Rap mogul Dame
Dash is facing a third-degree misdemeanor assault charge, after being accused
of assaulting veteran journalist and America Editor/co-CEO Smokey D. Fontaine
last week.
Fontaine filed
a police report against Dash on Thursday (Sept. 29) accusing the America publisher
of punching him in the chest and knocking him over a chair, resulting in injury.
The incident occurred
after the two argued in Dash’s New York office.
Fontaine checked
into a New York hospital until Thursday and is currently recovering.
Fontaine founded
America, billed as an "urban luxury publication." The magazine launched
in 2004.
"It’s
a fashion forward magazine," Dash told AllHipHop.com shortly after the
magazine launched. "Its bringing Hip-Hop to fashion and fashion to Hip-Hop.
"I want to do it with someone I trust and I trust Smokey and think he’s
good at what he does and he’s respected in his community. And it’s
working out."
Insiders say Dash
was irked that Fontaine was reportedly seeking outside investors to infuse cash
into the magazine.
Dash was also allegedly
upset with a Sean John advertorial that is scheduled to run in an upcoming issue.
Dash recently announced
he was selling his share in Rocawear back to investors for $22 million dollars.
Fontaine has worked
at Trace, the music editor at The Source and helped co-author DMX’s autobiography,
"EARL: The Autobiography of DMX."
Representatives
for Dash could not be reached at press time.
