Damon Dash is in town for 24 hours. He's flown in on a private jet with an entourage that includes personal assistants, publicist, valet, cameramen, laptop geeks and sundry "friends". With this crew he'll work, party a little and then be back in New York in time to take the kids out the following evening. As you might expect from the man who admits he's the walking embodiment of his own multi-faceted, money-printing urban lifestyle brand, Dash doesn't do things on the cheap. Despite meeting in a luxurious suite at London's fashionable Soho Hotel he still insists on having his food prepared by his own chef.
How could you not say in the same sentence that this man was CEO and founder of Roc-A-Fella Records which had Jay-Z and Kanye West; who started Rocawear clothing; who was owner of Armadale vodka and America magazine; a man who bought Pro-Keds sneakers and who makes movies; a man who does a lot of things and does them well?" Answer: because most people would run out of breath.
The only reason why Damon Dash is where he is today is becase he always want more money. He never gets enough.
The 33-year-old thinks about money a lot. He grew up telling his childhood friends in Harlem that he would one day make it big and winning a scholarship to a leading private school meant he got to study wealth at close quarters. "I'm comfortable in very extreme situations," he says. "I can go into the depths of the 'hood with the roughest type of guys and feel 100% comfortable because I lived through it, survived it and felt comfortable with it. I'm also confident I can go into the boardroom with non-urban people and feel 100% comfortable because I have lived the non-urban life at times and I survived it. I can relate and I can also translate."
This ability comes in handy when it comes to dealing with what he describes as "square businesses".
This ability comes in handy when it comes to dealing with what he describes as "square businesses".
"Some people have a serious disconnect with the culture of people they are trying to sell to," explains the self-proclaimed marketing manager for the street. "I don't want to talk about exploitation but business is business and if you want to sell to a certain demographic, you have to understand it. The majority of big corporations don't. They haven't any experience of struggle and they don't know what's cool. They're kinda nerdy actually."
Yet for all the ultra-bling diamond-encrusted watches, über A-list dinner-party guests and membership of the hip-hop aristocracy, there is something strangely nerdy about Damon Dash. Perhaps it's his easy fluency in marketing spiel or the towels and trainers discarded after a single use. Or maybe it's because becoming part of his entourage requires passing out of what he happily describes as "boot camp".
"When I want to employ somebody I try to build them from A-Z," explains Dash. "Before I put you in the field with one of my businesses, I would spend very intensive time with you to put you through the shit work so you appreciate the move up. You got to watch how I work and see what I expect from people. If you pass through boot camp, you can move on and get into my company."
Once there, he says, you're unlikely to leave. "I like to empower people and give them their own businesses so they can go ahead and run them. They can then run those parts of the world that I can't." The recent parting of the ways with Jay-Z has allowed Dash to put these theories into practice. The new Damon Dash Music Group gives individual artists their own labels under one umbrella, while Dash Dibella Promotions, a co-venture with wizened fight promoter Lou Dibella, aims to "empower" its stable of boxers.
"When I want to employ somebody I try to build them from A-Z," explains Dash. "Before I put you in the field with one of my businesses, I would spend very intensive time with you to put you through the shit work so you appreciate the move up. You got to watch how I work and see what I expect from people. If you pass through boot camp, you can move on and get into my company."
Once there, he says, you're unlikely to leave. "I like to empower people and give them their own businesses so they can go ahead and run them. They can then run those parts of the world that I can't." The recent parting of the ways with Jay-Z has allowed Dash to put these theories into practice. The new Damon Dash Music Group gives individual artists their own labels under one umbrella, while Dash Dibella Promotions, a co-venture with wizened fight promoter Lou Dibella, aims to "empower" its stable of boxers.
He calls his personal assistant Sophia into the room. It's her birthday. "She is actually two years old," smiles Dash, "because I have been personally raising her for the last two years. She came and got into boot camp and I had her doing all kinda stuff. Crying was involved but she passed so I put her in the field. She's 23 years old. Imagine what she's going to be like when she's 30 after seven years of being around me and learning from me in an intensive way?"
FROM THE GUARDIAN UNLIMITED
You have a thing for vodka?
I have a thing about buying things and not owning them, ya know what I'm saying?
You have a hard time buying things and not owning them?
Yeah, like if we're promoting something we don't own ... we know what we like, and if it's real, we could do the research and make it better and then we could market it and sell it. I have a problem with making other people money.
You seem pretty passionate about making more money — but do you ever have moments when you look around and say holy cow... I'm really rich!?
The funny thing about that is the more money I make, the more I want. On my first vacations, I'm going to the Bahamas or something. Then, you make money, then you go to St. Tropez. And what you notice is everybody's richer than you in St. Tropez, so I don't feel rich. I can't afford to just frivolously buy a $30 million yacht, you know what I'm saying? So I aspire to have what everybody around me has and more...
I'm never trying to be a big fish in a little pond. I wanna be a big fish in the ocean.
I have a thing about buying things and not owning them, ya know what I'm saying?
You have a hard time buying things and not owning them?
Yeah, like if we're promoting something we don't own ... we know what we like, and if it's real, we could do the research and make it better and then we could market it and sell it. I have a problem with making other people money.
You seem pretty passionate about making more money — but do you ever have moments when you look around and say holy cow... I'm really rich!?
The funny thing about that is the more money I make, the more I want. On my first vacations, I'm going to the Bahamas or something. Then, you make money, then you go to St. Tropez. And what you notice is everybody's richer than you in St. Tropez, so I don't feel rich. I can't afford to just frivolously buy a $30 million yacht, you know what I'm saying? So I aspire to have what everybody around me has and more...
I'm never trying to be a big fish in a little pond. I wanna be a big fish in the ocean.
© 2007 MSNBC Interactive
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