?So there's the indirect impact and influence, but also the, Indirect piece of it too. So there's the money piece as well, but then what do you do with that money? And then that's how I had went about it. And similarly, everyone had their own unique spin to it.[00:05:42] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, for sure. And, you know, and I think the definition changed over time, of what a mogul really is, but when I was putting my rankings together, I think the idea of starting something new, you know, that's also paramount, amongst all the criteria as well.[00:05:55] Dan Runcie: Right? So, of course, Zack and I had our list, but we reached out to a number of people and several other label heads, executives, and people that are in the game.So thank you all to your contributions. We couldn't have done this without you. And if anything, it helped add a variety beyond just you and I, getting and putting our list out there. It added a more full scope and like anything. Oh, this is how you look at it. Interesting and being able to pull unique insights there.[00:06:21] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, for sure. you know, one thing I think we probably ought to point out, on the list, you know, the list is, heavily male. but it's about only 20% women on the list. you know, we did everything we could obviously to make it more equitable, but, you know, the votes are the votes.And, you know, I think there is a bit of a reflection of sort of the state of affairs over the past half century, you know, unfortunately, like many parts of music business, hip hop has been, you know, heavily overindexing for males. So, you know, here's hoping that when 50 years to do a hundred years of hip hop, you know, we'll have even things out a bit or completely, let's say maybe even, you know, made up for lost time, but I think some of the spots on the list, you know, the rankings do kind of reflect an industry reality that we've seen, unfortunately for 50 years.[00:07:06] Dan Runcie: Right? And hopefully this gets better. We do feel and you'll see when we talk about some of the people here, glad about some of the names that got mentioned. Of course, there's always room to be able to have more and hopefully for hip hop's 100th anniversary. If when and people are breaking that down, there's hopefully even more representation there.So, with that, I think it's probably good for us to get started right before the list, but talk about some of the honorable mentions. So, there were people that didn't quite make the cut of 50, but we still wanted to highlight them and the work that they. Did here. So a few of those names here to give a shout out to.So we have Cindy Campbell, Jermaine Dupree, Audrey Harrell, Jay Cole, Damon John. What comes or what do you think about when you hear those names?[00:07:55] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, you know, I mean, Cindy Campbell, I think in many ways you could look at her as the first promoter in hip hop history, right? I mean, you know, we're talking about 50 years of hip hop. That's 50 years from that first party that. She and DJ Kool Herc through, you know, in the rec room on Cedric Avenue.And, I think the idea was that they were going to raise a little bit of cash so she could go get herself a new back to school wardrobe. Now, if that's not, you know, entrepreneurship and hip hop, you know, from the very beginning, I don't know what it is. And so I think Cindy deserves a ton of credit, for being there at the very beginning, you know, but I think on the honorable mentions to a lot of the folks that are on here, you know, or maybe like a little bit, you know, not exactly falling on the same radar, you know, for the list. So like, you know, Damon John, obviously he did with, you know, creating FUBU and, you know, everything he's done as an entrepreneur, it's incredible, but it, I think it's sort of like more of a national brand that is, you know, apart from hip hop and so is his personality, right? Like you see him on shark tank or, you know, whatever, like he sort of moved past, I wouldn't necessarily categorize him, as just hip hop, although he's had a tremendous impact on hip hop.So I think probably that's why, he wasn't on more lists. It's not to sort of ding him his impact, which is considerable.[00:09:10] Dan Runcie: Right, and I do think that of course, music is one element of hip hop. You do have fashion, you do have others. So music definitely got weighted heavily in this list, but Dave and John and his influence in fashion, and there's other people in fashion and we'll get into them in this list too, but we can't overlook everything he did there and some of the more unique and clever marketing tactics that came from food booth that other people did who will mention in this list as well. 1 person that I do want to highlight here from that list 2 people. So, Jermaine Dupri want to give him a shout out as well. Just everything he was able to do with.So, so Def records. He was part of that movement in the 90s, where you saw LaFace and then all these other groups in the South be able to come up, do their own. There was a so so deaf sound, a so so Def vibe and his ability to do it both in rap, but also have a bit of the soul there. Some of the epic production that he's been involved with, even outside of hip hop, thinking about albums like Mariah Carey's Emancipation of Mimi and others, even though he didn't always do everything in hip hop. I think that some of his influence can't go overstated there. And then the second person who's similar in that regard, I would say is Andre Harrell. We talked about him in past episodes, especially the bad boy one, but everything that he did from Uptown Records and then moving on to Motown Records and gave in many ways helped give Puff the blueprint for what he was able to do years later.[00:10:37] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, I think Andre had a lot of successes, also had a lot of failures, not necessarily, you know, through his own doing, the time, but definitely somebody who deserves, you know, a hat tip at the very least. And, you know, I'm sure Puff would agree about that too.[00:10:52] Dan Runcie: Agreed. Agreed. All right. We ready ready to get into it.[00:10:57] Zack Greenburg: Let's do it.[00:10:58] Dan Runcie: All right. So in the initial group here, which we're calling the don't overlook their influence group. This is people who are ranked 50 through 41. so in order we have Ethiopia have to Marion at 50. She was the former CEO of Motown. We have Top Dog, co founder and CEO of Top Dog Entertainment. We have Mona Scott Young from her work at Violators and more recently Love Hip Hop. And what she also has done with Hip Hop Homicides and some other multimedia projects. We have T.I. with everything he's done with Grand Hustle and Multimedia. We have Eazy E with Priority Records. Many ways pioneering so much of the stuff we saw.We have Todd Moskowitz, L. A. Reed, Craig Kalman, former CEO from Atlantic. We have Sylvia Roan and then tied for 40. We have Desiree Perez and Steve Stout. What are your thoughts on that group list?[00:11:55] Zack Greenburg: Oh, man, I don't know. Maybe we should just pick out a few here and there that we thought were particularly interesting. I mean, you know, I think Ethiopia is a good example of somebody who would be higher up if she were identified, you know, solely as a, you know, as a hip hop mogul, but she's had kind of like a pretty wide reach, you know, especially in R and B, and pop. I mean, some of the stuff she's done with Erykah Badu, NeYo, Stevie Wonder, you know, like over the years, you know, wouldn't be classified as hip hop, but it's worth it nonetheless. just think that, you know, being kind of like in between, in between genres, you know, resulted in her being down a little bit further on the list.But, you know, somebody who had a tremendous impact. you know, I would also, I would highlight TI here, you know, the self proclaimed King of the South, but, you know, in terms of, I remember the years when, you know, we were putting together the Forbes list and, you know, kind of looking at, you know, kind of regionally who is most important to me.Yeah, he was sort of like. The Jay Z of the South. And he was really, especially when he was having that moment, you know, getting a lot of songs on, you know, national radio and, kind of being in the public eye, I mean, had a tremendous business focus, you know, he was always interested in sort of like, what's the next thing that I can create?and you know, that kind of entrepreneurial energy, you know, I think, especially within the context of the South, like taking the blueprint, from guys like Jay Z, you know, I think he certainly deserves a mention. I kind of thought he'd end up higher here, but I guess he's been, not as, especially in the music front lately.and then I would definitely highlight, Desiree, you know, she's somebody who's been behind the scenes for a really long time, with Jay Z and rock nation, but like. she runs rock nation. And although Jay Z obviously has the final say in things, you know, a lot of things that you see, come out of that camp are, you know, her doing and have her fingerprints all over them.And I know some of y'all might have seen the Book of Hove exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum or the Brooklyn Public Library that was a Desiree Perez production and, you know, she said that it was like her emptying her 80, 000 square foot storage unit into the library, but, you know, but to have, you know, that kind of, impact at a place like Roc Nation and to help, you know, Jay Z do what he's done, you know, I think those are all worthy, of notation and, you know, I think she deserves her spot there for sure.[00:14:09] Dan Runcie: Yeah, Desiree is someone that has been working with Jay Z for a while now, and I feel like she deserved a shout out on Jay's verse in Pound Cake, the Drake song. You know where he's like, Dave made millions, Lyor made millions. I feel like Desiree should have gotten a shout out there too, but yeah.I'm glad that she got mentioned here. Two other names I'll run through quickly. Steve Stout, someone who I thought would have ended up higher, and I know that, you know, it was interesting to see how the results played out, but I do think that one of the best marketers that we've seen come through hip hop.He was ahead of the curve in a number of ways, dating back to the 90s with seeing the men in black sunglasses and everything that he's done there from his time working with Nas, everything that they've done, whether it was the firm or, him being a record executive himself and then showing as well, how he's able to do it in advertising and bringing a lot of these companies and brands that didn't necessarily align or think about being related with, you know, hip hop culture and those elements to be able to do it.You look at a company like State Farm and how we now look at what that company has done. And a lot of that is through his work and obviously with what he's done at United Masters. So shout out there and I also do want to give a shout out to Mona Scott Young mentioned her earlier, but she was a right hand to someone who will mention on the list as well coming up soon with everything she did in Violator, this is back when, you know, Q Tip and Busta Rhymes and that whole crew were doing their thing. And then later, I know people have a lot of polarizing opinions about love and hip hop, but if you look at the career opportunities that were created for people that have came through, and the longevity that she's granted, a lot of people that the record industry forgot about that she was able to continue to give opportunities for think about the trick daddies, Trina's and folks like that. I know people hate to see them arguing on camera, but would we have Cardi B where she is today? If it weren't for the platform of love and hip hop, and she's continued to do things with other vocals on the list that we'll get into. So I do want to give a shout out to her[00:16:08] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, definitely a worthy shout out. And we could probably go on and on about even just like the tent in this bracket here, but I suppose we ought to, we ought to move on to the next room before, before we run[00:16:19] Dan Runcie: indeed. Yep. So the next group is playing chest, not checkers. So at 39, we have Dave Mays, founder of the source 38. We have Irv Gotti, founder of Murder, Inc. 37, Cardi B 36, Lil Wayne 35, Nipsey Hussle, 34. Steve Rifkin, from Loud Records 33, Missy Elliot. 32 Birder from Cookies, 31 Kevin Lyles and 30 Chris Lighty.[00:16:47] Zack Greenburg: Oh man, this is a pretty stacked bracket, I must say. I think that, you know, there are a couple of names that stick out to me here. I'm going to go with Nipsey and Berner, because in a funny way, I think, they have like a sort of a similar, a sort of similar strategy, which is like, you have a very clear idea of what it is that you're going to do.You own it, and then you, you know, you continue to own it like ownership. Was just such an important thing for Nipsey. Such an important thing for Berner. And, you know, interviewing the two of them, I would say, their mindset around ownership was the closest I've ever seen to Jay Z. and they really understood from the beginning that they had to own all their music.Own all of their branding own, you know, the companies that create on the side and then they can monetize it later. And, you know, with Nipsey rest in peace. I mean, he was just on the cusp of, of kind of like becoming a mainstream superstar, you know, when, his life ended all too soon. So, I think what Berner is doing with cookies is really fascinating like Berner is, you know, you want to talk, lists. I mean, he's in the top five, probably the top four or three at this point, in terms of net worth for actual, hip hop artists. And that's because of the success of cookies and, you know, there's been, a lot of ups and downs in the cannabis business lately, but like the amount of ownership that he has, you know, I think it amounts to about one third still of cookies, which is, you know, a billion dollar brand. When we gets legalized, you know, like he's going to see the fruits of his labor and, that focus on ownership I think is really going to pay off on the longterm.So I would highlight those two guys, in this tier as the ones that, I think were the most impressive to me. That's not to shade anybody else, but,[00:18:25] Dan Runcie: Yeah, those two guys are also two of the few people who I see people still wearing their merchandise on a regular basis. Granted, I live in San Francisco. There's a cookie store here. So, I mean, I know there is a local connection for sure, but same with Nipsey Hussle. I mean, sadly, it's now been over 4 years since he passed away, and you still see Crenshaw shirts.He understood, Nipsey especially, understood exactly where everything's going. And it's just so sad that, you know, it was gone so soon. Two names, I'm going to shout out here. I'm going to shout. I'm going to shout out Cardi B and I want to shout out Chris Lighty. So Cardi B talked about her a little with the Mona Scott young piece, but she's entered and ran her rap career more uniquely than other artists that we've seen at her level have. And I think that speaks a lot to just where the game is now. It's been over six years since Bodak Yellow came out. And it's been over five years now since her debut album. This is someone who hasn't put out a studio album in over five years.And hasn't gone on tour in a traditional way, but it's still doing her thing. And I think this is one of the things that's unique. She finds interesting ways to monetize herself and to put herself on. She's like, Hey, I can do these private shows and they're going to pay me, you know, 1. 