The legacy of Roc-A-Fella is set in stone, although its demise remains a point of conversation. Dame Dash, Jay-Z and Biggs Burke formed one of the greatest labels of all time that soundtracked an era in music and set the blueprint for artists moving forward. Although the company would later dissolve as Hov branched off to create Roc Nation, the imprint they left within music, film, fashion, and culture as a whole remains unseen. However, if there’s one thing for sure, it’s that the internal friction between the executives ultimately led to its demise.
To this day, Jay-Z and Dame Dash continue to detail the stories behind Roc-A-Fella during interviews. However, in a recent appearance on Math Hoffa’s My Expert Appearance that dropped last month, Dash detailed the exact moment when he knew Roc-A-Fella would no longer sustain its position at the top. Apparently, it was a moment when one person, in particular, refused to play “pause” that indicated Roc-A-Fella would be no more.
Dame Dash On Roc-A-Fella’s Demise
Without mentioning names, Dame Dash suggested that he knew when the label was “over” once Jay-Z pushed back against playing juvenile games. “I knew that Roc-A-Fella was over when they stopped playing ‘pause,'” he said. “The other side was kinda like, nah, we don’t play that no more. We grown, you know? And I was like, ‘it’s over.'” The room erupted with laughter as they suggested “the other side” Dame referred to was Jay-Z.
Still, Dame Dash continues to praise the efforts of Roc-A-Fella during their time together. As we celebrate hip-hop’s 50th birthday, Dash explained that the label’s legacy remains discussed in rap circles, despite not working on Roc-A-Fella for 20 years. “During Roc-A-Fella, I never looked at another crew and thought they were having more fun than me,” he explained. “I’m 52. We talking about 25 years ago. I haven’t even touched Roc-A-Fella, pause, in 20 years and they still talk about it like it was yesterday. I gotta be the best that ever did it!” Check out the snippet from the interview above and sound off with your thoughts in the comments below. Is Roc-A-Fella the greatest rap crew of all time?