DAMON DASH interview!

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Damon Dash:
Introducing Jay-Z’s ace, the real fella behind the Roc
by DeMarco Williams

“I really don’t care too much about other people’s opinions.
Anyone who’s judging me, they should take a little time and
judge themselves. My formula, thus far, has been working.”

Being a CEO these days is hell. If CNN isn’t covering some criminal hearing with Enron’s Kenneth Lay, they’re following Martha Stewart around, seeing what crooked scheme she’ll get mixed up in next. With the increase in greasy pockets amongst the white-collar sector, workers have grown more suspicious of their bosses. But Damon Dash, co-CEO of the hip-hop empire known as Roc-A-Fella, isn’t trying to take his employees’ retirement. Sure, Dame’s (as he’s known in the rap game) central goal is making lots of money, but he ain’t about to take it from anybody. Through a chart-topping rap imprint, a multi-million dollar fashion empire (Rocawear), and a fledgling film company, Dash’s money has found him.

“Ain’t none of this brain surgery. It just comes through diligence and research and treating people fairly and giving 100%,” Dash says matter-of-factly. “If an opportunity is in front of me, I’m going to capitalize off it.”

Take Cam’ron, for example: The frisky Harlem MC could work a corner better than an Atlantic City call girl, but he couldn’t make it on Epic Records. Too grimy, they said. But Cam’s sound proved perfect for Dame, and his Roc-A-Fella bow, Come Home With Me, has already gone gold. So when the mogul, who recently signed hip-hop duo M.O.P., announced he was jumping into the movie-making biz, folks took notice.

Though State Property, Roc-A-Fella’s violence-laden, low-budget debut effort, left a lot to be desired, it proved Dash was serious about tackling Hollywood. Now, his second production– the Charles Stone III-directed Paid In Full– is in theaters. A sleek homage to the drug-infested Harlem of the ‘80s, the film marks Cam’ron’s feature film debut, and also stars Wood Harris and Mekhi Phifer.

“I just loved the honor and integrity [of the ‘80s],” the 31-year-old Bronx native admits. “We always thought we could get more money than the next man. We could make $5 look like a hundred or a thousand. It was a lot of glitz and glamour.”

But rather than waste too much time reminiscing about the past, Dash would rather focus on his cinematic future: “I believe it’s our responsibility to make the best movie we can. I respect people like Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, but I can get it better than them.”
Though that last statement may be a bit of overstated bravado, you can’t help rooting for Dash’s dream to come true. Maybe it’s the unflappable charm or the gritty New York machismo. Or maybe you want to cheer for him simply because he’s weathered more storms than the Louisiana coast. As if custody battles with his 10-year-old’s mother weren’t enough, Damon lost the love of his life– pop star Aaliyah– in a tragic plane crash last year. Dash got through his emotional time thanks to close friends and family, including Mr. Shawn Carter (a.k.a. Jay-Z). Dash’s self-proclaimed “brother from another mother.” Jay-Z’s always relished his role as Roc-A-Fella’s posterboy: Easily the world’s most bankable MC this side of Marshall Mathers, Jigga’s put the Roc on his back for six albums now, leading it near the top of the hip-hop class. Valedictorian honors may be in order once his double-album, The Blueprint 2: The Curse and the Gift, is released this month.

“All Jay does,” Damon says of his multi-platinum partner, “is talk about his life, what he sees around him. People tend to be upset with Jay’s success, but he wants people to have what he has, so he came up with The Blueprint. So if you wanna do what [he did], this is how [he did] it. Blueprint 2: The Curse and the Gift is about the consequences of success.”

Among those consequences is a lot of industry innuendo. From the feud between Jay-Z and Nas (“As long as we keep it on vinyl, I’m cool with it”), to the rumored Jigga/ Beyonce engagement (“That’s a question you gotta ask him.’), to the alleged swiping of Toni Braxton’s idea for a song (“It ain’t really that much in it for us), Dame’s dynasty seems to be on MTV News every day. Yet the man remains focused.

“I really don’t care too much about other people’s opinions,” Dash says with a shrug. “Who’s to judge? The only people I care about are my family and my friends, which I consider my family. Anyone who’s judging me, they should take a little time and judge themselves. My formula, thus far, has been working. Everyone around me is happy, making money...”

And these days, not too many Fortune 500 CEOs can make that claim.