5 million or 3 million just to do a half an hour set.I'm going to do my thing. I'm going to be there at Super Bowl weekend. I may not be performing at the Super Bowl, but I'm going to go do these private shows for Bob craft or the fanatics event or all these things and collect the checks. it's very interesting to see younger artists to do that Lionel Richie playbook, but she is like, Hey, I don't necessarily have to do that. And even though people always do try to, you know, loop her into the Nicki Minaj versus Cardi B beef, she still has lended her hand and extended it to other young artists, especially women in the game, whether it's Ice Spice and others, whether she's doing it through her talents and others. So she's someone that I hope as she continues on, you know, into her thirties and into her forties can continue to rise up this list.And then Chris Lighty talked about a little bit with Mona Sky Young, co founder of Violator and everything they're able to do there. Sad that he was taken away so soon, but if you have not heard this yet and if you haven't listened to the podcast, I highly recommend the Mogul podcast series that was done several years ago on it.It was done by Reggie Yose, who is Combat Jack, who has since passed away as well, but I highly recommend that if you want a full breakdown on everything Chris Leite did. Violator and after that was truly one of the early ones looking at product partnerships and a lot of the things that we see now that are common in hip hop.[00:21:07] Zack Greenburg: And, you know, if we didn't have Chris Lighty, I don't think we would have had 50 Cent. I mean, at least not to the extent that we have him. you know, I mean, I remember writing my first story about 50 and like for Forbes, maybe 2008 and sitting down with Chris and just kind of like hearing him lay out the plan.And again, it's the emphasis on ownership, right? you know, Chris Leidy, I think was the one who really pushed, 50 to take the equity in vitamin water and his parent company, rather than just do an endorsement. And, you know, obviously that became a huge, deal and really like a model for so much, not only of hip hop, but like other parts of the entertainment industry, you know, I think Chris definitely deserves a spot, maybe even should be a little higher. and you know, probably also, there's, you know, again, all these folks deserve a shout out, but Kevin Lyles, I think is, got one of the most inspirational stories. you know, it's another person, I think we've both interviewed a bunch of times, but, you know, just his journey from intern to president of Def Jam and I think seven years. And he just did it by working harder than everybody else like he wasn't an artist that got put there because he had some hit, it wasn't some kind of like nepotism deal, you know, he just outworked everybody and, you know, he had the talent and, you know, the horsepower to just like get it done. And to make that journey within seven years. So I think it's, for people who are listening and, you know, want to do something like that with their own career, you know, study Kevin Miles because he was able to make it, without being, you know, some kind of like preternatural, singing talent or something like that he just did it on smarts and work ethic.[00:22:39] Dan Runcie: And one of the few people that co founded a record label and sold it a decade later for hundreds of millions of dollars, which is what he did 300 as well. Right? So of course, not 300 now underwater, but everything he did with Lyor and Todd, there, is impressive. There's not that many black founders in general. In tech, any sector that have built and exited companies for several hundred, a million dollars, the way that he was able to be a part of that. So, hats offhim.[00:23:09] Zack Greenburg: yeah, I think it takes a special kind of guts to be able to, you know, I mean, he was a well paid executive with a cushy music job, you know, to leave that world, start your own thing. I mean, I know they had, you know, big backers and everything, but like to take a risk once you've already experienced that level of success and to go out and start something, you know, as opposed to starting something from scratch when you have nothing anyway.I mean, it, takes a lot of gumption to do that. So, you know, again, yes, a pretty cool second act for Kevin miles.[00:23:38] Dan Runcie: Indeed, the next group here, our impact runs deep. It is Nicki Will Smith at 28, Swiss beats 27, LL Cool J, 26, Coach K and P, 25, Julie Greenwald, 24. The E40 23, Pharrell 22, and Rick Ross, 21.[00:24:01] Zack Greenburg: Yeah. I think, that's a pretty strong, deck there. And I think also, you know, here, you find some people who, you could argue should be higher or lower based on, you know, how much of their career was done in the hip hop music world, right? Like Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Will Smith.Obviously those are huge crossover acts. but I think they all got a lot of points from some of the voters because, you know, that is in one way, the measure of a mogul, like you're diversifying your portfolio and whether that's by owning different things or, you know, by getting into, different types of performance, you know, on the silver screen, I think that's a viable path too.but just from like a purely musical entrepreneurial perspective, I would highlight, Swiss Beats and Pharrell, who I think, you know, the two of them are more influential than anybody in terms of like, I'd say Swizz in terms of art and Pharrell in terms of fashion. and you know, some of the things they've done around those two areas and, you know, Pharrell certainly, now with LVMH, but also before with Ice Cream, Billionaire Boys Club, you know, he was very active in starting his own things on the fashion side.And, you know, kind of inspiring artists to do that. you know, would we have had a Yeezy if we hadn't had Pharrell, you know, doing what he was doing and, you know, and even doing what he did with Adidas? you know, I don't know about that. And, Swiss beads certainly, you know, not only from the art side of things, but you know, it's a really impressive art collection.I did a story on him a few years ago and, you know, he's got like, Jeff Kuhn sculptures and Basquiat's and Warhol's and his, you know, like in his foyer. I mean, it's, pretty impressive stuff. but the way that he moves behind the scenes, as sort of like a corporate brand whisperer, at places, you know, like Bacardi, Lotus, you know, this goes on, you know, I think he, he's sort of like more quietlyinfluential than, some folks realize. And, you know, certainly has been earning, on par with, you know, with all the, you know, most of the names, if not higher than most of the names we've mentioned so far. and you know, what he's done on the, both of them, what they've done on the production side, also hard to top.So that must count for something as well. I kind of went more than one shout out there, didn't I? So[00:26:06] Dan Runcie: Yeah. No, that was good. That was good.I'm glad you mentioned the two of them though, because if you didn't, I probably would've called the other one out. The thing about Swiss as well, everything that he's done with versus specifically also embodies this idea and definition of a mogul because he was able to be.A kingmaker in the sense of creating opportunities for others. He did that through the equity that he was able to give all of those early participants in versus in trailer itself. And then additionally, with the careers that we're able to have a boost because of. everything that happened, with the matchups from versus specifically, you look at someone like Ashanti, who is now doing tours and pop it up every now and then she wasn't doing that before her versus and her battle versus Keisha Cole was one of the not, if not the most watched one that we've had.You look at Jadakiss and everything that he's been able to do since his epic showdown against, with Lox versus Dipset with that versus you look at Jeezy versus Gucci Mane. I know that versus definitely had its peak popularity during the pandemic, but that kind of stuff that he was able to do with Timbaland, I think also speaks so much to everything that he's been able to do there.And another person I want to mention to that was in this group as well that I think is similar is LL Cool J because I think similar to the way that. Swiss beets is Ella is also with someone that's been involved with multimedia with everything from the jump. He was the 1st artist to truly breakthrough from Def Jam and did it as a teenager.So, of course, he gets plenty of shout out for that, but he's also always been trying to find ways to look out for that next generation of artists. And he's been doing some of that more recently with rock the bells, and that's its own. Company and entity now where they have a festival coming up as well to celebrate things that are happening with hip hops anniversary.So it's been cool to see him do things as well. And I'll give a very brief shout out here to, coach K and P because they, similar to how I mentioned, Kevin Liles were able to build and grow a company and then sell it for, I believe, forget the exact sale price for, quality control. But they were able to do that thanks in part to a lot of the work that Ethiopia had done, helping to give quality control, the platform that it did, and especially in an era where I think it's harder for a record label to have a true brand, they were able to help give it a boost.[00:28:36] Zack Greenburg: That's true. And on that note of labels, I think Julie Greenwald, there's a mention, you know, she and Craig Kalman, who's mentioned, in an earlier grouping, you know, run Atlantic together. And there's a lot of, of music that we wouldn't have seen if it had been for the two of them, you know, running the show over there.So, shout out to Julie. I mean, the only one actually we haven't discussed here with E40 and Rick Ross. And I don't know, you know, probably get moving, but, do you think Rick Ross deserves to be number 21 on this entire list? Like ahead of Pharrell, ahead of, you know, some of the other names on here. I was surprised that he was ranked this high.[00:29:09] Dan Runcie: I love the spicy questions. Cause this is what people wanted to hear the podcast about, right? They wanted to hear one of us, you know, poke the bear a little bit.If Rick Ross was able to nail that dive in the pool, do you think you would have ranked him higher?[00:29:21] Zack Greenburg: Ha ha ha ha ha ha. No, no, I wouldn't. I mean, I still know. I mean, you know, like I get it, you know, he's called the boss that he must be a mogul, You know, and, some of the things he's done in terms of, you know, Bel Air and Maybach music and all that. Sure. But like, you know, when you put them up against like some of the other ones, did he really do something new or was he more just like following a, blueprint that had worked for others before and, you know, executing it to a degree success, but like, again, not, you know, not to the level of, let's say Pharrell.I think maybe I just, I'm salty that he ended up ahead of Pharrell. I think Pharrell is just way more influential and Mowgli, but, I don't know. What do you think?[00:29:59] Dan Runcie: So, I've read 2 of Ross's books and I interviewed him once on Trapital. I think that, to your point, he did follow the blueprint that we saw from others. I think he is smart about the types of partnerships he does, but it does feel like a ditty light. Type of playbook that he's been able to do and build.And I do think a lot of it makes sense. He may not necessarily have the large media entities the way that he does. Although I do think he's overdue for some type of comedy show or some type of reality show just following him around because I think he's hilarious. And anytime that he gets that, it could just generate something unique.And I'm sure he's been hit up about it. I do think that he's done well for himself. Just thinking about. Now, how his career is growing, I think it's been what, 16, 17 years since hustling 1st came out. I think in this range, there is some flexibility there in terms of like, where people are in certain ways.I get why he may not necessarily be as high. I'm sure if you looked at the net worth or the earnings, that some of the people that are lower than him may actually be higher. I think 1 of the knocks potentially is although Maybach music was cool. I wrote about this in Trapit as well. I think there was a missed opportunity.And part of that comes from, huh, did Ross do all the things that he probably could have done from a leadership perspective to especially like, when Meek Mill and Wally were beefing and stuff. And I think Ross had a bit more of a laissez faire approach to things, which in some ways is kind of the opposite of King making as we're talking about this, right?Can we really bring folks together and make something larger than it is. I think it was a bit tough in general for people to try to do everything themselves, try to be the boss of this label, which is signed to a different label because Rick Ross was signed to a different label than MNG was himself. And I think anytime you have that type of dynamic, it's just splitting the leadership interests. So I hear you.[00:32:00] Zack Greenburg: Yeah. So then how much of a mogul are you, if your label is really, you know, so I guess everybody's labels on somebody else's label and have you distributed by something, but you know, it's like when they're like multiple labels kind of, you know, intertwined with your label, it kind of causes the question.are you really the boss? If you have several bosses that you're answering to, but you know, I think actually though. in Rick Ross's defense, what he's done with Wingstop, I mean, that is pretty unique and, I don't know that anybody else on this list has something comparable in that space.So, you know, maybe that's why, I think, you know, by virtue of that, you could put them pretty high up. And maybe that's what some of the judges were thinking, you know, but he also ended up on a lot of lists, you know, so some of the judges just kind of like, maybe we're getting to some of the judges sent rank lists, and they're like, you know, this person is the top and they should get the most points and other people were like, here are my people.And you can just rank them evenly. and I think Rick Ross ended up on a lot of those lists. So, you know. I think again, maybe like I was alluding to earlier, he's a bit of a compiler, nothing wrong with that, you know, you can get into the hall of fame by compiling 3000 hits, but, it's interesting to see how, how the opinions differ. That's the whole fun of it.