Ruff Ryders’ Dee reveals how Jay-Z was able to forgive DMX’s $8 million debt without having to pay, a move Dee calls one of the most reliable acts in hip-hop.
Ruff Ryders co-founder Dee sat down with Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda on “The Real Report” to break down one of the most generous business leadership practices in hip-hop.
Jay-Z paid off DMX’s entire $8 million debt to Def Jam without the legendary rapper paying a single dollar. The story goes back to when Dee was still busy on the streets. His brother was already using DMX in the music industry, but Dee was skeptical.
“I was like, ‘Okay, you know, that sounds good, but you go ahead and I’ll figure it out as I go,'” Dee explained. Everything changed when the federal government began closing in.
“I probably got arrested a couple more times. The FBI was on my tail, so they were harassing me every day. So, I said, ‘You know what? I’ve got to try something else.'”
It was then that Dee decided to focus entirely on the music business. Once Dee signed with Ruff Ryders, he adopted the same hustle mentality he had on the streets.
“If you’re a con man, you’re out on the street conning people. You use the same con man formula and put it on the positive side. The same grind, but do something positive,” Dee said.
He’s released 15 albums in 8 years, and creates with the same 24-hour intensity as before. DMX became the brand’s biggest star. The rapper became a diamond star, a rare achievement in the hip-hop world.
He released two albums within a year, both selling well.
During that period, DMX was outselling Jay-Z on Def Jam. But when X felt uncomfortable with the label, Dee went straight to Jay-Z, who was running Def Jam at the time.
“X made at least $8 million there,” Dee recalled. Rather than forcing DMX to stay and repay his debt, Jay-Z took a power move.
“That n#### Hov f### wiped out the whole s###. He didn’t have to pay anything to let him go. That’s it,” Dee said. Jay-Z essentially canceled the entire debt and let DMX get away with it.
Dee emphasized how rare and solid this move was.
“That was probably 20 years ago, but I remember. You know what I’m saying? So I always have to say I have to give him that, because if he doesn’t just say, ‘Okay, go ahead, man. F### it. Do what you can do,'” Dee explained.
He praised Jay-Z for understanding the big picture and doing what was right for the artist.
The Ruff Ryders brand has expanded far beyond music. Motorcycle culture became a worldwide movement. Dee has a chapter in every city—California, Chicago, wherever the brand has a presence.
