Damon Dash found himself at the center of yet another costly controversy after his recent podcast remarks allegedly cost filmmaker Josh Webber a $4 million directing gig alongside Hollywood veteran Billy Bob Thornton.
The Roc-A-Fella co-founder, already entangled in legal pitfalls, faces fresh allegations from Josh Webber.
The director claims Dash’s March 30 appearance on the popular “Earn Your Leisure” podcast triggered the collapse of his lucrative film contract to helm the upcoming thriller “Fast Life,” featuring Thornton and Scott Eastwood.
Webber contends Dash’s enraged comments reignited old accusations against him, specifically that he and his associates had “stolen” the film “Dear Frank” from Dash.
The Hip-Hop mogul had previously been removed from that project amid allegations of disruptive behavior on set. He ultimately lost a 2022 court battle and was ordered to pay Webber and Muddy Water Pictures $805,000 in damages.
Yet Dash refused to move past the bitter feud.
During the podcast interview, he labeled Webber and his lawyer, Christopher Brown, as “d########” while doubling down on his claims.
Dash stated clearly, “What I lost was defamation because these guys trigger me and steal my s###… you think there is freedom of speech, it’s really not,” according to Webber’s latest lawsuit against the Roc-A-Fella founder.
Webber alleges that Damon Dash’s inciting remarks had immediate and devastating repercussions.
Just eight days after Webber inked a deal with Rebel Entertainment to direct “Fast Life,” the production company abruptly terminated the agreement.
Rebel Entertainment founder Rock Jacobs said an investor would pull funding if Webber stayed on board after viewing Damon Dash’s podcast remarks.
“While I haven’t had the opportunity to delve deeply into these allegations, initial online searches do not paint a favorable picture. As you can understand, our investor, being a family-oriented individual, is adamant about not associating his name or the project title with any controversial matters. Regrettably, based on the findings outlined above, I must officially terminate our agreement. Please accept this as formal written notification of our decision,” Jacobs emailed Webber.
With Dash already in default after repeatedly disregarding court deadlines, Webber’s legal team argues this terminated $4 million deal directly exemplifies the financial damages inflicted by Dash’s defamation.
Notoriously outspoken and unapologetic, Dash has not yet publicly addressed the latest accusations. The court will hear Webber’s motion for default judgment on April 7, 2025.
If the decision goes against Dash, the Hip-Hop entrepreneur could be saddled with another multimillion-dollar judgment, a costly price for words spoken without restraint.