[00:33:06] Dan Runcie: He runs his business is almost like how a small business owner would in a number of ways where he has a bunch of car washes and, you know, his is 1 of the family members does that he has his wing stops, right? He has that. And it is a bit of this, like, mogul dumbness from that perspective in terms of like, okay, I have my hands in these things and I've hired people to have, you know, different roles within that that doesn't necessarily have things in aggregate. It's a bit more of the strip mall mentality as opposed to the, you know, building a skyscraper that could then build other skyscrapers, but it's something worth mentioning, but I hope we keep that up with a few of the other rankings we have coming up as we dig into the top 20, here.So, yeah, let's start with 20. So, 20, Queen Latifah, I think that she and, Ice Cube, who we'll get into in a minute, were one of the first that noticed, hey, I may not be able to do this rap thing forever, what are areas that I can expand this multimedia empire and everything I'm building.She was able to do this with Living Single, the show that was Friends before Friends was, and even the way that she was able to show young black people that were having, you know, highly sought after roles, but they still had their interpersonal dynamics. It was cool. It was refreshing. It was aspirational, which I do think that a lot of the black sitcoms were in the 90s.And she was able to do that, continue finding ways to put other people on as well through the work that she did. She was also willing to take risks. Like I remember when she was in set it off, people had a bunch of questions about, Oh, you're going to play a lesbian in this heist movie. What is this going to do for your career?And she was willing to do that. And I think she is always, you know, be willing to take risks. So, you know, shout out to her and I'm glad that several people have mentioned her[00:34:56] Zack Greenburg: Yeah. And I think she gets credit for, like you say, diversifying her portfolio. you know, into the acting world. it's worth noting, you know, she was barely ahead of Rick Ross. but you know, there is a big difference between 21 and 20. It's the top 20. So, again, I think, you know, she was a bit of a compiler, but there were a couple of people who ranked her in the top 10.and, you know, I think just like in terms of the breadth of her career, you know, the longevity, the diversity of the things that she's gotten into. you know, even if it's not as much ownership as somebody, even like a Rick Ross, it's just like, having your hands in a lot of pies and like that really counts for something as a mogul.So, I think it makes sense to see you there.[00:35:36] Dan Runcie: Agreed 19 is Eminem. So let's talk about it. How do we feel about Eminem in 19?[00:35:43] Zack Greenburg: You know, I think it's a weird one, honestly. you know, there's no doubting, his lyrical prowess and where, you know, where he kind of stacks up as part of like the pantheon of lyricists, like fine. But is he really a mogul? I mean, he's somebody who has been, you know, very reclusive at times. Who has, you know, kind of gotten in his own way at other times. I mean, I could see ranking him up here though, just by virtue of ownership of the music and sort of like the quality and quantity of his catalog. you know, what he did with D12, you know, he did have shady records and, you know, and all that.So again, you know, there, there is kind of a layer cake of a label situation, like some of the folks who mentioned earlier across, but, you know, that was at least important to him to set up, you know, as his continued ownership of, You know, his work and, you know, certainly when it comes to like raw commercial prowess, you know, Eminem, is one of the best selling hip hop artists of all time.If not the best, depending on how you look at it. And just, you know, simply by virtue of the amount of revenue he generated, you know, throughout the late 90s and early aughts at the peak of the sort of CD age there. you know, that deserves, some kind of something, even if he wasn't running around starting his own, you know, side businesses as much as some of these other folks[00:37:02] Dan Runcie: Best selling artist of the 2000s by a pretty strong amount, I believe, and has the most of any genre, right? And the most streamed song of the 2000s as well, at least on Spotify with Lose Yourself, and I'm pretty sure Till I Collapse and maybe a couple of others aren't too far. Behind as Will Page as Spotify's former chief economist said, anytime Eminem farts or burps or releases anything on a streaming service, it provides a huge bump to everything in this back catalog.So, I still laugh about that, but I do think that speaks to it there and. If, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he was one of the first hip hop artists to have a Sirius XM channel himself.So that's something that's unique and obviously Sirius is still doing its thing. So, shout out to him there. A bit higher than I probably would have ranked him, but that's why it's interesting to get the group results here. Ah, this one's gonna be spicy. Number 18. Your boy, Suge Knight.[00:38:02] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, you know, I mean, I think this is one of the tougher ones on the entire list. You know, this is not like a list of, Ms. Congeniality or Mr. Congeniality, as you'll see, you know, some of the other names on here. Obviously, you know, Suge is in jail. he's been involved in the death of, you know, human beings that like that is, you know, not sort of like what you're after in a mogul here, but, enough people, you know, I guess felt that the business, if you just, you know, looking at it from a pure business perspective, was enough to put them up here. And, you know, there is no arguing that death row at its peak was one of the most influential record labels, you know, not just in hip hop, but of anything. I mean, any genre, when death row was at its hottest, I don't know any, kind of moment where any other, you know, you'd have to stack that up against peak Motown or, you know, Atlantic or something like that, but, you know, that was really like a, peak moment. So, you know, I think this is one of the things we run into on this list like if somebody exhibits, a level of, you know, sort of business ingenuity, you know, that counts for something and, you know, the other things that you do in your life and your career, you know, we'll detract from that, but, you know, what you did at your peak, I think will get you pretty far in a list like this when people kind of count, you know, we kind of count sort of like the ceiling as opposed to the average, in some cases. So, I don't know. What do you think?[00:39:27] Dan Runcie: These are the two most impressive business moves that Suge Knight has done. Number two is shaking down Vanilla Ice to get his points for everything that he did on the album that had Ice Ice Baby there. Because he was able to use that money to then start and co found Death Row with Dr. Dre. That's number two.Number one is at the 1995 Source Awards where he publicly makes his Call to attract Tupac to say, Hey, I know you're in jail, but we're riding with you. Tupac wasn't signed there at the time, but he knew that this was an opportunity. Tupac likely needed somewhere to call a home and he called his shot. He was able to make it happen.I know everyone talks about the diddy shot about, you know, being all in the video death row. And that, of course, is infamous in its own right. But I think the number one thing that should night did is that that said. those 2 things speak to what should night is, 1, it is that muscle and the prowess of being able to overpower a situation and then take advantage.And I think those were things that he was good at. That said, I don't think he was necessarily strong as a. Business leader, the company imploded in large part. And I don't think it imploded because of Dr. Dre, it imploded because of all of the things, all the shenanigans. And I think for what he was building, some of that just got a little too close to the sun, unfortunately. And, that's Chuck Knight[00:40:49] Zack Greenburg: And, I think that, you know, in some of the reporting I've done over the years, One of the things people say is that Shug and a lot of the guys around him, you know, it wasn't that they were necessarily like that. It's just they kind of had been watching too many bad gangster movies and the music business, didn't know what to do with somebody like Suge Knight.And so the more he kind of like played this role, the more he grew into it to where, to the point where he was actually living sort of a bad gangster movie. and sort of like created, turned himself into a monster. Yeah, so I think like the evolution. or the evolution, of somebody like Suge Knight is sort of fascinating in terms of like what you can, what sort of playing a role can do to you, over the course of time.[00:41:32] Dan Runcie: Agreed. And well said number 17 here is America's most wanted ice cube. I'll start here to kick things off. I think that Ice Cube, like Queen Latifah mentioned earlier, was one of the early ones who had said that he knew that living and doing everything off a raft wasn't gonna last forever. And I think a lot of it was because he experienced some of the brunt and ugliness of it.I mean, we've all seen the Straight Outta Compton movie. He goes into Jerry Heller's office. He starts smashing shit. He releases no Vaseline. There was definitely a no fucks given that carried through even after he was done with NWA, but he saw what this industry is like as well and then that's when he starts writing screenplays.And then that's how Friday because the thing becomes a thing. And then. His career just continues to take off after that he still dabbled in rap and did his thing, but he definitely became known early on for one of the people that took a risk with cube entertainment and everything that he was able to do there.And with any of the movies that he had, whether it was the movies with Mike Epps and plenty others, I do believe that most of these movies were pretty profitable. And he was able to. Do it work within the confines that he had and just continue to build everything he did from a career. We've seen him expand as well into everything that he's done with the big 3 specifically giving a home for basketball players that can still play, but maybe they can't make, you know, a 13 person NBA roster anymore.I do think that some of his more recent news highlights that are a bit more politically driven or him walking around with Tucker Carlson and probably take it away from some of the more prominent memories of Hugh Ice Cube is, but yeah, that's why I had had him or that's why he, I think deserves to be, you know, where he is, on the list.[00:43:27] Zack Greenburg: Yeah. And I think it's interesting, you know, you see, Eminem, Suge Knight, Ice Cube, all together, you know, they're all, inextricably connected to Dr. Dre. one way or the other. Right. and you know, would there, would Dre have been Dre without the three of them? you know, at different phases of his career, you know, I don't know, I mean, I think certainly what, Ice Cube did as part of NWA, you know, I wouldn't say that, that NWA was like.like a business first organization. But like that wasn't the point of NWA and if it hadn't been for NWA, I don't think you would have been able to have business first organizations come out of hip hop in the way that you did. and certainly, you know, somebody like Dr. Dre, so. I think he gets extra points for that.and, you know, this is probably why, you know, he was again, I don't know, was he compiler? He was, you know, he had like a lot of kind of middling, a lot of lists, a couple of top 10 votes, you know? So, you know, I think again, everybody has their favorite and he's up there for a lot of folks.[00:44:27] Dan Runcie: Agreed. Number 16 is Drake. Should we poke the bear again?[00:44:33] Zack Greenburg: Yeah. Does Drake deserve to be at number 16 on this list?[00:44:37] Dan Runcie: This one surprised me, I was very surprised at the number of people that had him on the list, because you can make a case for the opposite, right? It's similar to the M and M thing, but almost to the extreme because M and M, yes, most commercially successful artists, XYZ. There's other artists that are less commercially successful at M and M that did more in that mogul definition but for Drake, it's even bigger of a Delta between these two, because here you have the most streamed artists of all time. So clearly commercially successful on its own, but people believe that OVO. Records or OVO sound itself actually could hurt an artist's career. And when you think about that, you think about some of the other multimedia things that he's done.I know he's been active as an investor and I know that people like Nicki Minaj and others have said, Oh, you know, Drake's a low key billionaire. He just doesn't want you to know it personally. Again, he may be, I mean, I'm not sure what he may not disclose, but it isn't always just about wealth. It's like, what opportunities were you able to create for each other?I do think it's good. That drink has been able to have different people that have been working alongside that. I think did get a bit of that drink stimulus package. And I think that's something that is quite debated, but I do think that. I feel like 21 Savage has definitely benefited from it. I mean, he was already commercially successful, but for him and Drake to do a joint album together was huge.I think it was the same way that it was huge for Future and the same way that the Migos going on tour with Drake in 2018 was huge for them and anything else that Drake continues to do from that perspective. So I think it is, you know, debatable, but I mean, people do definitely add some weight to the artists themselves.[00:46:18] Zack Greenburg: Yeah. And, you know, I think he should be around Eminem and whether they're both too high is an open question, but, you know, there's no doubting the commercial viability of what he's done. He did start more side businesses in Eminem, right? With OVO, whether it's the label, the festival, the clothing line, you know, he started a whiskey brand called Virginia black, which I tried once.It tasted okay. but I don't think it's selling, you know, I don't know if he's even still doing it. yeah, he is definitely involved as a startup investor, so maybe, you know, we'll see some exits and we start to think of him differently at that point. But, yeah, you know, again, I think it's, some voters just kind of overweighted, you know, musical prowess and pop culture influence.And if you're talking about that, I, I don't know anybody who's been as influential in the past 15 years. I mean, he's, you know, he's the most streamed artist of all time and that's got to count for something.[00:47:08] Dan Runcie: Right. I know his cannabis line failed, but there's a lot of people, even people that we'll get to in this list that have also had failed or struggling cannabisbusinesses. And, there's a lot that we could discuss there, but moving on number 15 is Sylvia Robinson, the originator.