Dame Dash Says JAY-Z Was Wrong For Making Collab Album With R. Kelly Knowing He Raped Aaliyah

Damon Dash has made headlines by distancing himself from the Best of Both Worlds album by JAY-Z and R. Kelly, citing moral objections to the collaboration in an interview on the American Nu Network YouTube channel, Dash reflected on the project, which was released in 2002 and paired two of the biggest names in music at the time. Despite the significance of the album, Dash’s latest comments reiterate a deeper discontent with the circumstances surrounding it. Dash, who was dating late R&B star Aaliyah, who had a sexual relationship with Kelly as a minor, at the time, says Kelly’s checkered past and reputation made him leery of involving himself in the crooner and JAY’s joint album. “It’s morally wrong to do a project with someone that we know raped my girl or raped anybody for that matter,” Dash said. His reference alludes to the troubling allegations against R. Kelly, which have marred the singer’s legacy and have been widely reported over the years. Dash’s strong stance highlights a profound ethical conflict he felt about being connected to the album, which he claims he tried to avoid from the start. During the interview, Dash elaborated on his feelings surrounding the collaboration, noting, “I do know when that project did come out, I didn’t want any part of that project. I didn’t want any of the money to go to Roc-A-Fella or me when it came to Roc-A-Fella. His remarks suggest a clear break from JAY-Z’s decisions during a time when their partnership was facing tensions. Dash recalled, “It was around the time that Jay was trying to kind of separate himself from us… I wasn’t diluting.” Interestingly, Dash revealed that a mutual friend, Deuce, advised the duo that their collaboration was not right, further validating his decision to stay clear of the project. Ultimately, Dash allowed JAY-Z to keep all the profits from Best of Both Worlds, emphasizing his moral stance over financial gain. “I had no involvement,” he confirmed, underlining his desire to dissociate from what he viewed as a problematic partnership. This is not the first time that Dash has expressed his reluctance to be associated or work with Kelly. In 2019, the Harlem native sat down with Nick Cannon and touched on his reluctance to appear in the music video for Kelly’s 2001 single “Fiesta” featuring JAY-Z. During the conversation, Dash pointed out that he did not appear in any scenes with Kelly that were included in song’s official music video. Kelly is currently incarcerated and serving two separate prison sentences on charges including sex trafficking, child pornography, and child sex crimes, among other offenses.

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