So, as you might have heard, one-third of Rockefeller Inc.—the part that owns Reasonable Doubt—is up for sale. I’ve been fielding a lot of calls and offers lately. It’s hard to say who’s genuinely interested and who’s just playing around, but I’m definitely seeing some serious offers, and I appreciate that.
Now, let’s talk about the drama. Dame Dash recently dropped a video saying he’s looking for buyers for his one-third share in Rockefeller Records. To make the offer more tempting, he’s even throwing in an original Rockefeller chain if the bid goes over $10 million. And guess who allegedly slid into his DMs with an offer? None other than 50 Cent.
50 is reportedly ready to put up some serious cash to snag that Rockefeller share, and of course, he couldn’t resist taking a shot at Jay-Z while he’s at it. But Jay-Z’s lawyers aren’t sitting idly by. They’ve filed paperwork to make sure that the copyrights for Reasonable Doubt will revert to him by 2031, which was always the plan. This move definitely throws a wrench in any buyer’s plans, especially since the starting bid is a cool $1.2 million.
So here’s where it gets juicy: 50 Cent isn’t just casually dropping over $10 million. This could be his big play in his long-standing feud with Jay-Z. You can bet 50 Cent is itching to grab that stake, not just for the business side of things but also to throw some serious shade at Jay-Z on social media. But wait, there’s more—word on the street is that 50 Cent might be on a revenge mission. He’s reportedly ready to expose some shady stuff about Rockefeller’s treatment of artists over the years, and you know he’ll make it personal with Jay-Z.
So what’s really happening behind the scenes? Is this legal battle between Dame Dash and Jay-Z finally coming to a head? And is 50 Cent really about to dive into this mess just to outdo Jay-Z? Let’s break it down. If you’re eyeing that one-third share of Rockefeller Inc., you’ll need to bring some serious cash. Anything over $10 million could sweeten the deal, and you might even snag an original Rockefeller chain.
Dame Dash’s one-third share in Jay-Z’s Rockefeller Records is up for auction. But here’s the catch: there might be some strings attached. According to a source who spoke to Billboard, this stake could come with some limitations. Recent court filings show that the U.S. Marshal Service is set to auction off Dash’s 33.3% share of the iconic label to settle an $823,000 judgment from a lawsuit filed by movie producer Josh Weber over a failed film deal.
Thinking of bidding on Dame Dash’s stake? Get ready to spend big. The auction starts at a minimum bid of $1.2 million, and you’ll need to put down a $240,000 deposit just to get in. The sale includes Dash’s share in Rockefeller Inc., which features the rights to Jay-Z’s legendary debut album, Reasonable Doubt. However, the rest of Rockefeller’s music catalog is owned by other entities and isn’t part of this auction, since the label stopped operating in 2013.
Things are further complicated by Jay-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke, who own the remaining two-thirds of Rockefeller. They’ve tried to block the auction, even changing company bylaws and getting involved in the lawsuit, but a federal judge shut that down back in February. So, while owning a piece of rap history might sound exciting, there are some serious limitations. You’re not just buying a piece of Reasonable Doubt; you’re investing in a company with other stakeholders, which could get pretty complicated.
An insider told Billboard that whoever buys Dame Dash’s stake in Rockefeller will only be a minority owner with no say in decision-making. They won’t be able to sell the copyright or use the masters as collateral because all major decisions need a majority vote. Plus, the rights to Reasonable Doubt and its revenue are running out. The album’s main asset doesn’t have many years left before Jay-Z can exercise his copyright termination rights, which allow him to reclaim the rights 35 years after the album’s release in 1996. So by 2031, Jay-Z could take back control, leaving the new owner with just about 7 years before the main asset is gone. Anyone considering a bid should keep this in mind.
But there’s one person who seems more interested in getting back at Jay-Z than in these details: 50 Cent. He’s relishing the chance for petty revenge, and this auction is his perfect opportunity to one-up Jay-Z. Their feud, which started as friendly competition, has grown into a full-blown rivalry over the past two decades. It all began in 1999 when 50 Cent’s track “How to Rob” took shots at Jay-Z. Jay-Z fired back with the iconic line, “I’m about a dollar, what the f— is 50 Cent?” on “Some Like It Hot.”
In 2002, Jay-Z tried to downplay their beef during an interview with Angie Martinez, saying, “Wait, who? Yeah, yeah, you know, I, um, you know, I respect your, respect your record. Yeah, yeah, I like that record. It was hot, but you know, I got to spank you, dawg.” Despite the attempt at diplomacy, Jay-Z kept taking jabs at 50 Cent, who wasn’t about to let it slide. He hit back by accusing Jay-Z of buying his way to the top. Their feud has been intense and ongoing, with each new development fueling their rivalry.
“There’s a world of difference between our international appeal,” 50 Cent said, comparing himself to Jay-Z. “Jay-Z’s biggest record only sold around 430 copies, while my top albums—‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and ‘The Massacre’—each sold 5 million copies. The gap between us internationally is huge. In the U.S., people might think we’re competing, but America’s market can be bought with enough marketing dollars.”
