Once a titan in the music industry, Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon Dash now faces a financial free fall as he files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, claiming no monthly income and personal assets totaling just $4,350.
Damon Dash, the 54-year-old entrepreneur best known for co-founding Roc-A-Fella Records alongside Jay-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida, citing more than $25.3 million in liabilities and virtually no income or significant assets.
According to court documents filed on September 4, Dash has a monthly income of $0 and claims ownership of just $4,350 in personal assets, including a $500 cell phone, $500 in clothing, $2,500 in jewelry, $100 in cash, and two firearms valued at $750. He does not own any property, vehicles, or electronics aside from his phone.
The filings outline staggering debts, including:
$19.8 million owed to the federal government, largely in unpaid taxes
$648,000 in domestic support obligations, including child support and spousal support
Hundreds of thousands owed to ex-wife Rachel Roy, the mother of his daughters Ava, 25, and Tallulah, 17
Additional debts to Cindy Morales and Linda Williams, mothers of his sons Lucky, 21, and Boogie, 33, respectively
Dash also listed a “possible but unknown” receivable from former business partner Kareem Burke, with whom he launched Roc-A-Fella Records in 1994. The label famously propelled Jay-Z to global superstardom before the trio parted ways in the mid-2000s amid reported financial disagreements.
Legal Troubles and Financial Decline
This bankruptcy filing follows years of legal and financial entanglements for Dash. In April 2025, a Manhattan federal judge warned that Dash could face contempt charges and possible arrest for failing to comply with court orders in a defamation case brought by filmmaker Josh Webber, who won a nearly $900,000 judgment against him in 2022.
In a separate legal battle, author Edwyna Brooks accused Dash of destroying financial records to avoid paying out another judgment worth almost $100,000. The court agreed, stating Dash had destroyed evidence “highly relevant to current and future litigation.”
In November 2024, the New York State government seized Dash’s one-third share of Roc-A-Fella Records at auction for $1 million in an attempt to recover a portion of the $8.7 million in unpaid taxes he owes. At the time, he was ranked the 27th-most tax delinquent resident in the state.
“Investing in Dreams” — Dash Speaks Out
Despite his dire financial state, Dash has remained active on social media. On the same day he filed for bankruptcy, he shared a video to Instagram reflecting on his health journey and time spent with his 4-year-old son Dusko, whom he shares with fiancée Raquel Horn.
“I just want to thank everyone that checked in on me,” he said, noting recent surgeries on his eyes and teeth. He also reposted headlines about his bankruptcy, adding the caption: “Now let’s get to work. #staytuned.”
In an earlier Instagram video from August 2024, Dash addressed his financial troubles candidly:
“Somebody asked me how I got so broke. Investing in my dreams. When you’re investing in your dreams and you dream big, you’re always gonna be broke.”
Once a Mogul, Now a Cautionary Tale
Dash’s fall from grace marks a dramatic shift from the heights he once reached as a central figure in the 1990s hip-hop boom. Roc-A-Fella Records was responsible for chart-topping albums and iconic tracks like Jay-Z’s “Hard Knock Life” and “99 Problems.” His business acumen and influence made him a respected, if sometimes controversial, figure in the music industry.
Today, however, the man who once helped shape modern hip-hop faces the sobering reality of financial ruin and mounting legal pressure.
A representative for Dash has not yet responded to requests for comment.
