Damon Dash’s Roc-A-Fella Stake To Be Auctioned To Satisfy Judgments
The auction is scheduled for August 29 in New York City
Roc-A-Fella label owners JAY-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke may have a new partner as a judge has ordered Damon Dash’s 33.3% stake in the label to be auctioned off to satisfy a debt owed by the Harlem businessman.
According to Billboard, an auction is scheduled for Aug. 29 in New York City for the one-third stake Dash has in the label, which includes the master recording of JAY-Z’s debut album, “Reasonable Doubt.” The judge ordered the sale of Dash’s stake due to non-payment of a $823,000 judgment due to movie producer Josh Webber.
Webber previously won a defamation and copyright infringement lawsuit against Dash after a dispute over the 2016 filmDear Frank. JAY-Z and Biggs objected to the ruling, citing the bylaws that mandate approval from the board of directors to sell off shares. U.S. Magistrate Robert W. Lehrburger ignored their plea and ruled that Dash’s one-third ownership of Roc-A-Fella is personal property that can be seized to satisfy the judgment against him.
Based on federal court filings, the United States Marshals Service will oversee the auction at a Midtown Manhattan hotel. Any potential buyers must bid, at minimum, $1.2 million. They would also be required to post a $240,000 deposit for the right to participate in the sale.
A source told Billboard that, although a potential buyer will own an equal share of the company, due to a majority vote, they will most likely be unable to make business decisions without the approval of their new partners.
“Whomever buys Dame’s stake in Roc-A-Fella will be a minority owner without authority over any decision-making. They won’t have the ability to sell the copyright or borrow against the master as all decisions require majority vote,” The Source, reported.
Webber’s attorney, Chris Brown, will coordinate the upcoming auction.
In July, Dash made a last-ditch effort to sell his stake to satisfy the judgment against him.
The auction will help satisfy another debt for Dash. The New York City Department of Social Services (NYCDSS) will collect money owed to them before Webber can get the money for his judgment. The entertainment executive owes $145,096 in unpaid child support to Rachel Roy for his two daughters and to Cindy Morales for his son.
The National Women’s Defense League Director, Emma Davidson Tribbs, released a statement saying that Shapiro’s office should have looked into a case involving his former cabinet secretary, Mike Vereb.
“Governor Shapiro’s office should have done a better job preventing sexual harassment happening in his own office by former cabinet secretary Mike Vereb, including protecting the survivor who bravely came forward, ensuring that any other potential survivors felt safe in speaking up, and ensuring the harasser didn’t have the opportunity to do further harm after the complaint,” Davidson Tribbs wrote.
Shapiro’s office allegedly spent $295,000 of public money to settle a female employee’s complaint against Vereb, claiming the former top aide made lewd and inappropriate sexual remarks toward the victim, forcing her out of her job. Vereb then abruptly resigned from his post in Sept. 2023 after the victim filed a formal complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) in May 2023.
Under a settlement, the PHRC complaint was resolved, requiring the woman to discontinue a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Under the agreement terms, the governor’s office did not admit liability, and the woman agreed to waive future employment with the governor’s office. However, she was allowed to work as a lobbyist for the office.
Both sides are barred from discussing the terms due to a non-disclosure agreement.
These allegations prompted Davidson Tribbs to urge the Harris campaign to move around Shapiro as a vice presidential candidate. “We urge them to consider the handling of past complaints of sexual harassment inside the Pennsylvania Governor’s office,” Davidson Tribbs said.
“The American people deserve to know that, if called to a higher office, Governor Shapiro will do more to ensure the safety and dignity of employees, volunteers, and constituents in his office.”
The unnamed woman involved in the case said she is focused on some of the bills coming to Shapiro’s desk regarding women’s rights that need his attention. “There is a large package of bills waiting to be discussed and ironed out that have been introduced by both chambers. But this package is quite substantive and hits multiple angles,” the woman said.
