Net Worth Ranker
What Is Damon Dash’s Net Worth
Damon Dash, an American record producer, entrepreneur, and music executive, has a net worth estimated at $100,000 as of March 2025. This figure stands in stark contrast to his former partner, Jay-Z, who has achieved billionaire status. Dash’s financial history has been marked by various challenges, including claims of being unable to meet child support obligations and significant debts owed to creditors and tax authorities.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born on May 3, 1971, in Harlem, New York, Damon Anthony Dash’s early life was characterized by a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Details regarding the specific private schools he attended are not readily available in the provided context, but it is noted that he recognized his passion for music from a young age. As a teenager, Dash demonstrated his work ethic by sweeping floors at a local barbershop and selling newspapers to earn money for sneakers and t-shirts. He has credited his mother, who passed away from an asthma attack when he was 15, for teaching him how to “hustle.” The exact addresses of these early workplaces are not specified.
Roc-A-Fella Records and Business Ventures
Dash co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records with Jay-Z, a pivotal moment that launched his career. While specific details on initial investments or revenue splits at the company’s inception are not provided, the label’s success is well-documented. Dash served as Jay-Z’s business partner and former manager. In 1999, Dash organized a tour for Jay-Z that grossed $19 million, but the specific breakdown of Dash’s earnings from this tour is not detailed here. Roc-A-Fella’s rise led to a peak net worth of $50 million for Dash.
Beyond music, Dash ventured into fashion, co-founding Rocawear with Jay-Z. Rocawear eventually was sold for hundreds of millions of dollars, but the exact year and sales price, and Dash’s personal profit from the sale are not disclosed in this article. His success led to investments in film production, marketing, merchandise, and talent management. His film company produced “The Woodsman,” starring Kevin Bacon, and “Paid in Full,” starring Mekhi Phifer. Budget details for these films or box office returns that would shed light on Dash’s revenue from these ventures are not provided.
Dash also founded DD172, a media collective that included “American Nu” magazine, web design firm VNGRD79, an art gallery, and BlueRoc Records. Specific financial performance metrics for these ventures are not available within the given text.
Financial Problems and Legal Battles
Damon Dash’s financial difficulties became public knowledge in 2014, when he was ordered to pay Linda Williams, the mother of his son Boogie, $50,000 related to a harassment case. In August 2015, reports surfaced that Dash owed $4.14 million in back taxes to the state of New York. During his divorce from Rachel Roy, Dash revealed owing $2 million in back taxes and facing foreclosure on two New York City apartments, but the specific addresses of these apartments are not mentioned. He also faced lawsuits from NYC law firms and creditors. His Chevy Tahoe was repossessed after he fell behind on $700 monthly payments.
Dash was forced to vacate his $9 million Tribeca, New York home, which was later sold in foreclosure for $5.5 million. Specific details regarding the mortgage or outstanding debt on the property at the time of foreclosure are not available. In September 2019, he petitioned to end child support payments to Roy, claiming his 2018 income was $56,000, while Roy earned over $500,000. In March 2019, Dash was ordered to pay Rachel Roy $341,991, plus $25,000 for attorney fees. In November 2019, he was arrested for failing to pay $400,000 in child support and reportedly paid over $1 million for his release, but the exact circumstances surrounding this payment are not detailed here.
In November 2019, Dash claimed he was broke and unable to pay a $2,400 personal debt. He stated his business generated zero profit and revealed receiving $2 million from producer Lee Daniels as part of a lawsuit settlement, but the funds were garnished by creditors. In January 2024, Dash sought a reduction in child support, claiming a total income of $5,140 for the previous year and proposing a monthly support payment of $430.
Through these controversies, Damon Dash retained his 33.3% stake in Roc-A-Fella Records. In July 2024, it was revealed that his stake would be auctioned by the U.S. Marshall’s service to satisfy an $800,000 civil judgment related to a copyright and defamation case won by a film director in 2022. The minimum bid for Dash’s share was set at $1.2 million. In September 2024, Dash claimed that Jay-Z sabotaged the auction, lowering the value of his share. The New York City Department of Social Services intervened, clarifying that the rights would be owned through 2098, not 2031 as speculated online.
In 2012, rapper Curren$y sued Dash for $1.5 million, alleging unauthorized music releases. In June 2022, a lawsuit between Jay-Z and Dash was settled, preventing Dash from selling his ownership stake in “Reasonable Doubt” as an NFT. Jay-Z had previously obtained a restraining order to block the sale. In early 2023, Dash was mostly cleared of sexual assault allegations by Monique Bunn. Although Bunn sought tens of millions in damages, jurors awarded her $30,000 after not finding Dash liable.
Relationships
Damon Dash was in a relationship with R&B singer Aaliyah from 2000 until her death in August 2001. From 2005 to 2009, Dash was married to Rachel Roy, whom he met when she was an intern at Rocawear. They have two daughters, Ava Dash (born in 1999) and Tallulah Dash (born in 2008). Dash also has a son, Dame “Boogie” Dash, born in 1991, with Linda Williams. Dash and his fiancée, film producer Raquel Horn, have a son, Dusko Dash, born on November 14, 2020.
