Damon Dash (born
May 3 1971 in
Harlem, New York) is an
African-American label executive; the former CEO and co-founder of
Roc-A-Fella Records with
Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Roc-A-Fella, specializing almost exclusively in
hip-hop music, branched out with several spin-off ventures into other fields as well, notably
hip-hop fashion
(Rocawear Clothing) and
film (Roc-A-Fella Films and, later, Dash Films).
He is also known in
Europe for his ambitious project with pop singer
Victoria Beckham. He produced an album worth of hip-hop inspired tracks for the pop star in 2003 which culminated with the release of her double-A sided single "This Groove/Let Your Head Go." which reached #3 on the UK charts. After public disputes with her manager Simon Fuller of
19 Management over the "urban sounds," Beckham's album "Come Together" produced by Damon Dash was eventually shelved. Tracks featuring
Cam'ron, M.O.P, and other members of Cam'ron's Diplomats crew have been leaked on the Internet. He also signed Beckham as the face of Rocawear in 2003. Dash later sold his stake in Rocawear for $30 million to former partner, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter.
In late 2004, Dash sold his interest in Roc-A-Fella to parent company
Island Def Jam Records for $10 million, and founded the
Dame Dash Music Group as a new venture with the senior record company. Dash's other businesses include
America Magazine, Armadale Vodka, Dash Management, PRO-KEDS, Team Roc, Tiret Watches, the Rachel Roy Clothing Line, an investment in New York nightclub The Plumm, Dash/DiBella Boxing and his new CEO Clothing line.
Damon Dash produced a reality show for BET called "
Ultimate Hustler", in which Dash determined which one of 15 entrepreneurs were the "ultimate hustler" through a series of business challenges. John Coleman and John Rhodes filed a lawsuit against Dash,
BET, Damon Dash Music Group, Dash Films and Huck Films claiming that they originated the "Ultimate Hustler" concept. Dash was featured in another reality show pilot centered around late rapper
Ol' Dirty Bastard, who Dash signed to a record deal shortly after the rapper's release from prison.
Dash's forays into film, both under the Roc-A-Fella Films banner and later under the Dash Film banner, has resulted in at least one critically acclaimed film (
The Woodsman starring Kevin Bacon and Mos Def) and another well-received film,
Paid in Full (starring
Mekhi Phifer). Lesser acclaimed film endeavors by Dash include
State Property and its commercially more successful
sequel. He also appeared as an immortal in the movie
Highlander: Endgame and as himself on the hit news program
The O'Reilly Factor. He has also appeared in the 2005 documentary film
Just for Kicks. 