She hopes the bills will unify legislators and looks forward to seeing Shapiro “lean in and protect the women of Pa.”
According to the New York Post, Pennsylvania state Treasurer nominee Erin McClelland took to X on July 23 to call out the potential VP contender on the same case and accused him of additional sexism. She also said he won’t be comfortable being in second place.
“I want a VP pick that’s secure enough to be second under a woman, is content to be VP & won’t undermine the President to maneuver his own election & doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug,” she wrote.
I want a VP pick that’s secure enough to be second under a woman, is content to be VP & won’t undermine the President to maneuver his own election & doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug. I want someone that can speak to rural voters. That is @RoyCooperNC
While she didn’t mention her state leader by name, McClelland expressed her concerns about the extent of Shapiro’s presidential ambitions if given a chance in the White House. “If I were in Harris’ situation, I would think very strongly about the difficulties that some women experience being in a top-level position, and having men around them that have to be satisfied with being second, third or answering to a woman,” she said.
(Photos from left: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images; ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)
Don Lemon Calls Out Elon Musk For Fraud And Breach Of Contract In $1.5M Lawsuit
Make sure you pay up, Musk!
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon accused X CEO Elon Musk of fraud and breach of a $1.5 million contract after the billionaire abruptly canceled a content deal due to a tense interview, CBS News reports.
The lawsuit claims Musk and X promised Lemon that he would have “full authority and control over the work he produced even if disliked” by the Tesla founder and his leadership team. Lemon’s suit comes close to five months after the highly anticipated content deal fell apart before it officially started. X announced the arrangement cancellation just days before its premiere broadcast was scheduled to air March 2023.
Musk labeled the journalist’s approach, at the time, as “basically just ‘CNN, but on social media.'”
Lemon also alleges he never received any pay for his deal which according to the lawsuit, “guaranteed” $1.5 million in the first year.
The first episode of The Don Lemon Show featuring Musk came across X timelines shortly after the deal ended. Viewers saw a seemingly intense conversation between the two men after the billionaire defended the use of hate speech on the platform under his leadership and claimed hate speech has decreased after Lemon provided proof that it has gone up. Musk said analysts will count the number of posts and not the number of views.
Elon Musk is an utter moron and every person who has ever interviewed him should be embarrassed that it took Don Lemon to make him sweat. The man can never accept accountability for his actions; there always has to be someone else to take the blame. pic.twitter.com/SxHaGWOWez
Social media users found the exchange entertaining, in particular the way Lemon made Musk stutter.
“Don Lemon did a great job pressing him on the statements Elon made. And to see him stutter his way out of it was as painful to watch,” @ronniebstats wrote.
Don Lemon did a great job pressing him on the statements Elon made. And to see him stutter his way out of it was as painful to watch.
The billionaire also defended his prescription usage of ketamine, saying the drug helped to alleviate a “negative chemical mind state.” During the interview, Musk complained about the tone of Lemon’s questions, describing the questions as “not cogent.”
According to Forbes, Lemon, who claims Musk refused to pay him after the deal crumbled, added negligent misrepresentation, misappropriation of name and likeness and unjust enrichment to the lawsuit.
Musk and his representatives, including X CEO Linda Yaccarino, are also being blamed for “deliberately misrepresented what they intended to do,” after claiming hopes to capitalize on Lemon’s name and professional stature in efforts to rehabilitate X’s once failing reputation following the departure of major advertisers as a result of Musk’s antisemitic post endorsements.
The media host alleges “hundreds of thousands of dollars” was incurred to create his own media company in effort to produce X content.
Cultural Capital Is Key for Developer Derek Fleming
Cultural capital is more than a phrase in the heart of historic Black communities; it's a lifeline.
Source: Derek Fleming, Developer and operating partner of Red Rooster Restaurants. Photo Credit: Grove Bay Hospitality
Cultural capital is more than a phrase in the heart of historic Black communities; it’s a lifeline.