[00:47:26] Zack Greenburg: I think she deserves to be in the top five, personally. because if there were no Sylvia Robinson, yeah, I mean, I don't know that we have hip hop and, you know, it's, you know, for those who don't know the story, she was running sugar hill records with her husband, Joe sylvia was actually a child star singer herself.And, you know, they kind of had this like middling existence with their label. And then all of a sudden she's at this birthday party that she didn't even want to go to in Harlem and she sees Lovebug Starsky up on the microphone. A hip hop hippie to the hippie to the hip hip hop. You know, this is early, early seventies.She's never heard anything like it. All the kids, you know, hands in the air, like you just don't care. And the whole thing. she tries to get Lovebug to sign. There's some kind of dispute, like with his management, never happens. And so she just goes to the pizzeria in New Jersey, finds three kids, get him, gets them to talk real fast over this record is how she described it.and that's, you know, that's Rapper's Delight. That's the first hip hop song on Wax. That's the first hit. you know, that sort of spawns the whole genre. So, you could certainly argue, that, you know, she, borrowed or she hired, hired people who borrowed or whatever to do this, you know, like the idea that, that the first hip hop, track on wax was like, you know, originated in a pizza shop in New Jersey is really unfortunate cause it started at the Bronx, but like, you know, Sylvia came from Harlem.She, you know, she, she knew that world. Like, you know, she was part of the music business and, for better or worse, she took hip hop from being, you know, just basically like spoken word in person kind of thing to being, you know, national events. Would it have happened eventually?Yeah, I think so. But you know, who knows? I mean, it could have taken years longer and if it took years longer, you know, are we going to have the eighties with like run DMC and Def Jam and all that? Like, you know, I don't know. I mean, it, could have taken a lot longer to get off the ground if she hadn't done what she'd done.And, you know, I don't think we, I don't think we should really be dinging Sylvia Robinson for her Machiavellian tactics, given some of the other people on this list, you know, we're talking like Suge Knight and whoever else, you know, there's quite nefarious characters, you know, as we get higher up too in this list.So, you know, I don't think anything she did was. remotely as bad as, as like a lot of the dudes on this list. and, you know, so, you know, let's, I think we give her her due and yeah, I would definitely put her higher, but, you know, I think that's part of the deal when, when you have somebody who's that early on.You know, people are going to say, Oh, well, you know, the total gross is not quite as much as so and so or whatever the case may be. And she wasn't as famous as some of the artists. So, but you know, she's up there, I mean, ahead of some pretty big names, Drake, Eminem, what have you. So, I think she's getting some flowers here[00:50:00] Dan Runcie: The total gross knock is always one that makes me roll my eyes a bit because even if you take out the inflation aspect and the amount of money that's now in the industry, this is something that happens with pioneers in any type of industry. They are the ones that take the early hits to make it possible.She and her work is what made it possible for rappers to like, she and her workers have made it possible for the message and anything else that we then see after that. Yes. Sugar Hill. records did have its struggles, afterward, like many other labels. But what do you think about broader context of the eighties being a very tough time in general for black music?And there were only a certain number of decision makers in power that could make that happen. Yeah. You have to take that into account. And then additionally, she did stuff outside of even just this record label itself. As you mentioned, she was a recording artist herself. She also owned a nightclub. So there were other mogul type things that she had her hands.And so shout out to Sylvia, who knows where this would be without her.[00:51:00] Zack Greenburg: And probably worth caveating also that, you know, she did have some, Disputes over paying artists, as the years went on. So did like really a lot of people on this list is we could do like a whole separate, you know, like has some kind of dispute on how they pay artists. So, you know, that, that's probably worth noting too, but yeah, I mean, so does everybody else.And, you know, I think she deserves her flowers.[00:51:22] Dan Runcie: Number 14, Dame Dash,[00:51:25] Zack Greenburg: Another, another hot one coming in. I mean, I think a lot of people would disagree with this, but you know, some people would put them even higher. I mean, I think he might be the most polarizing name on this entire list. Like some people had on top five, you know, some people didn't list them at all.you know, I think it kind of comes in. We've had this conversation before. Would there be a Jay Z without a Damon Dash? you know, I mean, I think so, but it's that part of the, you know, we've talked about him in the context of startups and do you, you know, you need a different kind of founder for your like pre seed days than you do for your series B.you know, if you're like a mafia, family, you need like a wartime Don, you know, versus like a peacetime Don or whatever it's called. But like, you know, I think, Dame Dash is a wartime Don. He's a seed stage startup founder. and he does it fair as well. You know, when it comes to like the growth stage and the corporate boardrooms and stuff, but, you know, there's no denying his brilliance.you know, I think what he did, you know, certainly with rock aware, you know, expanding, the Roc-A-Fella empire beyond music. you know, maybe he realized that Jay was eventually going to leave and that they just, it wasn't going to be forever. And so he wanted to get his hands into, you know, as many different areas as he could, but, you know, there's like a lot of pro and a fair bit of con, but, you know, I think again, he's one who, you know, the pro outweighed the con, he didn't kill anybody, you know, so there's some people on here who did.yeah, the con is only like so much con in my opinion.[00:52:56] Dan Runcie: This conversation makes me think about, that backstage documentary that. Roc-A-Fella had put out after the hard knock life tour. And there's that infamous scene of Dave dash yelling and swearing at Kevin Lyles, who was at Def Jam at the time about the jackets and where what logo was supposed to be, or something other than that.And thinking about that in context now of like, you know, how we talked about Kevin Lyles and everything he was able to do from that run and still can continue to do. And with where Dame Dash is, is in his career, Dame Dash doing his thing. I think he very much lived through and practice and preach the ownership standards that worked for him, where he has Dame Dash Studios, Dame Dash this, and he's been able to.Create exactly what he wanted to. We heard him on that infamous 2015 breakfast club interview where he's yelling at DJ Envy and Charlemagne about, Oh, well, if your son wants a job, can you get him a job here at power 105 or whatever? No. Well, I can do him at where I'm at. And as comic as the delivery was, there is some aspect of mogul dumb.That is a bit of that King making aspect of, okay, can you create opportunities for others around you? What those opportunities look like definitely vary. And I think that is a factor. So I do highlight that is something that Dame is able to do. And Dave is also similar to he's similar to a polarizing basketball player in the sense that the media may look and be like, why do you all fuck with this guy?Like, what's going on? But if you ask the people that are actually in it, a lot of that would be like, oh, well, you got to look at Dame dash, Dame dash is the guy. And when I have. Interviewed. I'm sure you've interviewed and talked to many of young artists, too, or young label executives, too. A lot of them will reference Dave Dash.A lot of them will look at what he was able to do alongside Roc-A-Fella, almost in the same way that, you know, players will swear by Kyrie or swear by James Harden or some other type of athlete that may be polarizing in their own right. And the media is like, Oh, why do you all like this guy? And it's like, Oh, well, no, you don't understand.So there's something about. The people, and obviously I say that being self aware is us as people more so on the media side, as opposed to being in it themselves. But there's something about these young artists and moguls as well that have always looked up and respected what Dame has built. And even though it may not resonate, like, personally, I acknowledge that.[00:55:23] Zack Greenburg: I would say, if you're going to make a basketball reference, Maybe not personality, but like basketball style, I'd almost liken him to Carmelo Anthony, you know, like he's an isolationist. He's a scorer, like, you know, he may not be very good at distributing the basketball, but like, you know, you throw him the ball in the corner and he's going to find a way to get it in.And, You know, like a lot of people wouldn't think that he belongs in the Hall of Fame at all, you know, but some people would, be insistent on it. So, you know, yeah, I think that sort of like singular focus, you know, you could definitely give him credit for that,[00:55:55] Dan Runcie: Agreed. Number 13, we are Cohen.[00:55:58] Zack Greenburg: man, another like bulldozer of a human being, but, you know, certainly somebody who, you know, maybe he has also got the finger roll, you know, like he, he can have a light touch when needed. you know, I think just like in terms of longevity, we talk about longevity with some of the names on this list, you know, Leroy was there in the very beginning of hip hop, you know, managing rappers, and it gives the road manager run DMC, taking the leader

In this episode Vine's Cee Allah Rule talks ROC-A-FELLA. “Streets Is Watching"is a groundbreaking film starring JAY-Z, released in 1998. Directed by Abdul Malik Abbott, the movie provided an intimate and authentic portrayal of the street culture and rap industry at the time. With its raw storytelling and captivating visuals, "Streets Is Watching" had a significant impact on the hip hop community, catapulting JAY-Z's career and cementing his role as a cultural icon. This review will explore the film's artistic merits, its influence on the genre, and the lasting legacy it has left behind. Before becoming Hall of Fame Hov, JAY-Z in 1997 was still striving to make a name for himself in an extremely crowded New York City rap scene. Part of him getting shine at the time was the skills that he put on full display for his 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt. The album, filled with jewels like “Dead Presidents II” and “D'Evils,” gave listeners a full-colored introduction to the man behind the flashy and conscious poetics. But while it was easily regarded a classic, Reasonable Doubt was a slow seller. In an effort to build the exposure behind his coveted rap skills, Jay and his Roc-A-Fella Records co-founders Kareem “Biggs” Burke and Damon Dash inked a distribution deal with Def Jam, selling the initial half-stake of the label for a reported $1.5 million. Not long after, 1997's In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 arrived. But where Reasonable Doubt offered prophecy, the follow-up didn't quite back up the promise of its predecessor. -Revolt  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hotseat-haas/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hotseat-haas/support

Scoop B x Pain talks about the 27th anniversary of Jay Z's debut album "Reasonable Doubt" and his contribution to the project. Pain also talked about what it took to work with Biggs Burke, Damon Dash and Jay Z in the early days of Roc-a-fella Records as an intern. Pain looked back at the role Al Pacino played in helping him see the the influence his roles, in movies like: "Scarface and Carlito's Way" and so much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kanye, Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse, John Legend, Shirley Murdoch, H-Town, Chryssie Hynde, Rick James, James BrownThese artists & many more have recorded the Music Compositions of the Award Winning writing team of Jackie Members, Robert & Richard Poindexter!Music compositions can become legendary for decades after they first debut's by the original artist. New life & versions of compositions can keep artists alive for New Generations to enjoy. I stand with Jackie Poindexter on her fight for classic artist to get paid their royalties' & receive credit when any artist sample & or records their musicKanye West, Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse, John Legend, Will Smith,  Damon Dash, Rick James, Annie Lennox, Bone Thugs and Harmony, Arrested Development have recorded, sampled, used a song title for Movies ofThe Poindexter's Music over the years. Jackie Members joined them as a vocalist and songwriter in 1966. She became Robert's wife.We talk about Richard  & Robert performing at the The Apollo Theatre in New York City,  legends Jimi Hendrix, The Ojay's  Maya Angelou, Florence Ballard, famed songwriter & vocalist Alonzo Tucker, member of The Royals.Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, Producer & Songwriter Jerry, Ragovoy & two of Their artists:The Persuaders are a New York City-based R&B vocal group best known for their gold hit single in the 1970s, "Thin Line Between Love and Hate". It sold over a million copies, topping the Billboard R&B chart, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 29, 1971.Linda Jones was an American soul singer with a strong gospel-influenced style who had the 1967 top 10 R&B hit single, "Hypnotized" Jones was born in Newark, New Jersey,After her death in 1972 and in 2008, Linda's daughter Terry Jones, along with Helen Bruner, produced an album entitled, "Soul Talkin" featuring her mother's vocals. One of the tracks, "Baby I Know" was nominated for a Grammy Award at the 51st Awards Ceremony in 2008.On June 3, 2021, The Grammy Museum in Newark, New Jersey added artifacts of Jones to their New Jersey Legends Exhibit, which has been a feature since 2017, that includes Frank Sinatra, Dionne Warwick, The Sugar Hill Gang, The Rascals, Melba Moore, Naughty By Nature and others.On December 14, 2021, The City of Newark, New Jersey honored Jones with renaming Sherman Avenue, the street she lived on, to Linda Jones Way.Platinum and gold records awarded to the Poindexters include Slow Dance on the John Legend 2007 platinum album Once Again, He Can Only Hold Her on the Amy Winehouse 2007 platinum album Bacck to Black, Thin Line Between Love and Hate on the 1984 Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders platinum album Learning to Crawl, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate on the Annie Lennox 1996 platinum album Medusa, Willow is a Player on the Will Smith 2002 gold album Born to Reign, Girls Girls Girls remix on the Jay Z 2002 platinum album The Blue Print, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate on the H-Town 1996 gold single , A Thin Line Between Love and Hate on the Martin Lawrence 1996 gold movie soundtrack by the same title.© 2023 Building Abundant Success!!2023 All Rights ReservedJoin Me on ~ iHeart Media @ https://tinyurl.com/iHeartBASSpot Me on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yxuy23baAmazon Music ~ https://tinyurl.com/AmzBASAudacy:  https://tinyurl.com/BASAud

