Dame Dash is setting the record straight after N.O.R.E. accused him of failing to pay for contributions to his movies and soundtracks, sparking a public back-and-forth between the two hip-hop figures.
The tension began during Dash’s 2020 appearance on Drink Champs. According to Dash, N.O.R.E. pressured him to drink Cîroc vodka—previously associated with Diddy—which Dash controversially claimed was part of a ploy to “turn Hip Hop gay.”
N.O.R.E. responded on a recent Drink Champs episode, saying, “I don’t want to respond with disrespect, but I’m gonna let you know that I’m not gonna be disrespected. The fact that you keep taking these little fake shots, it’s corny, bro.”
He continued, expressing frustration:
“I’ve never been paid for one of these movies I’ve done or these soundtracks I’ve worked on. So where’s the ‘real CEO’ energy you keep talking about?”
N.O.R.E. emphasized that he wasn’t looking to escalate the situation but felt compelled to address the recurring jabs:
“If we’re supposed to be about Black excellence, why not settle this privately?”
On a live Q&A with former Roc-A-Fella A&R Big Face Gary, Dame Dash didn’t hold back. Downplaying N.O.R.E.’s role in Paid in Full, Dash said:
“Paid in Full, he was in it for four seconds, and I made that part up. But if he felt that way, why wait until you’re on a TV show to say it? That’s ridiculous. When friends appear in videos, do they charge for that?”
Dash also highlighted his past support for N.O.R.E., recalling how he stepped in during label disputes at Def Jam in the 2000s:
“When they were robbing him of his marketing budget, did I ask for a dollar? No. I went to Def Jam, barked on Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles, and made sure he got what he deserved. I didn’t need payment for that.”
Dash questioned N.O.R.E.’s affiliation with JAY-Z and Roc-A-Fella, revealing a behind-the-scenes tidbit:
“The reason I put him in State Property 2 was because Jay didn’t want me to sign him. You’ll never see a picture of him with Jay or tied to Roc-A-Fella.”
Dash ended his rebuttal with a sharp yet dismissive tone:
“If he wanted money, he could’ve asked. I’m not worried about money now, and I wasn’t then when I helped with his reggaeton records.”
While the feud between Dame Dash and N.O.R.E. is steeped in personal grievances, it underscores broader issues about respect and recognition within hip-hop’s tight-knit circles. Whether this spat will simmer down or escalate further remains to be seen.
