Ray Daniels says he lost a small amount of respect for Jay-Z for not supporting Dame Dash during his current financial struggles
Canadian music executive and record producer Ray Daniels recently commented on Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella co-founder Dame Dash. Ray addressed the topic of Dame going through financial struggles following a recent judgment, asking the record executive to turn over assets to satisfy an $800K debt.
Commenting on how Hov (Jay-Z's nickname) did not offer to support Dame during his ongoing financial struggles, in the latest episode of his show, called Ray Daniels Presents, the producer said:
"I think this is what's happening with Dame is some real high schoolish to me, it's like, oh, the man is going through something. No one should enjoy watching that and I'm being honest with you, it kind of makes me lose a little respect for Hov. A little not a lot but a little."
Explaining his comment, Ray Daniels said that Jay-Z sided with rapper Memphis Bleek and Tata, aka Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith, because they are "his little mans". Daniels also referred to Hov's verse on Kanye West's 2005 track Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix) where the Roc Nation founder rapped compliments for Bleek, "As long as he’s alive, he’s a millionaire."
Additionally, on his 2018 track FRIENDS, Jay-Z rapped about how he and Beyonce would trust Tyran Smith to look after his kids if something were to happen to them.
“Ty mama died, I was there, my nephew died, he was there” and “Ty Ty take care of my kids, after he done grievin'" Jay-Z raps on the song
Ray Daniels then drew a parallel between Jay-Z's behavior toward the two rappers and his peer Dame Dash, stating that Hov could make one phone call and change Dame's life.
"He can make one phone call and help that man, and he won't, and to me it's like it's like so let's look at a little 4-day loss of power, right? So they say crush your enemy totally, like that's a law of power." Ray Daniels said
Daniels continued:
"Once you see Dame Dash loses everything that he's totally crushed, he has nothing but his kids and his family...Atleast tap in like "Yo go stay in my New York house for a minute get on your feet." It's something that we do as black people."
Dame Dash to pay $4 million in default judgment in defamation lawsuit filed by filmmaker
According to Complex's report dated March 2025, a judge awarded Dame Dash a $4 million default judgment for a defamation lawsuit filed by filmmaker Josh Webber in 2024.
Josh Webber alleged that he lost out on a $4 million worth of producing and directing assignment owing to Dame's defamatory comments about him on a podcast. During a 2022 appearance on Earn Your Leisure, Dame Dash claimed that Josh Webber stole the 2019 film Dear Frank from him.
“I had a judgment. And I knew this d*ckhead Chris Brown, and Josh Webber, and Muddy Waters… Chris Brown the lawyer. I went through four trials with the same lawyer… What I lost was defamation because these guys trigger me and steal my sh*t… you think there is freedom of speech, it’s really not…” Dame said at the time
The comment Dame Dash made during his podcast appearance stemmed from losing a copyright infringement and defamation lawsuit against Josh Webber in 2022. At the time, a judge awarded Muddy Water Pictures and Webber $805,000 after the jury sided with the Canadian filmmaker.
Despite filing a lawsuit to recover money, Josh Webber had to request that Dame's company, Poppington, LLC, and the film copyrights of the projects he produced be handed over to United States Marshals on his behalf.
Additionally, in February 2025, Judge John F. Walter claimed that Dame Dash violated the "court's orders". The judge mentioned that the record executive ignored his orders on multiple occasions, citing that he did not submit pre-trial documents or schedule a mediation with the plaintiff.
Dame's noncompliance resulted in Judge Walters issuing a default judgment in favor of Josh Webber in February 2025.
In 2024, New York State purchased one-third of Dame Dash's stake in Roc-A-Fella Records for $1 million at an auction in Manhattan. The state aimed to use the proceeds of the sale to cover the music executive's outstanding tax debt.
Moreover, Dame has been vocal about struggling with finances for quite some time.
