Damon Dash Says Roc-A-Fella Records is 'No Longer Relevant'

Damon Dash may be one of the co-founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, but since selling his half of the company to Jay-Z, the former mogul says the label has gone down hill. Big time. According to Dash he's saddened by present day Roc-A-Fella and blames music executive Lyor Cohen for its demise. "I'm very disappointed where Roc-A-Fella went," he said in an interview. "The brand is compromised. I never thought that could happen where Roc-A-Fella's just not relevant. Lyor's a funny dude. He's a mastermind-brilliant and he's not scared. His influence is what broke up Roc-A-Fella. It's just all business."

Dash doesn't mince words when it comes to his opinions on the Roc-A-Fella crew but also highlights his own carelessness when it came to running the company "I was like everybody's manager. In rock 'n' roll you don't sign an artist until they can fill up a venue and sale their own CDs and hit the chitterling circuit -- then they get signed. But with Roc-A-Fella I would sign people put them on the private jet and they'd be performing in front of [Madison Square] Garden. I guess you think that's normal, but it just wasn't."

Playing out like a messy divorce between Dash and Jay-Z with Roc-A-Fella Records and its artists in the middle, the Harlem native continues his negative commentary even calling Kanye West into battle. "I never know if he's acting or not. He's brilliant, he's a genius or at times he's lost his mind."

Since selling his share of the Roc-A-Fella brand Dash has seen financial hardship. Several of his properties were foreclosed on, he's been sued by various companies for nonpayment and his marriage to designer Rachel Roy ended earlier this year. He is currently working on his DD172 company which includes a record label, an art gallery and two studios.