50 Cent also took aim at Jay-Z’s attitude, telling Rolling Stone in 2009, “He’s got this king complex, like he thinks he’s f—ing Jesus or something. It’s like he’s this Jehovah [expletive].” He didn’t stop there. 50 also accused Jay-Z of betraying his Rockefeller artists. “He’d talk about Rock La Familia and how we’re all family,” 50 said, “but then he’d use standard business tactics. He wasn’t thinking about his artists; he was just looking out for himself.”
And 50 isn’t the only one who’s called Jay-Z out. There are plenty of whispers in the industry about how Jay-Z might have intentionally held back his Rockefeller artists to keep them from overshadowing him. DMX even claimed that Jay-Z sabotaged his sixth album. “When I was ready to drop it, Jay-Z was all supportive at first,” DMX recalled. “But then he went on vacation, and suddenly nothing was getting done. It felt like he was trying to get rid of the competition. First, he retired, then came back and tried to push me off the label. It was clear he was playing games.”
It seems that something similar might have happened with Beanie Sigel. TK Kirkland has said that Jay-Z intentionally sabotaged Beanie because he was worried Beanie might outshine him. “You couldn’t be bigger than Jay-Z on Jay-Z’s label. It sounds crazy, but they’d push you to a point where you couldn’t surpass Jay-Z. You couldn’t sell more records than Jay-Z,” Kirkland explained.
He added that, despite any past issues, he still respects both Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel. “Jay-Z, you’re still my guy. You threw my birthday party and now you’re a multi-billionaire. Beanie Sigel’s still doing well, and I’ve got nothing but love for him.”
Jaguar Wright has thrown in some pretty wild claims too. She suggests that Jay-Z’s jealousy might have played a role in Big L’s murder back in the early ’90s. Big L, a local legend in Harlem’s underground hip-hop scene known for his insane freestyling, had a promising career with Columbia Records. However, the label dropped him less than a year after his successful debut album, supposedly over creative differences.
Big L didn’t let that stop him. He started his own label, Flamboyant Entertainment, and was even on the radar of Dame Dash from Rockefeller, who was thinking about signing Big L and his crew. But just as things were heating up, Big L was tragically shot in a drive-by in Harlem.
The whole situation is still shrouded in mystery. Gerard Woodley, a childhood friend of Big L, was arrested in connection with the murder but was released due to lack of evidence. To this day, Big L’s murder remains unsolved.
Jaguar Wright has also suggested that Big L had suspicions about Jay-Z being involved. She even claims Big L hinted at these suspicions in his track “The Enemy.”
Switching gears to 50 Cent, he dropped a bombshell in a 2023 interview with Big Boy TV. He alleged that Jay-Z tried to use his NFL connections to mess up his performance at the 2022 Super Bowl. According to 50, Eminem had to step in and insist that he wouldn’t perform unless 50 Cent was also part of the show.
“Jay-Z and them were putting it together, so I think they still hold some grudges against me,” 50 Cent said. When asked if he thought he was purposely left out of the ad, 50 replied, “I don’t think so. I think the NFL has some issues with me that I don’t fully get.”
Tony Yayo, 50 Cent’s longtime friend, backed up this story during his Vlad TV interview. He hinted that Jay-Z might have a history of undermining rappers he sees as a threat. “People might talk about Jay, but it’s clear he didn’t want 50 at the Super Bowl. Eminem had to push for it, saying he wouldn’t do the show unless 50 was included.”
Despite all these claims, some are skeptical. “I don’t know if Jay really wanted 50 out,” Yayo said. “It’s all part of the competition. Remember, 50’s always been a competitor for Jay. But they did eventually work together.”
Back in the day, the competition was fierce. Remember when Jay said, “Yo, 50’s coming”? He warned Seagull, Memphis Bleek, and the crew. And honestly, 50 Cent was on a whole different level. He came in right after Jay and Rockefeller. G-Unit showed up, and even with the big names like Eminem and Dr. Dre, nobody outsold us. 50 Cent is known for holding grudges, and once you’re on his bad side, expect non-stop drama. It seems like 50’s been waiting for the perfect moment to get his revenge on Jay-Z.
So here’s the latest scoop: 50 Cent is reportedly planning to buy Dame Dash’s share of Rockefeller, even if it means the ownership will expire soon. It looks like 50’s doing this purely out of spite, hoping to mess with Jay-Z. And with Dame tossing in an original Rockefeller chain, you just know 50 will be flaunting that chain and using it to troll Jay-Z on social media.
Some fans are calling out Dame and 50, saying they need to move on and stop all the drama since Jay-Z isn’t even paying attention to them. One person said, “Jay never mentions these guys, but 50 is always trying to get a rise out of him. Man, you’re rich—act like it.” Others think Jay-Z might be staying quiet on purpose to seem above the drama while secretly making moves behind the scenes. One fan even suggested Jay might be working on underhanded tactics, like blocking 50 from big events like the Super Bowl.
What’s your take on Dame Dash putting his Rockefeller shares up for auction? Do you think 50 Cent is really gearing up to bid just to get one over on Jay-Z? And do you believe Jay-Z is as unbothered as he seems, or is he secretly plotting something behind the scenes?