Derek Fleming, a senior executive at HR&A and an entrepreneurial powerhouse behind the acclaimed Red Rooster restaurants, has dedicated his career to uplifting underserved communities through strategic real estate development, preserving the physical landmarks of these experiences. His work, particularly in partnership with celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, has transformed neighborhoods and created economic opportunities for residents.
The tradition of orally passing down stories within families and communities has always been vital for Black communities. Due to the impacts of slavery and racism, many Black families have struggled to keep physical records of their ancestors. Additionally, there has been a recent trend toward removing or altering the documented history of Black Americans in school curriculums across the nation.
BLACK ENTERPRISE caught up with Fleming to discuss his commitment to the community, the power of business partnerships, and dedication to cultural capital in economic revitalization.
Economic Reviatalization
“Finding my passion in real estate early on, while studying at Berkeley, was a blessing,” Fleming says. “For me, it has always been about using the power of development to uplift communities that have been inequitably resourced.”
This philosophy has guided Fleming’s work, mainly through his firm HR&A’s cultural capital practice. Here, he works on projects that revitalize communities, creating new opportunities for wealth creation for residents. His approach blends design, marketing, and public-private partnerships with an authentic representation of cultural heritage.
Fleming’s dedication to economic revitalization is evident in his response to the hospitality industry’s post-pandemic challenges. “We’re not just facing inflation,” he explains. “We’re facing a whole new set of challenges. Supplies, labor, provisions—the costs have all skyrocketed. But we’re not just sitting back and letting it happen.” Fleming and his team have been proactive, focusing on sourcing and staffing structures to maintain quality while managing costs. “It’s a tough road, but we’re navigating it with resilience and determination,” he adds, highlighting the strategic adjustments that have allowed Red Rooster to thrive.
Community and Collaboration
The partnership between Fleming and Samuelsson is a testament to the power of collaboration and community impact.
“Marcus and I have been friends for nearly 20 years,” Fleming shares. “After I completed business school, we came together with Andrew Chapman to launch the Rooster brand to impact the Harlem community positively. The jobs we’ve been able to create, the highlighting of our community and its aesthetic, and the placemaking have proven the power of our culture when shared respectfully and with purpose.”
Designing the space for Red Rooster Overtown (Miami) was a deeply personal project for Fleming. “I allowed myself to be inspired by the icons who once visited and socialized there,” he says. The space, once a local hangout for Miami’s Black diaspora and frequented by luminaries like Aretha Franklin and Muhammad Ali, reflects the vibrant blend of southern, Caribbean, and Afro-Latinx cultures. “Overtown is remarkable in Miami and within our national cultural landscape,” Fleming explains. “We hope the space appropriately represents that distinction while preserving the cultural capital.”
The Pool Hall, a recent addition to Red Rooster Overtown (Miami), is a hybrid community space and entertainment venue. It hosts neighborhood meetings and gatherings to support local non-profits while providing a spaces “to host festive gatherings, celebrating the rich mix of music from our diaspora,” Fleming says.
With its rich cultural offerings, this space has become a catalyst for further redevelopment efforts in Overtown, demonstrating the inspiring power of culturally significant venues in economic revitalization.
Equity and Inclusion In Urban America
Fleming’s commitment to community development and maintaining cultural capital extends beyond his entrepreneurial ventures. As a board member of Harlem’s 125th Street Business Improvement District and the Neighborhood Charter School and a participant in the Mayor’s Institute on City Design, he works alongside other leaders to address equity, inclusion, and resilience issues in urban America.
His dedication and active participation in these initiatives reassure us about the future of urban America. “I look forward to doing more of this work and investing in real estate that holistically works alongside policy efforts to uplift BIPOC, particularly African American and Latinx communities nationwide,” he says.
Through his work, Fleming continues to build bridges between economic opportunity and cultural preservation, ensuring that these neighborhoods’ vibrant histories are remembered and celebrated. His work gives us hope for the future of these neighborhoods.
(Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
The Real MVPs: Flavor Flav And Alexis Ohanian Come Through In Big Way For Olympian In Paris
Serena Williams' husband and Reddit co-founder, Alexis Ohanian, also sent Veronica Fraley money to cover her costs.
Flavor Flav and Serena Williams’ husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, came to the rescue of an Olympian who couldn’t afford her rent.
According to Page Six, Veronica Fraley, who is in Paris to compete in the women’s discus throw competition, said on X that her school had only sent her 75% of what she owes in rent, yet football players are paid enough to afford to purchase new cars and houses.
I compete in the Olympic Games TOMORROW and can’t even pay my rent 😒 my school only sent about 75% of my rent while they pay football players (who haven’t won anything 😂) enough to buy new cars and houses 👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾
The “911 is a Joke” frontman, who is actually in Paris for the Olympics, responded with a screenshot of proof of payment and even assured her he would go see her compete in person.
Man of word,,, and Imma try and come by and support you in person tomorrow ,,, LMK what time pic.twitter.com/9seNCQSHCZ
Flav also lent his support to the USA Water Polo team after team captain Maggie Steffens asked for support on social media. The Associated Press reported that Flav worked out a deal to name him a sponsor for the USA Water Polo team and promised the team he’d be there for the support the team needs.
“As a girl dad and supporter of all women’s sports – imma personally sponsor you, my girl, whatever you need. And imma sponsor the whole team. That’s a FLAVOR FLAV promise.”
(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images; Inset: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Rudy Giuliani Ordered To Pay Almost $400K To Creditors After Crying Broke In NY Court
Rudy Giuliani's massive financial woes continue.
Rudy Giuliani, the former attorney for Donald Trump, has finalized a last-minute deal to end his bankruptcy case and pay close to $400,000 to financial advisers hired by creditors, who include former Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, ABC News reports.
The deal, filed on July 31 in White Plains, New York, helps the disgraced former New York City mayor alleviate a possible deep dive into his personal finances after threats from a federal judge.
Moss and Freeman won a massive $148 million defamation judgment against Giuliani in 2023 over his false ballot fraud claims against them in correlation to the 2020 presidential election. The mother and daughter duo accused Giuliani of pushing lies about the presidential election being stolen from Trump, leading to death threats.
The agreement comes just three weeks after Judge Sean Lane dismissed Giuliani’s bankruptcy case and criticized him for several failed attempts to disclose his income sources and comply with court orders. After the case was dismissed, Giuliani’s legal team claimed he didn’t have enough money to pay the creditors’ forensic financial adviser, which was required under bankruptcy laws.
Lane called his claims “troubling.”
“Even assuming that the Debtor does not have the funds on hand to immediately pay these bankruptcy expenses, he certainly has considerable assets upon which he can draw to pay such expenses,” Lane said in an order dated July 25.
The claims prompted Lane to order all involved parties to submit suggestions on how to end the case by noon July 31 and prepare for a potential evidentiary hearing on Giuliani’s finances if a deal couldn’t be reached. The judge has to sign off on the agreement, which was filed less than three hours before the deadline.
According to the Associated Press, Giuliani will be required to pay $100,000 to his lawyers to help pay Freeman and Moss’ financial adviser, New York-based Global Data Risk. The rest of the firm’s expenses will come from proceeds of selling either Giuliani’s apartment or Florida condominium, which are worth $5.6 million and $3.5 million, respectively, according to court documents. The firm can also place liens on both properties to ensure the fees are paid under the agreement.
Freeman and Moss can secure enforcement and payment of the $148 million verdict in federal court in Washington, D.C., where they won their case. Because of the bankruptcy, the collection efforts were put on hold.
This victory for the former election workers just added to Giuliani’s financial and legal woes. When he filed for bankruptcy, Giuliani listed nearly $153 million in existing or potential debts, including almost $1 million in state and federal tax liabilities, the money he owes lawyers, and millions of dollars in potential lawsuit judgments against him. He estimated his assets to be worth $1 million to $10 million.
