<p id=”par-1_44″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/jay-z/?swcfpc=1″>Jay-Z</a> and Damon Dash feuded for years. They both expressed interest in <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/aaliyah/?swcfpc=1″>Aaliyah</a> at the same time, and later clashed over Jay-Z’s music. He worked with <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/r-kelly/?swcfpc=1″>R. Kelly</a> twice, after Kelly’s illegal marriage to Aaliyah. Dash said he found this reprehensible on Jay-Z’s part.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-damon-dash-once-spoke-out-against-jay-z-s-decision-to-work-with-r-kelly”>Damon Dash once spoke out against Jay-Z’s decision to work with R. Kelly</h2>
<p id=”par-2_36″>Dash was involved with Aaliyah at the end of her life. He found it abhorrent that Jay-Z had willingly worked with the person who <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/damon-dash-on-r-kelly-and-aaliyahs-marriage-i-knew-all-of-that.html/”>illegally married a minor</a> and has been accused of sexually abusing her.</p>
<p id=”par-3_45″>“It’s morally wrong to do a project with someone that we know raped my girl or raped anybody for that matter,” Dash said, per <a target=”_blank” href=”https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dame-dash-walking-away-jay-173816934.html” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Yahoo</a>. “So I do know that conversation was had, and I was really surprised that he moved forward with that relationship.”</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/R.Kelly-Jay-Z.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”R. Kelly and Jay-Z clasp hands. Kelly wears a bowler hat and sunglasses and Jay-Z wears a sweatband and Brooklyn jacket.” class=”wp-image-3756757″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>R. Kelly and Jay-Z | Theo Wargo/WireImage</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-4_35″>Dash said he wanted nothing to do with their album <em>The Best of Both Worlds</em>. Roc-A-Fella, the label he helped found, released it, but he said he didn’t even want to profit off of it.</p>
<p id=”par-5_99″>“I do know when that project did come out I didn’t want any part of that project,” he said. “I didn’t want any of the money to go to Roc-A-Fella or me when it came to Roc-A-Fella. It was around the time that Jay was trying to kind of separate himself from us, and he was saying that he didn’t want to be a part anymore, and we resolved that issue. He wanted me to dilute, and he wanted [Kareem ‘Biggs’ Burke] to dilute, and I wasn’t diluting. I know what I mean and what I do for business.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-they-both-pursued-aaliyah-at-the-same-time”>They both pursued Aaliyah at the same time</h2>
<p id=”par-6_12″>Years before, both Jay-Z and Dash were in <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/jay-z-lost-competition-aaliyahs-romantic-attention.html/”>competition for Aaliyah’s affection</a>.</p>
<p id=”par-7_80″>“I just threw my A-game,” he said on the <em>That’s F***ed Up</em> podcast (via <a target=”_blank” href=”https://www.vibe.com/news/entertainment/dame-dash-jay-z-in-competition-aaliyah-1234774397/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Vibe Magazine</a>). “And then, you know, I guess Jay was trying to get at her as well, and I didn’t know. It got brought up and I was like, ‘F*** both of y’all.’ But it never worked out for them, and we were both trying to get at her. And I kind of eased up, but then we ran into each other. It’s a long story.” </p>
<p id=”par-8_17″>Damon said things came to a head when they were all at a 4th of July party.</p>
<p id=”par-9_60″>“Yeah, he felt a way [about me pursuing her]. But everybody knows that s***,” Dash said. “They be trying to act like he was really f***ing with her. Nah, he was sending flowers and doing all that s***, he was courting her. So we were both going hard and we ended up in the same house for 4th of July.”</p>
<p id=”par-10_16″>Dash said he won Aaliyah over. They dated for a time before her death in 2001.</p>
<p id=”par-11_36″>“It was, like, one day [Aaliyah] might lean towards him then it’ll lean towards me,” he said. “But I was just on fire that week. Everything I was saying was funny, you know what I’m saying?”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-damon-dash-said-he-hoped-to-put-his-feud-with-jay-z-behind-him”>Damon Dash said he hoped to put his feud with Jay-Z behind him</h2>
<p id=”par-12_26″>In 2021, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted Jay-Z. In his speech, he thanked Dash for his influence on his career despite their differences.</p>
<p id=”par-13_31″>“Shout out to Dame,” he said. “I know we don’t see eye to eye, but I can never erase your accomplishments. And I appreciate you and I thank you for that.” </p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Damon-Dash-Jay-Z.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Damon Dash and Jay-Z stand with their arms around each other.” class=”wp-image-3756852″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Damon Dash and Jay-Z | Johnny Nunez/WireImage</figcaption></figure>
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<p id=”par-14_16″>Dash said he greatly appreciated the sentiment and hoped to have a <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/damon-dash-jay-z-feud-end.html/”>friendlier relationship moving forward</a>.</p>
<p id=”par-15_20″>“It was beautiful,” he told <a target=”_blank” href=”https://pagesix.com/2021/11/01/dame-dash-ready-to-end-jay-z-feud-after-hall-of-fame-shout-out/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Page Six</a>. “I’m glad he said it for the culture. We need to squash everything.”</p>
<p id=”par-16_33″><strong><em>How to get help: </em></strong><em>In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.</em></p>