Damon Dash was disappointed and worried about Jay-Z's latest freestyle performance at The Roots Picnic, taking issue with everything from the lyrics to the rapper's look and overall presence.
According to AllHipHop, the comments came during an interview with "The Art of Dialogue", sparking renewed discussions about the relationship between the two former business partners and the state of Jay-Z's career.
Dash, who co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records with Jay-Z in the late 1990s, addressed fans' speculation that Jay-Z's freestyle contained subliminal shots at him. Instead of taking offense, Dash shared a mix of brotherly concern and professional critique.
"Contrary to what everyone may believe, I really still look at Jay as my brother," Dash said. "I know Jay, and I was like all these years just even amongst my crew, we would be like 'he ain't going to never say nothing until he's broke.' So he hasn't said anything for 20 years and I'm like, 'damn, I hope he's not broke.'"
While listeners focused on the content of Jay-Z's freestyle, Dash was more troubled by his former partner's appearance and style choices. He questioned who was advising Jay-Z's look during the performance, describing it as embarrassing for someone who once seemed ready to retire from music after his debut album "Reasonable Doubt".
"I felt bad because I was like, 'it must be embarrassing for him to now have to be on that stage,' not the same version of himself and still have to work at that age because he has to," Dash said, as reported by Newsbreak.
"When we were younger when he was this age, he hated talking to people...he was retiring since Reasonable Doubt for him to have to come outside 20 years later. I just know I just felt kind of like embarrassed for him," he added.
Dash also claimed that Jay-Z's relevance is tied to his own presence in the industry. "I do feel like if I'm not around, he's not relevant. I feel like that's the reason why they have to bring my name up all the time. I thought that rap was bad. It was terrible."
Regarding a line in Jay-Z's freestyle that referenced his teeth, Dash dismissed it as an outdated joke. "That's an old joke. That was corny. They didn't tumble out, but if they did, that was two years ago."
The remarks add another chapter to the complex history between Damon Dash and Jay-Z, once close collaborators who helped shape hip-hop business culture but have since parted ways amid personal and professional disputes.
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