This is the breakdown on Roc-A-Fella Records. Founded in 1995 by the trio of Shawn “Jay Z” Carter (the talent), Damon “Dame” Dash (the promoter), and Kareem “Biggs” Burke (the silent partner), it became one of hip-hop's most iconic labels.The label took time to develop. Jay's debut album, Reasonable Doubt, is now seen as a certified classic, but took time to get that recognition. It wasn't until 1997 when Def Jam acquired a 50 percent stake in the label and The Roc went to that next level.Roc-A-Fella then created Rocawear, Roc Films, and went on an unprecedented arena tour across the country — rare for rappers at the time. Other artists like Cam'Ron, Kanye West, Beanie Sigel, and Freeway joined the squad.. Despite the success, the founders grew apart, which led to its infamous split. To break it all down, I was joined by my friend and Jay Z biographer, Zack O'Malley Greenburg. Here's what we covered:1:20 Roc-A-Fella origin story7:21 Reasonable Doubt09:43 Friendly rivalry with Bad Boy Records12:43 50-50 deal with Def Jam15:59 How Roc-A-Fella's deal compared to others18:59 The Hard Knock Life Tour's impact 28:32 Expanding the brand beyond Jay Z 30:32 Why Dame and Jay's split was inevitable38:59 Artists taking sides44:21 Best Roc-a-Fella signing?45:22 Best business move?48:27 Dark Horse move?53:02 Missed opportunity? 59:07 Will Dame and Jay ever make up?1:00:45 Who won the most from Roc-a-Fella? Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Stitcher | Overcast | Amazon | Google Podcasts | Pocket Casts | RSSHost: Dan Runcie, @RuncieDan, trapital.coGuests: Zack O'Malley Greenburg, @zogblogThis episode is brought to you by Norby, your digital marketing Swiss army knife. Get started for free with a free 2-week trial (no credit card needed) AND get 50% off for 3 months after that. Start your free trial todayThis episode is sponsored by DICE. Learn more about why artists, venues, and promoters love to partner with DICE for their ticketing needs. Visit dice.fmEnjoy this podcast? Rate and review the podcast here! ratethispodcast.com/trapitalTrapital is home for the business of music, media and culture. Learn more by reading Trapital's free memo.TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Zack Greenburg: I think it was really good for hip hop, and I don't think it was ever going to turn violent, but I think again, there was just this kind of like national paranoia around hip hop and, there is, you know, in waves.I think it was just a, good reminder that you can have like a spirited dispute and, it's okay and it's entertainment, you know? and it's, nothing that anybody needs to be afraid of. So, you know, of course like credit to Jay and Nas for resolving it amicably, yeah, I mean just, to have that end, you know, like very amicably I think was just so good for everybody involved. And then, you know, I think it's really fun to watch, Jay and Nas as their relationship has evolved And, you know, Nas was sort of always like the one who was sort of behind, when it came to the business of things.[00:00:46] Dan Runcie Intro: Hey, welcome to the Trapital Podcast. I'm your host and the founder of Trapital, Dan Runcie. This podcast is your place to gain insights from executives in music, media, entertainment, and more who are taking hip hop culture to the next level.[00:01:13] Dan Runcie Guest Intro: This episode is a rewind. We're going back in the clock to the late nineties, early two thousands, and we are revisiting one of. The most iconic record labels at the time, the one and only Roc-A-Fella Records. Roc-A-Fella Records, is the record label started by Jay-Z Dame Dash, Big Burke, and went on to be one of the most iconic hip hop record labels and hip hop brands, and that's a key thing from this conversation.I was joined by my friend Zach O'Malley Greenberg. He wrote Empire State of Mind, a biography on Jay-Z, and he also wrote Three Kings that broke down Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, and Diddy's Business Moves. So he was a perfect person to have this conversation with. We talked about the highs of this record label, the lows, some of the best business moves where Jay-Z and Dame didn't see eye to eye, some of the dark horse business moves that they made.What was the best signing from Roc-A-Fella Records? Missed opportunities and more. If you enjoy the episodes we did on Cash Money and Interscope, this one will be right up your alley and we already know what it is when we're talking about Jay, Dave, and Big. So let's dive into it. Hope you enjoy it.[00:02:17] Dan Runcie: All right. We are back to do another breakdown on one of the most iconic record labels, the one and only Roc-A-Fella records, and I'm joined by someone who wrote the book on one of the most influential people behind this record label. Zack O'Malley Greenberg, welcome back, man.[00:02:33] Zack Greenburg: Thanks for having me on, Dan, as always.[00:02:36] Dan Runcie: Yeah, and with this one, I think it's good to start even before Roc-A-Fella records because this label was a long time coming and there were a number of things that Jay Dame and Biggs, the founders of this record label were involved before this. So set the stage. Where were we pre Roc-A-Fella launch.[00:02:55] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, so, you know, I think a lot of people forget, although Jay-Z is a billionaire now, a couple times over, back in the early nineties, he wasn't even sure that he could make it as a rapper full-time. So, you know, he'd appeared on a couple tracks with his mentor jazz. Oh, this great Golden Age rapper. He had popped up kind of here and there, but, you know, really he was finding that it was much more lucrative to be a hustler.And so he was increasingly making more and more trips outta town to New Jersey and Maryland and so forth doing his thing. And, you know, I think he really kind of saw music as a hobby at that point. so he, he did have, you know, a couple supporters, namely DJ Clark Kent, you know, one of these influential producers, at the time.And, you know, Clark Kent really believed in Jay when a lot of people did it. And so he kind of kept trying to convince him to give another shot, like he could do this as an actual profession, and finally convince him to sort of take this meeting with Damon Dash. So he thought that Jay-Z was this just like once in a generation talent, from the musical side, and that Dame was sort of this promotional mastermind.And then if the two forces kind of united, they could create something really special. So in my book, empire State of Mind, Clark Kent tells the story of how he convinced Jay and Dame to sort of meet up. And so Dame, of course is from Harlem, Jay's from Brooklyn. There's sort of like this New York City snobbery thing going on, you know, Manhattan folks kind of maybe look down sometimes on people from Brooklyn and so they get together and, Dame rolls in.He sees Jay's wearing a pair of Air Force 1s and he is like, okay, this guy's cool, you know, he has good taste in sneakers, so I, can do business with him. and that was kind of like, you know, the initial hurdle was, you know, overcome and off it went. And so they struck up this really productive partnership together where, you know, Dame would kind of, help Jay Z sell, you know, they would go around selling CDs outta the trunks of cars and stuff like that.they were trying to get a proper record deal. and they just didn't have, like, nobody was kinda like really into the whole jay thing at the time. And you know, if you think about the music that he was making, unreasonable Doubt, it's like very nuanced. you know, like a lot of words packed into not very many bars, you know, like the space and the rapidity of the, the flow was like kind of not what was happening at the time in the, you know, by this time like, getting toward the mid nineties.So, basically they decided to go and start their own, and they brought in green Bigs Burke, who was kind of a silent partner, you know, another formidable hustler in his own right. And, you know, so there was the, talent, the silent partner and, you know, the promotion guy.And you know, when their powers combined, they were Captain Planet or whatever they were Roc-A-Fella records.[00:05:42] Dan Runcie: And I think part of the thing with Jay-Z that made this unique was his age at this point as well, because by the time they start Roc-A-Fella, he's already in his mid twenties, which doesn't sound anything unusual now, but back then, the rappers that were blowing up were always teenagers.There were always early twenties. You think about Dr. Dre, everyone from NWA, you think about Nas when he dropped I Maddock or you look at LL Cool J. Everyone is a young cat. So for Jay to then drop his debut album when he is 26, Is an ancient man, a grandfather trying to get into this game?[00:06:19] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, I mean, it's like a 26 year old rookie in, you know, the NBA or in baseball or something.It's just like, you don't see it. I mean, al almost ever. And when it does happen, it's sort of like a journeyman, you know, like role player type but jay, you know, had just packed a lifetime worth of lyrics into this one album cuz he kind of viewed it as, you know, this was like a one and done, like a novelty thing.And, you know, he really fully anticipated, you know, kind of coming up from the underworld, dropping this gem of an album and then kind of like disappearing off into the ether, like Kaiser Souzai at the individual suspects. And that, I mean, that was actually his plan. you know, according to a lot of people who I talked to around the time.So, yeah, it was definitely not sort of the normal path, for creating an album. I mean, I think they thought that. You know, they could put out this album, it would do well and then, you know, maybe they would bring along other artists and he wouldn't have to be sort of at the forefront.Like he might just keep doing his thing on the hustling side or whatever. but obviously things turned out a little bit differently.[00:07:22] Dan Runcie: This album was also a bit of a slow burn from a success perspective. I know that many people now when they're debating the best Jay-Z albums, the best Roc-A-Fella albums.This one's always mentioned as well as a few others that we'll get into. But if you look at the commercial performance for this album, in the beginning, it was not that high. The same week that it came out, the Nutty Professor soundtrack sold more records than Reasonable Doubt. And around the same time, that summer, I'm pretty sure that Shaquille O'Neill's album, cuz he was putting out albums at the time, also sold more than Reasonable Doubt did.So extremely slow burn. And you mentioned something earlier about the hustle that I wanna tap into because this is one of the big value ads that Dame Dash had with this. He was relentless and we've all heard the stories. Many people that have met him have also seen what it's like upfront. A lot of it speaks to his success.But he was someone who was in many ways, notorious for going to the New York radio stations and giving them gifts, understanding, yes, this essentially is payola, but this is what everyone else is doing. This is what the people with the real money in the industry are doing. So he's leading into that as well.And you mentioned Kaiser Associates also makes me think about, there's one of the music videos that Jay had from in my Lifetime, volume one where, I forget which song it was, but the song essentially, you know, the music video essentially was a spoof, odd usual Suspects where he's impersonating the the Kevin Spacey, Kaiser Souzai character on it.Sorry for anyone that hasn't seen Usual Suspects for the spoilers I just dropped there. But there's so many things that I think tie in with that and just stay consistent with who he is at the time.[00:09:08] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, absolutely. And I mean, I think that whole album, you know, the aesthetic was very like, maybe not Kaiser Soze, but, you know, sort of like gangster movie sort of thing and, you know, all the album artwork, you know, it's him and like a fedora and black and white and all that kind of thing.and so, you know, I think that, he's been obsessed with mafia movies for like, his entire life and you don't hear it quite as much, you know, as more recent albums. But he was kind of like living this underworld life at the time. And so I think it really resonated with him and maybe in a way that, that it, it doesn't quite resonate now.[00:09:44] Dan Runcie: And I think too that was in a lot of ways the theme that we saw he did in the nineties. You definitely saw Big Do It, especially in the whole life after death era, right before he passed. And I think there were a few moments that gave him the initial bump. Even after having Reasonable Doubt drop.Jay himself was featured on the Nutty Professor soundtrack because he had the song with, Foxy Brown that was also on his album. And then he's on Fox's album, album a little bit later. Her debut, he's also on, what's the song that Jay oh, David Brooklyn's finest, on Jay's album.[00:10:18] Zack Greenburg: Going back to Callie was on there. Oh my God, what an album. Yeah. But yeah, that was not, I would say Jay-Z got the better end of the collabs. with, the Brooklyn's Finest. I mean, that is a classic. Clark Kent produce that one also. And, you know, that was kind of like, that was another funny story from the book, like, you know, that there was also a bit of a friendly rival, mean, like they were, there were buds and all like, Jay and, and Big, but there was like a little bit of a friendly rivalry between, Jay and Dame and Puff and Big, because I think, you know, like, so the Whole Bad Boy thing was more established, by the time that Roc-A-Fella Records came about, and so I think Puff was kind of like Dame Dash, like another dude from Harlem, are you trying to be me? Kind of thing, you know, and so in order to make that song happen, I think before Jay and Big were friends, Clark kept kind of tricked them into recording the song together. So he was in the session with Big, and then he accidentally played a tape of a track that he had that was just an amazing track and Big was like, that's great.I wanna get on that. and he was like, no, I'm saving it for somebody else. And things like, well, who the hell else are you saving it for? And he is like, my man, Jay, you know, he's amazing. He's a beast. and big's like, I don't who, what Jay who. and so finally like Clark Kent sort of like goded him into, unbeknownst to big, Clark Kent had arranged for like Jay and Dame to be in a car downstairs.And he was like, oh, I think he's actually just coming in. And so he went down and he brought him up and so like Jay went in and recorded his verses, I think right then and there. And he left spaces for Big to put his verses in. and when Big went in and he listened to it, he was like, oh my God, this guy's so good.I have to like, go home and really think about this, about what I'm gonna put in there in the spaces that he left for me. and I think after that they were really good friends. but you know, it's, that kind of like, good nature trickery, shall we say. that, you know, I think some of these circumstances happen when you got some egos in the building and, you wanna make some magic.And, you know, as I recall, you know, for the chorus, Jay and Big had like become fast friends and, so like, they're leaving the studio and Clark's like, you know, on the final day that Biggie came and recorded or whatever, and Clark's like, what should I do for the chorus? And they're like, just scratch something.And that, that was how it happened.[00:12:44] Dan Runcie: Classic. And that's such a New York story, and it's also such a 90s hip hop story in terms of how the industry worked. Having someone like, oh, so-and-so's just downstairs, they're gonna come up right now because you have 'em, man, how people worked. Things classic. And it speaks to where Jay was at the time too, because as we mentioned, reasonable doubt, slow bird took a while for it to get.The respect that it deserves. But then you go to 1997, he has, in my lifetime, and that album also Slow Burn and wasn't necessarily as highly regarded as Reasonable Doubt, but still had some songs. And you could tell that Jay was trying to navigate a few things, whether it was he had the flashy suit ever himself when he had the song Always Be My Sunshine.He's feeling that out. I mentioned he had the Kaiser Souzai spoof music video, but it really isn't until 1998 where things start to change. So a few things happen here. The album Volume Two, Hard Knock Life comes out. That song, Hard Knock Life changes everything for the trajectory of that label, and that's when they start the partnership with Def Jam.So let's talk about the Def Jam piece first. Can you talk a little bit about that one and break it down?