The New York Observer: always good for the juicy, perhaps tongue-in-cheek profile story. This week’s man-on-the-scene involves producer and Roc-a-Fella co-founder Damon Dash, who has fallen of late from his gilded throne. The rap impresario’s newest production is a Tribeca warehouse dubbed DD172, usually a “sprawling art gallery; at other times, it’s a photo studio, or an indie band’s rehearsal space.” Friend and visitor Mos Def compares the space to the Algonquin round table, early Hitsville, and Andy Warhol’s Factory, a reference not overlooked by writer David Levine. After the jump, we break down the personalities and take a look back at the many faces of Damon Dash.
Damon Dash vehicle Blakroc, featuring The Black Keys with special guests Mos Def, Q-Tip, Raekwon, RZA, Jim Jones, Billy Danze of MOP, and Pharoahe Monch. The new Velvet Underground?
McKenzie Eddy (sprawled, bottom right), Dash’s assistant, New York City transplant by way of South Carolina, and ephemeral beauty about town. The new Edie Sedgwick?
Nyssa Frank, DD172′s gallery curator, mural painter, and “Cyndi Lauper look-alike.” The new, um, Cyndi Lauper?
Levine’s article delves into Dash’s new experiment in godfatherdom:
This mix of people and crafts is part of Mr. Dash’s shot at reinvention, and, he hopes, even financial redemption. “I’m a pretentious hippie,” he told me on more than one occasion. “This is what I should be doing. … Regardless of how I got here, I’m exactly where I want to be.” Mr. Dash said that in his days of Rocawear, Cristal and yachts, he was “compromising my brand.”
That could be the reason he’s doing all this now, and there’s probably truth to it. But what Mr. Dash has succeeded in creating here at 172 Duane Street is, above all else, his own hermetic world—far from the world that’s shunned him.
Hmmm… we don’t know if moving to former partner Jay-Z’s neighborhood counts as going off the cultural grid, but, you know.
And to summarize, a look back at various Damon Dash personae:
Crunk Damon Dash, Ralph Lauren Damon Dash
Big Pimpin’ Damon Dash
Business Impresario Damon Dash, Soulful Damon Dash
Do you believe the hype of DD172? Or is The Factory allusion played out?
Comments (13)
That’s the gayest thing i’ve seen in ages
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Interesting article, thanks for the link
FlavorPill has someone’s balls stuffed in their mouth. Eliminate this bullsh1t. They should call it FlavorBallsInMyMouth.
who the F&%$ cares about DD’s asst… another wanna be NY from a small town swallowed up with all the things that make the EGO fiend for more.
DD’s assistant’s tweets: “just ran into robert dinero on the street in tribeca w/ dame. shaking hands with legends is part of the daily grind…” Ain’t she just something special and by special I mean stupid.
First off, McKenzie isn’t stupid! What she is is talented. Her band Voodoo Farm is sick and so are her other projects. Damon is giving Indie artists a place to chill and make music. What’s so stupid about that? Before you speak, make sure you know what your talking about.
Check out Voodoo Farms work on MusicVagbond: http://musicvagabond.tumblr.com/search/voodoo+farm
the comparisons to VU, edie, and cyndi are silly… as is most of this article… but i think what dame dash is doing is very cool and unique. real artists are being given the chance to showcase their talents and work all day in a free environment… and as for the people bashing his assistant, you should probably do a little more research on what she’s actually all about
Yo Nyssa Frank!!!!!!!!!!! holla @ me…i got some gems you’d wanna put on ya walls! m.peeves does it real, real raw for Galt-Faculty. come check me.
the venue under 100 operated in the basement of this facility. it was not a very good venue and died shortly after opening. what i witnessed when i was there was a bunch of rich white kids, music industry types and hangers on talking about ‘how sleighbells were the next big thing.’ pretty much douche central. also, that blakrok album is weak. dam dash was only cool when he was in the big pimpin vid. hova ditched him. says a lot.
There is only one Cyndi Lauper. This girl is not her.
There is only ONE Nyssa Frank-and she is it.
That’s my fuckin photo with the stripes. Credit.
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