Jay-Z and Damon Dash settle ‘Reasonable Doubt’ lawsuit

According to the stipulation, Dash is not allowed to auction off a stake in the album as an NFT

Jay-Z and Damon Dash have both agreed to settle their respective lawsuits.

As reported by Billboard, each party’s claims were dismissed without prejudice, with each side responsible for their own legal fees.

The feud between Dash and Jay extends back to when they started Roc-A-Fella in 1995, along with Kareem “Biggs” Burke. Jay-Z’s career grew massively, and when Def Jam purchased Roc-A-Fella, there was a falling out that led to decades of shots back and forth.

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The feud hit a new high last summer when Dash filed a lawsuit against Jay-Z over the streaming rights to the rapper’s 1996 debut album ‘Reasonable Doubt’. This followed an earlier suit that was filed by Roc-A-Fella against Dash, claiming that he was attempting to sell virtual ownership of the copyright to the rapper’s 1996 album.

Though a New York federal judge blocked an attempt by Dash to auction off Jay-Z‘s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ as an NFT (non-fungible token), an official NFT from Jay-Z was later announced, created to celebrate ‘Reasonable Doubt’’s 25th anniversary.

The new official filing states: “RAF, Inc. owns all rights to the album ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ including its copyright. No shareholder or member of RAF, Inc. holds a direct ownership interest in ‘Reasonable Doubt’.”

While Dash can still sell his one-third stake in Roc-A-Fella in the future, he cannot “in any way dispose of any property interest in ‘Reasonable Doubt’.”

Damon Dash and JAY-Z
Damon Dash and JAY-Z in 2004. CREDIT: Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Dash’s lawyer Natraj S. Bhushan said in a statement (via Pitchfork): “As reflected in today’s Joint Stipulation, this meritless lawsuit ended much as it began with each party in the same position as they were in prior to the commencement of this litigation.”

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In November last year, Dash said that he was open to ending the decades-long feud.

His comments came on the back of Jay’s heartfelt shout-out to Dash during his acceptance speech at the ceremony for his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. Former US president Barack Obama inducted Jay-Z as the latest rap star to receive the honour, joining previous hip-hop inductees The Notorious B.I.G.TupacN.W.A. and Public Enemy.

“Shout-out to Dame,” Jay said during his speech. “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.”

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