Jay‑Z and Dame Dash's Two‑Decade Rift Over Roc‑A‑Fella Empire

Jay‑Z (Shawn Carter) and Damon “Dame” Dash co‑founded Roc‑A‑Fella Records in the mid‑1990s with partner Kareem “Biggs” Burke, launching the label after major companies passed on Carter. Their early releases, including Jay‑Z’s 1996 debut *Reasonable Doubt*, and later albums such as *Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life* and *The Blueprint*, helped turn Roc‑A‑Fella into a dominant hip‑hop brand.

Beyond music, the partnership expanded into fashion, film and other businesses, most notably the Rocawear clothing line. As the empire grew, divergent visions and business disagreements emerged, prompting a gradual deterioration of the founders’ relationship. By the early 2000s the once‑close collaborators had become longtime rivals, a feud that continues to be a reference point for hip‑hop history.