[00:13:57] Zack Greenburg: Yeah. So. As I recall, you know, in early Roc-A-Fella they had struck this, distribution deal. I think it was with priority. and you know, reasonable doubt was they had already been selling it on their own, sort of informally out of the trunks of cars.And then priority, you know, was distributing it. But it was kind of a disaster. They weren't paying Jay on time and, or maybe at all, at some point. And so he just kind of went back to 'em and was like, you know, if you're not gonna be paying me, or paying me everything, you're not paying me on time or whatever.Just like give my master's back and get me out of it. and somehow that's what happened. So that freed him up to be able to take this deal with Def Jam, where Def Jam bought a piece of Roc-A-Fella records. but again, you know, because they were buying a piece of it and not signing him to a deal. you know, he continued to own, you know, considerably higher portion of his own copyrights and, you know, possess more of the cash that came in than he would've otherwise. but you know, he already had the success. They already had this apparatus set up, so he had like, you know, he had leverage in a negotiation and I think, you know, even though his second album I think was kind of a dud and he would always, like, he has said in interviews that that's his worst album and the one that he'd like to have back.you know, he had some, heat, you know, with reasonable doubt. And then kind of like coming off the heels of Biggie's death and, being sort of like the heir parent. it was tight with Puffy who produced the second album, you know, for better or worse. But, you know, I think that really gave them sort of the ability to get what they wanted at a Def Jam, which was like, I think part of the reason that first album didn't do so well, and I think it was until fairly recently, his worst selling album, until sort of the back catalog began to catch up. But, what they needed was distribution those days was really important. Like you, you needed, you know, you could have Damon Dash, like Haranging, people at rec, you know, at radio stations all you want.But in order to really have the kind of, you know, national scale, that you need to be a superstar, at least in those days, really wanted to do with the label. So that's what they did,[00:15:59] Dan Runcie: Right, you needed someone that could get 500,000 units to 7,000 distribution points, and there were barriers to entry in order to do that.And yeah, to your point, I don't care how many bottles of champagne you try to give to Hot 97, that's not gonna make that happen without it, right? The thing that I always think about with this ever though, is the terms of this deal, because at least what we've seen publicly was that Def Jam had taken a 50% stake.In Roc-A-Fella records, and it was for one and a half million dollars. And that number always stuck out to me a bit because if you look at some of the other deals that had happened in that era, you had masterpieces distribution deal that he had done with the same priority records that Roc-A-Fella had their deal with.But Master P obviously had a much more favorable distribution deal with splits in his favor. And then similarly, that same year, 1998 Cash money, does their distribution deal with Republic Records? Of course, Def Jam is a different unit and Roc-A-Fella was in a very different place. And we know that Jay-Z had always talked about ownership and it was important to him.But it's a interesting reflection of just where things looked at in the landscape because it's easy to look back in Jay's career in hindsight and think that, oh yeah, his first album was a classic and then Hard Knock Life comes and everything is just up and up. But there was still. hierarchy and there were other artists that were getting more favorable deals, more ownership for their music, for their record labels.And Roc-A-Fella still got something that was somewhat favorable, but still not at the same level of some of those other people in the mid to late 90s.[00:17:40] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, I mean, that's a really interesting point, right? I mean, Jay obviously is this brilliant businessman and, you know, Damon and bigs aren't too shabby either.And yet it was a good deal, but it wasn't, anything like, a cash money or no limit in terms of the splits, and what they were doing. So, yeah, I mean, I think to your point, you know, those other acts, had kind of like a more established operation, you know, Jay was one guy with one album that didn't sell very well, that was kind of critically acclaimed, you know, so it was like A bit more of a risk perhaps, on Def Jams parts, they weren't really risking that much capital on them. So, you know, I mean, and I guess I wonder if that initial deal had been more favorable for Roc-A-Fella, if they had managed, to have, you know, the kind of splits that Cash Money and No Limit had might they have stayed in business together longer? You know, in a way it's like if the pie that you have or like if the one big pie, and, you know, if you're a slice of the pie that you're sharing with your two business partners is that much smaller than it is, than, you know, let's say the Williams brothers were sharing a cash money, you know, maybe you feel, a lot more restless and, inclined to go elsewhere, but we can get to that later.[00:18:59] Dan Runcie: that's a good point too, because if Cash Money is still in business. And we know cuz we recorded that episode not too long ago, but Birdman and Slim are still getting tens of millions of dollars per year. It's essentially a cash cow asset that they have. Def Jam is still collecting for Roc-A-Fella, as is universal. And I know that Jay and Damon Bigs do have their splits, but it's not the same because they eventually did sell the other half of the record label to the parent company Def Jam. I think it was Island Def Jam at the time that that deal happened. But it changes the dynamics a lot. But with the story though, we are getting to the point where Roc-A-Fella is clearly on the way up.And I think there were a few things coming that did set things up for them. But one thing that I think was a big difference maker for them around 1999 was them wanting to go on tour and. Have their name out there. So 1999 they have the Hard Knock Life tour and at this time it was pretty rare for, all Hip Hop Act to have a nationwide arena tour that happened because at the time they had past shows or whether it was at Run DMC shows or other things in the late 80s, early 90s, and cause of violence and because of things like that, all these promoters and all these venue operators were so scared of hip hop.So you had Smoking Grooves and other festivals like that in the mid nineties where they always had to pair you with the R&B actor. They had to have two folks together. I know that Bad Boy had its, arena tours as well, but they always had the R&B acts that were there, so they needed to, they were really trying to do something different.But I think this is where Dame's Magic came to life because he was able to really control the narrative and be out in front with how they were making sure that violence wouldn't happen, whether they had their own security on top of whoever was there. They had the fruit of Islam that was at each of these shows standing there to have the, bodyguards there as present.When the reporters came into the trailers to see what they were doing on tour, there's this iconic video of Tie Tie and he has videos up and this VHS tapes up of, oh, you think we're just watching gangster flicks? No, here we got Goodwill Hunting right here. We got Brave Part, we got as good as it gets.Like we're here watching videos like anyone else. And with that and even, I think they did something that was either, either donating money or something as well cause in Colorado, because they had a show right around the same time that the Columbine shooting had happened there. So there were a few things they'd done there.And I think that tour in a lot of ways helped. Not just the Roc-A-Fella crew, but all the other folks that were associated with them that came along like Red and meth and Ja Rule and others. But then after that, we then saw the Up and Smoke tour. We saw Rough Riders and Cash Money go on tour. And I think that tour in a lot of ways helped propel them into that next level to continue to have a lot of that success.[00:22:06] Zack Greenburg: Totally. And you know, and I think it wasn't necessarily reflected in the bottom line. I mean, I don't remember what the gross was, but, you know, 18 million I think. Yeah. Like Taylor Swift probably grossed that in one show at,[00:22:20] Dan Runcie: I think he made that in two of the three nights at,[00:22:23] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, definitely, definitely over a weekend in the Meadowlands, but yeah, she probably had definitely, let's say, definitely crushed it in her like little weekend did in the Meadowlands. But you know, and so obviously if you're grossing $18 million. You're probably only taking home, you know, 10 of that after cost, maybe like, probably more like, you know, I don't know, seven or eight. and then you're dividing that up amongst however many people. There were a lot of people on that tour for like a fair amount of tour days, so it did not work out to a lot of sort of take home pay per show, but it really kind of opened the door. I think in the aftermath of the death of Tupac, Biggie and like all of this, you know, sort of, like moral panic around hip hop and violence and all of the, you know, whatever Tipper Gore stuff, you know, that this was sort of like a reminder that like, yes, hip hop Acts can go on tour and it's gonna be fine.And like that, you know, that had been done in the past and, run DMC and what have you. But, you know, NWA had gone on tour and, you know, had a big national tour. So there were other examples before, but I think people were like, kind of freaked out about hip hop in the national zeitgeist at the time, and this kind of really helped to kind of reset things. And, you know, opened the door for other rappers, but, you know, for Jay-Z himself down the line, you know, I mean, he's been a really prolific touring act and I think he's always been really clever, about it because, he's like, even now, like he can sell out arenas, but, you know, he's not like, I don't know, he sort of can't necessarily do, he can't sell out stadiums by himself, that's for sure. And there was a time when he couldn't sell out arenas by himself. and there's probably a time when he couldn't sell Amphitheaters by himself, but he always goes around, he brings somebody with him and he's got a really good kind of, level of self-evaluation and he's like, you know, he doesn't let his hubris get in the way of like, I can sell out whatever, whatever.unless he knows he can, you know, he, he's very accurate in that assessment. And if he can't make it, then he just brings somebody with him. He brings Eminem with them. you know, he goes out with Beyonce for the stadium tour. So, you know, Justin Timberlake with him. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Exactly. So in a way, I think that tour was kind of the beginning of that.And, you know, how he could, see some synergies by mixing and matching with other artists[00:24:35] Dan Runcie: And that tour too Hard Knock Life tour. He showed signs of that awareness there. There's this iconic clip when Jay-Z was on the shop a couple years ago and he's talking about the show. This was shortly after DMX had passed away and Jay-Z was going on tour in each of these nights after X and X's shows, you know, he's taken off his shirt, he's doing prayers at the end.So you have people that are laughing, you have people that are crying, then people that are screaming and then they come out and they're like, oh, now you go like pointed to Jay-Z. And I mean, one Jay's storytelling of that is good. When we post this episode, we'll definitely share this clip in there, but two, it showed this awareness that people have spoke about of, and it's also what you're saying, even if he may not have always been the central act and another running thing that people have said over the years, what year was Jay-Z, the top guy in hip hop?And I think that is a very debatable thing, but it's the longevity and that's the thing that speaks to it. And how he's been able to stay through that over the years. And because he was always that core piece, like we said, price is probably one of the reasons that they didn't get a no limit or a cash money type deal.It really was just him. I think there was that one R&B album that Rocefella hadn't released in 1997, but didn't really go anywhere with that artist. So things didn't really pick up until late nineties, early two thousands. And you start to see more of the artists on Roc La Familia, and they're really able to spread their wings in that way.[00:26:10] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, I mean, another thing to remember, at the time, you know, especially, I think it was 98, 99, that was when, you know, Def Jam. So I think Def Jam had already taken a pretty significant, institutional investor, but, they were selling the company or like maybe the remainder of the company or most of the remainder of the company.There's this really, really big deal happening. and I forget which sort of, European entertainment conglomerate was it Bertlesman or It was like, was, something that's since been reconstituted or, or whatever. But the, the deal was gonna happen and you know, the deal was gonna be for whatever multiple of revenue, that Roc-A-Fella had or not Roc-A-Fella, that Def Jam had produced in the prior year.And so for the, I think it was the calendar year of 1999. And so, Lyor and Russell just like leaned really hard on Jay and DMX and they were like, we need you to put out like two albums in 12 months because we're just gonna get a multiple of that. And I don't remember the exact advances that, that were given, but you know, I'm sure it was considerable.And so, you know, they were able to put out like each of them two really killer albums in the span of like about 12 months each. which is like kind of unheard of these days, right? I mean, Jay-Z goes, is like five years between albums now and, I think that was, volume two and volume three for Jay-Z.And I think for DMX, it's dark and.[00:27:38] Dan Runcie: Dark as hell and hot and then flesh and my flesh blood. And then, and those were like, like, and then there was X was the third. Oh, then there was X.[00:27:45] Zack Greenburg: That's right, that's right. So those were like, like two, like for each of them to[00:27:49] Dan Runcie: a year and a half spare albums.[00:27:51] Zack Greenburg: I mean, yeah, back to back, you know, man, like to have that much, sort of creative energy to do it so quickly, and to have it sell so well, I mean, it is quite a feat and you know, and they, personally enriched Russell and Lyor and Rick Rubin, like, I would say quite substantially cuz it just drove up that multiple.And, yeah, I think a lot of people kind of forget, how critical they were, you know, to that process. But it probably also caught thinking like, Why am I working so hard to make somebody else, you know, I'm getting rich, but they're getting wealthy and, I think the gears are continuing to turn for him at that point and he's like, Hmm, how do I kind of get to be more in their position, right?