He is facing additional criminal charges in Georgia and Arizona for his role in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election, in which he has issued a not-guilty plea in both cases.
Give A Knockout Presentation That Leaves Your Audience Impressed
Giving a presentation in front of your peers, clients, or in front of a board is one of the more stress inducing tasks for most people.
Originally Published Apr. 14, 2019.
Giving a presentation in front of your peers, clients, or in front of a board is one of the more stress-inducing tasks for most people. Getting up in front of a crowd to talk, explain, and bring forth an idea can be scary no matter the size of the group or who is in the room. However, as one who has presented in plenty of meetings, given a TEDx speech, and who has a stutter, I can tell you they are not as terrifying as you think.
Four Tips on Delivering a Great Presentation
Make eye contact
This was the first rule I learned when speaking publicly. Making eye contact engages people and makes them feel like they are being directly talked to, plus it invokes confidence. Your audience will believe that you know what you are talking about.
Have minimal info on slides
When doing a presentation, sometimes you may want to use Canva or Google Slides to show pictures, charts, quotes, etc. My advice is to keep the information as brief as you can. In my opinion, the visuals of a presentation are used to have you expound on a topic. The audience is there to hear you talk, not to read the slides.
Project your voice
During a speech, talk, or presentation, one of the goals is to make sure everyone hears you. The room that you are speaking in may be small with a handful of people or packed with folks who cannot wait to hear what you have to say. No matter the size of the crowd, you want to speak at a volume level so everyone can hear you. The goal is for people in the back to hear what you have to say as well as those seated in the front.
Use your personality
Some of the most boring, mundane meetings have been because the presenter was dry and spoke in a flat, almost robotic manner devoid of any personality. That will turn people off from what you have to say and possibly put folks to sleep. My suggestion is to inject who you are into the presentation. When I spoke at TEDxWilsonPark, one of the ways that I wanted to keep the audience interested is to show my goofy charm which gained laughs, and I was able to connect with the audience. This is your presentation; personalize it.
Foster Youth Receive College Dorm Assistance From ‘Move-In Day Mafia’
The initiative supports former foster care youth entering HBCUs with a school shopping spree, care packages, and a dorm room makeover.
Originally Published Aug. 4, 2023.
No student should have a lonely transition as they begin their college journey.
Television editor and producer TeeJ Mercer is putting an end to the harsh reality that many students lack proper resources when entering college through her non-profit, Move-In Day Mafia (MIDM). The initiative supports young adults aging out of the foster care system who are furthering their studies at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
According to the non-profit’s website, the “MAFIA” is a group of volunteers that supports underserved first-year students by presenting them with the ultimate dorm room makeover experience to boost their drive to pursue their educational goals. The “MAFIA” shows up to the campuses of HBCUs to provide these services for former foster youth as they start a new chapter of their lives.
“How can students focus, create, and thrive when they are worried about their basic human need?” Mercer, a Howard University graduate, told Essence. “I just want them to go to school and not have to work two or three jobs to take care of themselves. The only thing they should be concerned about is studying hard, partying, making memories, and, ultimately, graduating.”
The dorm room makeover also comes with care packages stuffed with hygiene and cleaning products.
“It costs about $1,700 to get each of our MIDM scholars moved in and set up with their first few months of care packages,” Mercer said. “But we have resolved that we will do EVERYTHING in our power to disrupt the foster care to prison pipeline and transform it into the foster care to HBCU graduate pipeline!”
MIDM stays connected with the students for four years and celebrates them upon graduation.
Move-In Day Mafia is a collaboration with TV production company Planet Bougie. You can also help the “MAFIA” as a volunteer or send a donation.
50 Cent Was Almost Excluded From The 2022 Super Bowl Performance
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the rapper turned media mogul opened up about his strained relationship with the Roc Nation Founder.
