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Part 10: Kyambo Joshua: I Signed Kanye to Roc-A-Fella, Not Dame Dash
Part 1: Kyambo Joshua: Jay-Z & Nas Problems Started When Nas Didn't Show Up to Jay's Studio Session
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Kyambo “Hip-Hop” Joshua sits down with Vlad to revisit a pivotal 2004 moment in rap history: Kanye West’s rise with *The College Dropout* and the collapse of Roc-A-Fella Records. As executive producer on Kanye’s four-times-platinum debut, Joshua explains how Hip Hop Since 1978 evolved from a production company into a label force, while also revealing why he left Roc-A-Fella after years of A&R work on Jay-Z albums, including *The Black Album*.
Joshua breaks down his view of the Jay-Z and Dame Dash split, pointing to Jay’s reserved leadership style, Dame’s aggressive role as Roc-A-Fella’s public face, growing business divisions, Rocawear, Def Jam politics, and Jay’s desire to operate as his own entity. He also discusses Atlantic’s interest, Steve Stoute tensions, Def Jam buying Roc-A-Fella, Jay-Z receiving his masters, and why Dame Dash Music Group struggled after the breakup.
