Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter is making headlines as he asserts his ownership of the masters for his iconic debut album, Reasonable Doubt. This legal claim comes amid ongoing drama surrounding Damon Dash’s stake in Roc-A-Fella Records, which is set to be auctioned off.
The auction poses a significant warning to potential buyers, as Reasonable Doubt is considered the label’s most valuable asset. Bidders who participate will only gain ownership of a third of the 1996 album until 2031. After that, all master recordings will revert to Jay-Z, along with any future revenue generated from the album.
Despite the potential for short-term earnings, the minimum bid for Dash’s stake in Roc-A-Fella is set at $1.2 million. This hefty price tag raises questions about the value of a minority stake in a company where the new owner would have limited influence over its operations.
TMZ reported that Dash’s successor would only own a fraction of Roc-A-Fella, following Dash’s loss of his stake earlier this year due to an $800,000 lawsuit filed by film director Josh Webber. The lawsuit, which accused Dash of copyright infringement and defamation, resulted in Dash forfeiting his stake in the label to cover the civil judgment.
As for Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z was always set to regain ownership of his album’s master recordings 35 years post-release. Although Dash had previously considered selling the album, a 2022 agreement clarified that he did not hold a direct ownership interest in it. However, any revenue Dash earned could still be transferred along with his stake in the label.
The public auction for Dash’s stake is scheduled for Aug. 29 in Manhattan and will be conducted through the U.S. Marshal.