[00:28:32] Dan Runcie: Cuz I think at this time, this is when you start seeing more of the Roc-A-Fella expansions in a few ways. First Dame is already thinking about ways to extend this brand. You see Roc films, Streets is watching comes out in the late nineties and then they put out a whole documentary about the Hard Knock life tour as well.And they start selling that as the DVD Rocawear comes out. And we're gonna do a whole episode about Rocawear eventually, but, you know, Rocawear itself. And then you also just start to see more and more product coming from Roc-A-Fella that isn't necessarily from Jay himself. And I was looking back from a timeline.And this is one of the unfortunate things about Roc-A-Fella, we're gonna get to this, but right around the time they split, you could argue that they were just continuing to go up and up and up with the releases every year. Like this is the 12 month stretch that they had where I think they had the highest products.Starting in February 20th, 2003, you had freeway drops, Philadelphia Freeway, Dipset Drops, diplomatic immunity. Joels has his debut album. Jay-Z drops the Black album, Memphis Bleak drops his, and then top of 2004 Ye drops College Dropout, Young Guns drops their debut. And that's all in a 12 month span.That's some no limit cash, money level of dropping albums. And so there's so many hits and so many memorable songs that they had during that stretch.[00:29:59] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, absolutely. And you know, I think that if, you know, we were talking earlier about the splits and so forth, but it's like, can you imagine. If they had the kind of splits to catch money it had, when you have all those albums coming out and, you know, yeah, I think it really would've changed things.Not only that, but you know, to own the masters of all those artists, which you probably would've in those days. you know, to have like a hundred percent or something close to it on all those artists with all those classics. you know, it would've been very hard to walk away from, you know, as they eventually ended up doing.[00:30:33] Dan Runcie: And I think what you mentioned earlier, probably alludes to this, right? Because if there's enough of the pie to these split between the three founders and everyone else, and they're the one accruing the assets from what they have, then maybe Jay and Dame are more likely to figure out their differences in a way to make things cook because it's working for everyone.But when you're still paying Def Jam in on top of that, or you're still paying island def jam in on top of that universal even more money, it's tough to justify that. And I think this is a good time to talk about the split. The infamous split between Jay-Z and Damon Dash. You could start to see that the two of them were going in different areas where Jay-Z was wanting to be really focused in on what he was doing from a music perspective, wanting to expand there and wanting to just do different creative things.But Dame had his own approach, and we talked a little bit about that with, the films and the sports and other things too. But he also wanted to do things his way. He was starting to get a little bit more spotlight. And then there's that infamous clip of them at Summer Jam 2001, where Dame Dash is in his full element.And Jay-Z's just like expressionless. And that clip is often looked at as like you knew from this moment. That these two just were necessarily gonna be at the same page because this is 2001, Jay-Z's are drop about to drop the blueprint, his masterpiece. And granted, you know, he could have just been in the zone or whatever, but it's definitely an unfortunate thing because granted, Jay-Z was able to reach further heights, but you never know what could have happened.You just look at how much Rocawear ended up selling for you. Look at the continued success, the momentum, and I think what it boils down to is to. People that had different philosophies where it makes it tough. Jay-Z was a bit more focused on wanting to be rich. He was willing to do partnerships with others if everyone could eat and have a piece of the pie. Granted, he still wanted ownership, but as you've written about before, he has his perceptions on underdog brands and how he could move like a private equity executive and make the right investments. And even the m and a deals he's continued to do today, his live nation deal is the element of this.But Dame was a bit more wanting to be king. He wanted to have his stamp on things. And I think you see that even now today with Dame Dash Studios, Dame Dash, this, like, it's very important for him to be able to have his kids and his other folks around him be able to work with him and be the boss, not necessarily wanting anyone to tell you what you can and can't do.And that infamous Breakfast Club interview that they had, I think it was 2015 when he's yelling at DJ Envy and Charlemagne about, well, they gotta report to whoever at Power 105 and that's their manager, that they're not a real boss, is an element of that whole dynamic. So it's frustrating that it happened, but it's also not surprising.[00:33:26] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, Jay has kind of adjusted his views on ownership and he said recently, I mean, he's sold some of his big brands, or sold half of it into, a JV with like LVMH or you know, or whatever. And he's very much of the mind of like, well, I, you know, 50% of like a billion is a lot more than a hundred percent of, you know, a couple hundred million, and I think Dave, that's[00:33:51] Dan Runcie: that you did with Kevin Hart, right?[00:33:53] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly right. So, and I don't remember the exact quote, but maybe you could, maybe you guys can pull it up, but I don't think Dame really ever got that. He was always like, well, I want a hundred percent, you know, and so, you know, he ended up with a hundred percent of like, whatever, you know, seven or eight figure amount that he ended up with.But he could have had, you know, 50% or 30% or something of like billions of many billions probably. But you know, just to kind of like, I think there was a precipitating moment that sort of like was the end of, Roc-A-Fella a s it was, a partnership between the three of them.But it really could have been anything. it was headed that way for a couple of years. And, you know, I think what it comes down to, is that, I don't know. I mean, I think that Jay also recognized that Dame was very, very valuable. The skillset was especially valuable in the come up.And, you know, like when you are not well known, you need somebody to go in and yell at somebody at the radio station. you know, but then when you get there, you need somebody to like not yell at certain people, you know? And, when you get to that next level, and sort of Dame, you know, didn't adjust, To that.And, Damon was sort of Damon or wherever he was. And it was great in one situation, not great in another situation. So I think the precipitating incident was basically when, you know, after this sale, which ironically Roc-A-Fella helped, boost, you know, the Def Jam sale. There was a reshuffling of executives, which is like so complicated.I'd have to go back to that chapter of my book to, to look at it. But the gist of it was the role of president at Def Jam, opened up and, it was offered to Jay-Z. And so, you know, Jay-Z, this is something that he had sort of, it's this like great prestige job. something that he'd always been wanting.And I don't think he wanted it, like, this is my dream job that I've always wanted. As much as it was like, if I can do this, be a CEO, this opens the door to so many other things. And it will really sort of entrench me as not being pigeonholed as an artist. And, it was a no-brainer and of course there was no way to do this without, stepping on Dame's toes.So, you know, there's this whole great drama, and I think, you know, the wheels started turning when Jay-Z was, you know, on, on a yacht in the south of France with like Beyonce and Jimmy Iovine and Bono or something and, kicking it. And, you know, there's some executives there. Some conversations were had, I think at the same time back home, Dame, like elevated camera on to VP level at Roc-A-Fella without consulting Jay.And it was this kind of like big scandal and when Jay-Z came home, he was like, no. And he kind of demoted him. So there was some awkwardness there. but you know, I think then that Jay kinda like accelerated his, push toward this CEO role, and when he got it, it's like, all right, you know, sorry Dave, I'm your boss now.I mean, because of course Def Jam was, but Roc-A-Fella, there was really. There was no way for it not to be structured like that. so, you know, when that went down, of course, like Dame immediately, you know, quit or left or whatever, and, there was a hot minute where he started the Damon Dash Music group within Universal, but, you know, then he kind of like kept doing the same thing and kind of yelling at the wrong people.And, and so that didn't really go anywhere. And, you know, the thing kind of fizzled out and Jay offered to, I think he wanted to give, at the time, he wanted to give, Biggs and Dame, like all of his preexisting masters in exchange for exclusive ownership of Reasonable Doubt. they said no. but of course, you know, I don't know that the Black album had gotten as big, is it?You know, I hadn't like really fully blossomed into what it, what it ultimately was at that time. And there's like all this other, so anyway, I mean, there's a lot of like trades being offered and you know, people sort of like, you know, it's like the guy in your family in football league, your fantasy baseball league.You kinda like overvalue his own players. Think I've made this analogy before, but, dude, come on. Like, you know, you're running back, just got injured and offering you my extra running back for this wide receiver who you're not even music anyway. it didn't really work out.Everybody got all pissed on each other, you know, at the end there's bad blood. so th there's this great moment that Dame talks about how, shortly after all this went down and they're like in the elevator at, I guess the Universal Museum, that Def Jam was housed in. and Roc-A-Fella had been housed in or something.And they're like bumping each other in the elevator and Dame is wearing a state property shirt and Jay C's like in the suit. And Dame's like, man, you know, things are really different now. Like, dude, you changed, you know? so, you know, I don't know if Jay changed so much as like Dame didn't change, you know?you could argue the problem was that Jay changed, but you could also argue that problem is that, that Dame didn't. And, you know, I mean, to some extent like power to him, you know, be you. but Jay, you know, in the way that I think you know, he's constantly changing. He's restless, he's always, everything is a chessboard.He's always evolving, you know, I think ultimately there was no way to stay locked into a partnership with someone who wasn't kind of willing to change with them.[00:38:59] Dan Runcie: One thing you mentioned there made me think about how they think about things and where they are from a strategic perspective, Dame is very much your early stage startup guy.He's great for the pre-seed era. He's great for when you're even in the seed stage, maybe even series A, but once you get to that series B, C, you're starting to get some higher level executives. You're getting more talent, you're gone to bigger things. You can't operate the same way and no different. How those organizations often need to rotate and think about leadership.That's essentially what in many ways was the opportunity there at Roc-A-Fella. And there's nothing wrong with being very successful at that pre precede seed stage. I don't think Roc-A-Fella would've got to that point if it weren't for Dame hustling in many absolutely ways, whether it was on tour radio, and I think a lot of his success traits have been carried through and things we've seen celebrated and leaders in tech and people that do things that don't scale that very much is Dame Dash. That next level, though, is where things did get a little bit tough because the label's clearly getting ready to go to that next level, and they just had their tensions there.The thing that was unique though, about their tensions is that the artists themselves that were on Roc-A-Fellas started picking sides in terms of who they wanted to be with, who they were gonna side with, Jay versus Dame, and as you mentioned, Dame was the one that had elevated Cameron, who was the leader of Dipset at the time, to that VP level.That then brings everyone from dipset under his umbrella, but Ye, who had just dropped the college dropout and he was the one that was always trying to make it. He then signs with Jay, he also has a very memorable interview on the Breakfast Club where they asked him about this, and Ye was the one that was like, me and Dame we're the same. We think the same. This is how we act and go about things but I could learn more from Jay. He knows how to talk to people and he uses Jay's iconic lines. He's like, Jay knows how to move in a room full of vultures. That's just how he is and sometimes I be talking and saying the wrong things, which is a very ironic thing.I don't know if Kanye himself would admit that now, cuz that very much is a self-serving prophecy. I do think that there's a lot of truth in that, and just how things ended up shaking out for both of them. You saw the moves that everyone continued to make, and even though ye has definitely been quite polarizing in the public spotlight, a lot of the moves that he continued to make, whether it was with Yeezy or with the partnerships he's had, I do think stemmed from how he looked up to his own big brother in Jay.[00:41:42] Zack Greenburg: Yeah. And he could have easily gone with Dame, right? I mean, you know, Jay wasn't so great to him early. Jay didn't believe in him as a rapper, he kind of wanted to keep him as a producer and Dame was, I think, the one who really advocated for Kanye as a rapper. but you know, I think Kanye, in his, you know, like more self-aware moments can say things like, oh, I think I could learn more from Jay.He brings something to table that I don't have, for Dame, I think the difference between Dame and Kanye is that they're very similar, in a lot of ways. But Dame isn't an artist. like, let's say a generationally talented artist. And so people will not put up with you if you're an executive. And you bring along those headaches in the way that they would put along, put up with you if you're a generational artist and you bring those headaches. And I think that was sort of like also, something that did Damon. And you know, in a way I think Damon Puff had a lot in common like they can just go in and kind of bulldoze their way into something.but Puff has that, that like other level where he can sort of like turn it up and down and, you know, to fit the situation. and is like more of a chameleon than Dame is. And Dame's just kind of dame all the time. so, you know, those are sort of the, personalized to play. But you know, like one person who gets lost in the shuffle here is Cameron.And because that was sort of the prime of his career that got like, entangled in this sort of higher level beef. but you know, you think about that album, come home with me and Hey man, like, I mean, Cam was really on fire, going into this whole situation. And then he got kind of like, I don't say like exactly lost in the shuffle, but almost lost in the shuffle.You know? and you just kind of wonder how his career would've gone, you know, let's say if, sort of he hadn't been like Dame's guy, you know, if what if he had gone to Def Jam? You know, what would that have looked like? could he have been on the level of somebody who signed? You know, like, I don't know.I mean, around that time, I think, Rick Ross signed a Def Jam, was it?[00:43:41] Dan Runcie: Ross, Jeezy, yeah.