Damon Dash, the co-founder of Jay-Z’s Roc-a-Fella records, confronted filmmaker Lee Daniels of “Precious” and “Empire” fame at a Diana Ross concert last weekend in Los Angeles in a recorded public display that dramatized the bad blood between them.
Dash says he had an agreement with Daniels years ago that entitled him to profits from Daniels’ future projects. Now Dash says he’s owed money from a planned Richard Pryor biopic and he has filed a $5 million lawsuit to get paid, The Blast reported.
The film, “Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said?” has been in development for “a very long time,” CinemaBlend reported — back in 2015. It will showcase the life of the comedian, and stars Mike Epps, Oprah Winfrey, Eddie Murphy and Kate Hudson.
The lawsuit claims that Daniels promised Dash credit as an executive producer for the film and 5 percent of Daniels’ backend profits. Daniels later allegedly abandoned the project and his promises to Dash, according to the Daily Beast.
IMDb lists the film’s status as “unknown.”
Dash reposted on Instagram a shortened version of his video recording showing his interactions with Daniels. He gave details in a long caption. He claims that he lent Daniels $2 million to help finance Daniels’ “dream of being a director,” adding that Daniels promised to return the money within months, but disappeared for a while before returning to make “The Butler” and “Empire.” Dash said he was not repaid and now he’s asking for $5 million dollars in a lawsuit.
I need some one to believe in me the way Dame Dash believed in Lee Daniels.
— Hovain (@Hovain) June 27, 2018
“Why does this dude feel like he doesn’t have to pay me?…why do I have to look crazy to get my money back…or go to court…ask @theoriginalbigdaddy why he doesn’t feel like he has to pay me even though he has it…” — Damon Dash
I say all that to say, “People think you’re crazy until they find out that you’re right.”
— B. Stewart (@musicmusing22) June 27, 2018
Dash accused Daniels of being the “true definition of a culture vulture @culturevultures_book … eats off the culture but Robs the culture at the same time… see you back in court Lee your gonna pay me what you owe.”
This isn’t the first time Dash and Daniels appeared to be headed to court. In 2014, Dash sued Daniels for $25 million over a dispute involving the ownership rights to “Precious”, “The Butler” and the TV show “Empire”, Daily Beast reported. Dash claims he loaned Daniels $2 million in 2004 in exchange for rights to certain films.
Dash thinks Daniels made the agreement in 2015 to get the 2014 lawsuit for $25 million dismissed, according to Daily Beast. Now Dash wants $5 million and his co-executive-producer credit on the Pryor deal.
Pay what you owe, ESPECIALLY, when you have it, HAD it for YEARS, a black man @iamdamedash helped fund your dream, and when said black man @DashDamon is trying his damnedest to keep you out of court, fool @leedanielsent.
Just do what is right, please. https://t.co/nvO5UFtqVN
— Andre Slater (@DreSlayz) June 27, 2018
Dame Dash was kind to not get physical with Lee Daniels. The inner New Jersey would have came out of me for 2 million dollars. That aint chump change. It would have turned into an episode of The Sopranos. https://t.co/8IIalq8Tmg
— Geovani Ayala (@MrGeoAyala) June 27, 2018
How do you give somebody 2 million dollars and not have their phone number?
— Ahwoo the Damager (@ahwoo) June 26, 2018
Six feet under type of money
— Candy Cane Payne🔮 (@CzarCobezzz) June 27, 2018
https://twitter.com/nikangel39/status/1011701308674531328
Dame seems to be genuinely hurt and appropriately angry. When did ‘Precious’ debut? Factor in production time and the interest alone on $2 million is significant. I hate seeing this. I hope this experience won’t deter Dash from supporting another black artist.
— Detroit Red (@Just_Darrin) June 26, 2018
For $2m, Lee is lucky to be above ground having any conversation, including this one. Dame is letting him off light.
— DeuceSkywalker (@DeuceSkywalker) June 26, 2018
Dame is smart, he got it on tape. Lee Daniels is on record admitting he is wrong
— Hoodlum (@native_prince1) June 26, 2018