Rapper 50 Cent recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter. In the candid interview, the rapper, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, discussed everything from his media empire, rap beefs and of course, Diddy.
The rapper also spoke about his performance in the 2022 halftime show which featured a mash-up of Dr. Dre-produced artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, and others.
“They wanted to leave me out of it. They didn’t want me there,” the producer told The Hollywood Reporter.
When asked who “they” were, 50 Cent said he was referring to Jay-Z’s ROC Nation who produced the show. He went on to say that fellow rapper Eminem is the reason why he was invited to perform.
“Eminem wouldn’t do it without me. That’s how I ended up on the show because he was not coming if I didn’t do it,” Jackson told the publication.
“When that happens, you go, ‘Damn, so you just lost Eminem because you didn’t bring 50? Damn. All right. Bring 50 then.’ But if it was up to them, they would not have me there. I’m the surprise. I’m not on the bill at all. But they couldn’t get Em to do it without me.”
The mogul seemed to take a jab at Jay-Z’s wife by implying that she may have a plug at the Grammys.
“I don’t know who’s voting in that sh*t. It’s crazy. Whoever they are, they’re off at Beyoncé’s house because she has 30 of them,” the rapper said.
The Carters have not responded to 50 Cent’s comments.
Jay Z wasn’t the only peer Jackson discussed. He held no punches when asked about Sean Puffy Combs. 50 Cent says he always got bad vibes from the disgraced producer.
“I’ve been very vocal about not going to Puffy parties and doing sh*t like that,” the rapper said.
“I’ve been staying out of that shit for years. It’s just an uncomfortable energy connected to it.” Jackson is producing a Netflix documentary called Diddy Do It. The multi-episode series is expected to chronicle Diddy’s fall from grace. The streaming service has not announced a release date for the project.
Black Army Veteran Shares Tips to Financial Freedom After Owing Over $87K In Debt
'It's really a mindset.'
Originally Published Jan. 5, 2023.
It may take some discipline, but achieving that zero balance will provide a feeling of relief.
Army vet and single mom Nyajuok Tongyik Doluony is sharing her tips on how she payed off thousands in debt, a goal she set for herself in 2020.
According to Good Morning America, Doluony owed $87,000 in debt, had five-figure credit card bills, and car payments before she decided to take a local class from financial guru Dave Ramsey.
“I was desperate. I didn’t want to get out of the army with my debt,” Doluony told GMA. “I wanted to just focus on taking care of myself and taking care of my kids.”
Doluony was able to adopt several strategies from the class to turn her financial situation around, which included habits of understanding the need to adjust your financial situation, preparing and anticipating weekly and monthly spending, and finding avenues for extra income.
Tracking spending patterns was one of the habits Doluony shared, noting the importance of knowing where every dollar in your bank account is going. To assist with this, she used Ramsey’s EveryDollar budget app, which helped organize her expenses into different categories, including housing, transportation, and other personal purchases.
“It’s really a mindset,” Doluony said.
Additionally, Doluony shared that she tackled her high-interest debt first, while paying the minimum amounts on other debts. Money left over from each month would go toward the loan with the highest interest rate.
Doluony was able to put $17,000 from 60 days of paid leave that she had accrued after leaving the army toward her debt with the highest interest .
Diversifying her income was another habit Doluony added to her financial discipline. She added that she took on extra nursing shifts at a hospital, sold things around her home that she did not need, and resold items she purchased from Goodwill, eBay and Facebook Marketplace to earn extra income.
“I learned to change my mind from consuming to, you know, just really building wealth,” she said.
Now, Doluony is debt-free and wants others to be inspired by her success in achieving financial freedom.
“After I paid all of that off, I found a sense of relief,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where they are or where they come from. I believe whatever you decide to do for your life, it will come to fulfillment.”
“State your plan,” said Doluony. “Plan every week, plan your month out, plan your meals.”