[00:43:43] Zack Greenburg: Yeah, like, you know, I think certainly has, you know, comparable ability, Tyler and those guys and, you know, I think both of them went on to have, You know, sort of like more longevity. but like, you know, I think, some of the Dipset classics and some of the solo stuff too, I mean, it's pretty unbeatable.So, you know, I just wonder, he's had a really good career, either way. But like, you know, I don't know that he ever like, broke through that next level, consistently, you know, to the point where he could just kind of stay there indefinitely. And, I wonder if he might have, if things had kind of gone differently in the Jay-Dame scenario,[00:44:21] Dan Runcie: The man had men wearing pink. He started his own fashion. Yeah. Unbelievable. Yeah, that's true. Unbelievable. With that, I think it's a good chance to hit through some of these categories, cuz I think you're jogging my memory the few things here. what do you think is the best signing that happened under Roc-A-Fella?[00:44:39] Zack Greenburg: Well, I guess you can't count Jay if he, you know, co-founded Right Label.But, you know, I'd say probably Kanye. it's hard to top that. And when, you know, when you think about those first few albums, you know, I mean, he brought an element into hip hop, into the mainstream that just wasn't there. and, you know, I don't think, you know, if you hadn't had Kanye, in the pink polo, and you know, talking about his feelings, like, I don't know if you get Drake right.I think that he kind of changed the discourse. he brought hiphop to the mainstream and then he also like brought a different sort of voice to hiphop, And it was fantastically lucrative, obviously, for everybody involved. So, yeah, I agree with Kanye, for sure.[00:45:22] Dan Runcie: Yeah, agreed. And then just given the longevity there, even into the early 2010s, still putting out records under the Roc-A-Fella Records umbrella that still went back to them.And longevity that lasted longer than most of the people that were assigned to that label. So I think it has to be him. Best Business Move made, I know we talked about a few of them, but what do you think is the best business move that to come from the Roc-A-Fella era?[00:45:47] Zack Greenburg: Hmm. I mean, it's funny now that we look at it, I mean, in a way, know, the deal itself that set up Roc-A-Fella was not, you know, it wasn't a bad deal, but it was not the best, move.It wasn't the best kind of financial arrangement. you know, I mean, Rocawear is kind of an offshoot. Maybe that's cheating, but I'm gonna go with Rocawear because I think in some ways they're like, well, we can't get a hundred percent of the money on this thing, so we're gonna create an adjacent brand that's like very clearly associated with it that we can really monetize fully.And you know, I mean they got paid, I mean that, that company was doing hundreds of millions in revenue and they sold it for hundreds of millions. So, you know, I think they made more off of Roca wear, than they ever made off of Roc-A-Fella. So I'll go with Rocawear, we can talk more about it when we do the full Roca too.[00:46:36] Dan Runcie: I know. Yeah. I'd Rocawear as well. I won't go into the company itself cuz Yeah. We'll get into that in the next one. But I do think the good thing about that was it was a precursor to how artists now are thinking about their own revenue, their own business models, right? How they're using streaming, how they're using anything else that gives them a platform.Use that to grow your audience, use that to grow the awareness while generating money for that, establish the base. So some of those other business units were likely more influential, thinking about them doing the deals with Def Jam and then them having the hard knock life tour. But I do think Rocawear was the best business thing to come through there for sure.[00:47:18] Zack Greenburg: And just a s like a subset of that. I think the philosophy that was embodied by Roca wear, you know, the idea of like, they wanted to go Roca wear started because they wanted to go. there, there was this Italian, knitwear brand. iceberg. And they like went to the iceberg offices and said, Hey, can you give us some free t-shirts or something for wrapping about your thing?And they're like, or no, I think they wanted an endorsement deal. They wanted some cash for an endorsement. and then the executives were like, we'll give you some free t-shirts. And, Dave was like, this is stupid. Let's go start our own thing. So, but I think that was really the beginning of, you know, like, I'm not gonna give, free publicity to other brands.I'm just gonna go start my own thing and rap about it. Like other rappers have done it. But, it became so pervasive for Jay-Z's mindset. It wasn't just like, I'm gonna do my own clothing line and I'm sorry, I'm gonna do my own champagne. I'm gonna do my own cognac. I'm gonna try to do my own car.I'm gonna try to do like a freaking video game, you know, he was involved in so many things that kind of sprung from that. so I think the implications were much broader than just, the clothing aspect.[00:48:28] Dan Runcie: Agreed. Next one here is the dark horse business move. So one that we actually haven't talked about, but I do think is one that Roc-A-Fella definitely lead into was the Jay-Z and Nas beef.The controversy that this was able to stem and start, I briefly mentioned Summer Jam 2001, but everything from then and just the drama from there, the two of them back and forth, Jay drop in takeover that, NAS drop in Ether, that whole back and forth was able to then create so much interest. They had all those beef DVDs that were g blowing up in the two thousands, I think largely came up cause of how they were able to reignite beef from essentially the biggest beef that hip hop had seen since Biggie and Tupac several years earlier.Yeah, it was huge and the level of. Bars that I think we're able to get the songs they're able to get back and forth. Just the impressiveness of Nas essentially taking on this whole entire unit by himself. People can debate whether or not who won and lost, whether you're looking specifically from a battle perspective versus who won in the long term.But we eventually see them come together on American gangster and they continue this f familiar relationship ever since. But I do think that this was the height of the time to really sell controversy. Obviously we saw 50 cent and others continue to do that too, you know, their own, putting their own flavor on as well.But I do think that Jay-Z and Nas Beef still was one of the little crown jewels that they had with this.[00:50:05] Zack Greenburg: Absolutely. And, you could tell that it was like there was real enmity there. but also, you know, the fact that it, it never turned violent, I think was just. I think it was really good for hip hop, and I don't think it was ever going to turn violent, but I think again, there was just this kind of like national paranoia around hip hop and, there is, you know, in waves.I think it was just a, good reminder that you can have like a spirited dispute and, it's okay and it's entertainment, you know? and it's, nothing that anybody needs to be afraid of. So, you know, of course like credit to Jay and Nas for resolving it amicably, but man, you know, like just being in New York and that time and like the Barbs going back and forth and man, I think that's the only time that, like a beef has gotten so nasty that, a rapper's mother has like, made him basically apologized for saying something mean, which, I think that was Jay-Z's response to Ether. I think Ether was sort of like the pinnacle of it and Jay-Z's response to it was like, not quite as good, like, how do you top ether? but I think Jay-Z's was just like, viscerally, like, you know, won't get too deep into it because if, Jay-Z had to like, call in to apologize for it, you know, I dunno if we can even talk about it on a podcast.But yeah, I mean just, to have that end, you know, like very amicably I think was just so good for everybody involved. And then, you know, I think it's really fun to watch, Jay and Nas as their relationship has evolved. And, you know, Nas was sort of always like the one who was sort of behind, when it came to the business of things.and then, you know, like he really was music first all the time. And, you know, I think some people thought that he would never really kind of blossom as a businessman, but then, you know, he became sort of the leader, within hip hop entering the venture capital world and, you know, created this great, Queensbridge Venture partners and, you know, invested early and just about every startup you can name and has had all kinds of fantastic exits.And, you know, I think it's so funny that Jay-Z then started MVP, you know, Marcy. So it, it's like definitely like a nod to Nas, you know, each of them naming their venture fund after the project where they grew up. So, I think that's super cool. And, you know, they still like drop these little subliminal, I don't know, like references, where you could tell they're kind of like tweaking each other, just like.You know, like sibling rivalry kind of thing. which is I think, really fun to watch. And, you know, I think that there's some friendly competition around deals and so forth these days. But it's just, it's so fascinating to like, watch the evolution from this real knockdown, drag out, very personal beef, that occurred, you know, to now like, sort of like comparing deal flow.And I think it speaks very positively toward like, the evolution of the business of hip hop.[00:53:03] Dan Runcie: Definitely. You think about things that they wrapped about in their most recent, songs that have been popular, right? Like Nas's song where he calls himself Cryptocurrency Scarface, or Yeah, yeah.Jay-Z. what was that line in God did with Khali where he is like, oh, we had cap tables, not that cap table, or something like that. I mean, he's clearly leading into that stuff. What do you think is the missed opportunity if of any, from Roc-A-Fella besides the split, cause I know we've talked about that, but there any other missed opportunities, especially from that 96 to 03, 04 range?[00:53:37] Zack Greenburg: I think it's Armadale Armadale, like, and you know, that kind of came to be, I think of anybody that was more Biggs's pet project, than Jay or Dame. Although, you know, Jay was kind of trying to make it happen. He would, he had it. If you recalled the MTV Unplugged album, which as actually might be my favorite Jay-Z album of all time. It's kind of cheating cause it's not a studio album, but, it's so good. He's backed up by the race anyway. He's like, some point he's like, I need to stop for some Armadale. I need an army break, you know, he was really trying to shout it out everywhere he could. But already when they started doing that, you know, they were on the outs I think.And, I think Jay-Z wasn't fully invested in it because why would he get fully invested in it? And then another thing that he was partners with Bigs and Damon, I don't think anything against Bigs, obviously. And I think they're totally cool now. And they've, been doing some stuff together more recently.but like, why would he go do that when he could just wait and then do something on his own? But, you know, I mean, Armadale could have been cRoc, right? if they'd done it right, there's no reason that it couldn't have been. I mean, it's the same formula. It's like European unknown, whatever.And then, you know, put it in videos, put it in songs, and, you make it, you know, whatever it's gonna be. And you know, we've seen what Jay has done with Deuce and Armando Biac, so we know he can do it. It's not only Puff who can do it, only a few people who can do it. Levelly can do it, but like Jay and Puff can do it and done it. And Jay could have done it with Armadale, just, you know, At the timing just didn't quite work out.[00:55:03] Dan Runcie: I think Armadale had one memorable shout out from the Jay-Z song. It was, excuse me, miss, right where he is talking about Armadale popping off. but that's also the same song. I think he gave Cristal a pretty big shout out there where he is like, it's not Cristal, it's Cristal, right? But then a couple years later, he is like, no like obviously we're done with Cristal because of, you know, comments, racist comments that the founder or the CEO had said at the time, my missed opportunity is one that highlights something that I think Jay-Z did well, but it probably could have done more of.And that's movie soundtracks. If you ask certain Jay-Z fans, I do think that they have American gangster as one of their top Jay-Z albums, as they should. It's a great album. I honestly think the album's probably even better than that movie is in particular points. But Jay-Z, so that movie, that soundtrack comes out 2007.He missed, I think an entire wave of times when movie soundtracks, in my opinion, were even, were just bigger deals than they are by even 2007 and even later on. And now I think it's very hit or miss that you could even get a soundtrack to that level. But especially during the Roc era. And I know that he had songs that were popular on the, but really being the mc behind an entire soundtrack in that type of way, I think could have been there probably could have been more opportunities to do something like that earlier on.[00:56:26] Zack Greenburg: Oh, I like that's a really deep cut.[00:56:28] Dan Runcie: So a few more things here on Roc-A-Fella, Well, we've seen just continued spats back and forth. Not necessarily jabs, but just comments back and forth between Jay and Dame. It's been nearly 20 years since this split. We've definitely seen more from Dame than Jay, and it's one of those things where it does become a bit sad to see and frustrating to see at times and not be expecting to be best of friends.We have seen Jay-Z say things that are quite complimentary. When he got inducted into the Roc and Roll Hall of Fame, he did shout out both him and Biggs and say, Hey, this wouldn't have happened without either of you, regardless of what had happened, you know, in our past. Gotta give you guys both shouts for that.But then we've also seen Dame say things during the years, and I think he's. Alternated on whether or not he's wanted to speak on them and stuff. But it's one of these things that is a bit frustrating to see because I think about it when I think about NBA players and how they've had issues over the years.Kobe and Shaq, of course, infamously, they continue to talk about each other for years and then eventually they came and they had that sit down chat on TBS, right? Where they're talking back and forth. If they and Dame ever did something like that, they don't even have to go do it on some platform. They could do it on their own thing.It would be box office. It would be great to be able to see that and just see how, then hear them talk things out. Because even another NBA thing, Kevin Garnet and Ray Allen of course said, had their infamous dispute because Ray Allen went to go join the Miami Heat. Kevin Garnet, very intense, hated that that was their rival.But then after Ray Allen had walked past him at the 75th anniversary thing last year, that's when KG was like, okay, what if Ray Allen passes the same way, passes away the same way that Kobe Bryant did? I would, yeah, be very upset with my

Jonah Schwartz is a New York based director and cinematographer. He's directed a prolific amount of music videos for hip hop artists in both America and Japan.  Jonah also spent many years living in Japan, where he began working with popular brands and artists. Jonah has worked with such artists as Prodigy (Mobb Deep), Freddy Gibbs, A$AP Mob,  as well as The Black Keys amongst many more.  He was also the cinematographer for the 2015 indie feature film, HONOR UP, directed by Damon Dash. Most recently Jonah directed the short film, THE DARK AGE, which is currently available on streaming platforms worldwide.  Hosted by Zef Cota