JAY-Z Reportedly Reveals How He'll Acquire 'Reasonable Doubt' Rights
By Tony M. Centeno
August 12, 2024
JAY-Z will get the rights to Reasonable Doubt even if someone drops over $1 million to buy them.
According to a report TMZ published on Saturday, August 10, the Brooklyn native's attorney submitted a legal filing that states Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter will obtain the rights to his first studio LP in 2031. Hov was originally slated to earn the rights to his music 35 years after it dropped on June 25, 1996. The legal documents were filed to officially affirm the conditions regarding the master recordings of the Roc Nation founder's life-altering album before the copyrights go up for auction.
The recent filing was made after the U.S. Marshals decided to put Roc-a-Fella co-founder Dame Dash's 33.3 percent share of the company up for sale. The proceeds will help satisfy a $823,000 judgment from his copyright infringement and defamation case. For the unfamiliar, Dash lost his legal battle against film director Josh Webber two years ago. Webber, who produced the 2019 Dear Frank alongside Muddy Water Pictures, sued Dash for copyright infringement and defamation after the 53-year-old told people he still owned the rights to the film even after he was removed from the project.
Hov's latest legal move could affect the upcoming auction. Whoever does purchase the rights will enjoy revenue from the album for six years until everything reverts to JAY-Z. The auction will be held at a hotel in Midtown Manhattan on August 29. Webber's attorney Christopher Brown will work with potential bidders who still want to purchase the rights. They must also be able to bid no less than $1.2 million and provide a deposit of 20 percent of the minimum bid, which is $240,000.