Damon Dash Provides His Prospective on Why Bobby Shmurda Didn’t Get Bailed Out By His Label (Video)

In a recent interview with Your Black World’s Dr. Boyce Watkins, he invited music mogul Damon Dash on his show to provide his thoughts about why rapper Bobby Shmurda bail wasn’t paid by LA Reid or his Epic Records label. According to Dash, he believes LA Reid didn’t possess the power to make such a decision when it came to posting that one million dollar bond ordered by a New York judge.

Viral rap star Bobby Shmurda has been jailed since Dec. 17, when the NYPD raided Quad Recording studios in Times Square and arrested the 20-year-old along with about a dozen others.

Prosecutors have characterized Shmurda as a “driving force” in the East Flatbush-based gang and record label GS9, charging him with multiple counts of conspiracy, weapons possession, reckless endangerment, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. For the most serious of his conspiracy charges, Shmurda could face up to 25 years in prison.

Dash reasoned that a label first must examine the amount of money that has already been spent on the artist. In his analogy, he said that if a label gives a artist an advance of a million dollars for a record to be done and then they have to turn around and spend another couple of million just to market the record, there still is no guarantee that record will be profitable so why would they then turn around and throw another million out to the artist when they are not sure if they would even see any of that money back. He also explained that Epic Records is owned by Sony, which is a Japanese company that uses British people to run American people. “I don’t think someone Japanese gives a fuck about somebody black through a British, an LA Reid down to the hood to give more money and they may not have recouped their money.” I don’t think LA Reid is going to be forthright and say it’s not his money, it’s Epic’s money, I can’t spend Epic money.

Dash explained how he would handle that situation if it were one of his people because as he puts it, he is a street dude who holds down his people if they are getting money together. The video is actually pretty hilarious at one point where Dash takes jabs at the way LA Reid dresses opposed to how he dresses. Dash also admitted that LA Reid is a corporate guy who only looks at the profit and loss factor while he applies a different type of loyalty to those he works with. Is that a sound business principle that should be followed one may ask? Has that type of philosophy helped the former boss of Rocafella Records? Whatever LA Reid’s reason for not bailing Bobby Shmurda out, Dash surely has provided a better insight on what may have been considered when Smurda’s bail was not posted. Watch the video above and let us know if you agree with Damon Dash.

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