Damon Dash Files Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Lists $25.3 Million in Liabilities

Damon Dash, the 54-year-old co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida on Thursday, listing $25.3 million in total liabilities and just $4,350 in assets, according to court records.

The bankruptcy petition lists Dash's monthly income as $0 and details a heavy mix of government claims and domestic-support obligations. The filings show nearly $19.8 million in debt owed to the government and $648,000 in domestic-support liabilities, including hundreds of thousands of dollars claimed by his ex-wife, designer Rachel Roy. Court records also show Dash owes money to Cindy Morales, the mother of his son Lucky, and to Linda Williams, the mother of his son Boogie.

Dash reported that he does not own any real estate, vehicles, household appliances or electronics other than a $500 cell phone. His remaining listed personal property includes two firearms valued at $750, $500 in clothing, jewelry valued at $2,500 and $100 in cash. The filing identifies his daughters, Ava, 25, and Tallulah, 17, and sons, Lucky, 21, and Boogie, 33, consistent with publicly reported family relationships.

The Chapter 7 documents filed in Florida indicate Dash has a long history of financial struggles and legal disputes that have previously resulted in judgments and enforcement actions, according to the filing narrative. Chapter 7 bankruptcy typically involves liquidation of nonexempt assets by a court-appointed trustee to pay creditors; certain obligations, such as domestic-support arrears and some tax claims, are generally not dischargeable under federal bankruptcy law.

Dash rose to prominence in the 1990s as a co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records and was an early business partner of rapper Jay-Z. He built a reputation as an entrepreneurial figure in hip-hop before a series of financial setbacks, lawsuits and enforced collections that emerged in recent years.

The filing does not list ongoing business operations or significant income-generating assets. It names a mix of individual and institutional creditors but does not include an itemized repayment plan; Chapter 7 does not use the repayment-plan structure of Chapter 13. The court will appoint a trustee to review the petition, determine which assets, if any, are available for liquidation and adjudicate creditor claims.

Dash's bankruptcy petition was submitted to a federal bankruptcy court in Florida on Thursday, initiating a legal process that will determine how his listed liabilities are handled. The filings provide a snapshot of his financial condition as presented to the court but do not resolve which debts will ultimately be discharged or repaid.