Two nights ago I posted a piece on Damon Dash. It was a well received piece that I thought, in my opinion, was a very objective view on the man, his history, his current woes and most importantly, his likely chances of coming out of all of this b.s. and landing on top. You might have seen it. Anyways, just a few moments ago, I happened to come across this drop over at Global Grind entitled "Ain't No N***a Like Damon Dash" written by none other than Russell Simmons, my former employer at Def Jam and without question, one of the original architects of this thing we call the Hop Hop Industry. In this drop, Russell comments on how great the off Broadway play "Hip-Hop Monologues: the Life and the Mind of Jim Jones" produced by Damon is. He even goes on to say how said play "takes hip-hop culture to another significant level of accomplishment." That shit is cool right there, I'm all about evolution, especially when it comes to the advancement not only of my peoples and peoples the world throughout, but also when it's specifically concerning the evolution of Hip Hop culture, which I am so much a part of and which I love so much. Bravo Damon and thank you Russell.
However, that's not what caught my eye. See, in his drop, Russell goes on to say:
"Hate spreads. But like Tony Montana in "Scarface" said, "two qualudes ..... And they gonna love him again." So haters, it really doesn't matter about your blogs from the sidelines. Dame's gonna help heat the economy again!!"
Hmmm. Haters hating through their blogs from the sidelines. Was that Russell firing a stray shot my way in connection with my piece? Coinkydink? That seems a little too close for my liking. The way I read it, some peoples caught some feelings in me sharing some real honest shit about Damon and Russell decided he'd come down from the mountain top like Al Sharpton or Louis Farrakhan in order to drop a speach and set shit straight. You know, like he's supposed to do. Only thing is I never actually dissed Damon but Russell in damning my piece as hate and labeling me as a hater firing blog shots from the sidelines is an obvious diss. Or let's just say I'ma take that as an obvious diss.
Sooooooooooo, for the record, and this is no side ways, cat fighting sneak shit:
Russell, please feel free to read my piece in it's entirety, not through some word of mouth delivery through one of your employees, lackeys or interns. Once read, you're most definitely welcome to your opinions, and if you feel that I dissed your boy Damon in any way, then so be it, we're all entitled to our own interpretations. Now I am 100% appreciative of you giving me my first shot in the game, on top of this whole hip hop industry thing that you've been instrumental in building, the very same industry that has allowed me to make a living from, to make a name from, in addition to enjoying all the beautiful things birthed from the industry. Thank you for that. From the heart. I can never ever even conceive of how I could ever repay you for creating the very ground that I walk on.
But, if you ever effin call me a hater again, if you so much as fire any types of disrespectful shots my way, direct or indirect, I WILL BODY YOU! And just for fun. I do what I do out of passion, without so much as a check coming my way in connection with my daily blog posts. I do it for the love of hip hop and I do it for the love of this culture. And because I do it out of love and passion, and in keeping with the original combative and competitive nature that is the ESSENCE of hip hop, of rap, break dancing, deejaying, graffiti writing, poetry slamming, record sales what have you, I WILL NOT TAKE ANY DISSES FLOWN MY WAY LIGHTLY.
No doubt you have an empire behind you, and you most definitely have the physical arsenal to try and squash me with whatever you send my way, but you won't win in this lane dunny. Not here, not now, not ever. I'm small to you dude, so small in fact that I'm way too hard to pin point, to hit, I make one of the hardest of targets. You, I can set up a special blog solely in honor of you and bomb on your ass and daily, to the point where Sharpton, Farrakhan AND Chavis might just have to intervene and call for a cease fire. This is guerilla warfare my dude, and I AM COMBAT JACK. I LIVE FOR THIS!!! Cut it out and right now son. Keep my shit out your mouth old man. Please don't have me declare war on you. Only because I'm impatiently waiting for that. And please believe that my gunshots will make you levitate.
You have been respectfully and formally warned!!!
Combat Jack
And that my friends is that. On to our regularly scheduled program.
Posts
Honestly, I'm not sure Russell was even taking shots at you. Your piece was more than fair to Dame: its actually giving him props. The only negative is that you call him an asshole but you even cite that as part of the reason for his success. People could take that for a backhanded compliment I guess, but overall you were far more positive to Dame than most in the media and blogworld have been.
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna stock up on some popcorn and watch from the sidelines as the sparks fly! Let see if Kevin Liles and Lyor have somthin to say. Sick em Jack....
ReplyDeleteI love this blog
ReplyDeleteI bet u have been waiting all your life to say that to him...i bet he was not even referring to your post...do u know how many bloggers out there diss Dame on a regular basis??? C'mon lets be civil..there's no need for all that.
ReplyDeleteToo much of a coincidence... with him referring to Ain't No Nigga and the Nutty Prof soundtrack so many years after the fact but 2 days after your drop.
ReplyDeleteGit him!
Let's just keep it respectful.
i agree...blogs been pulling a dump on dame forever..ever since the roc downfall...even before that cuz he was making himself hate-able to people he worked with.
ReplyDeleteRussell... (c) R. Peters' parents
ReplyDeletesomebody gonna get a hurt
Combat Jack... I'm new to your site.. but I gotta say there are so many web site shitting on Dame Dash..I mean truly enjoying his downfall..there's no way you to tell what blogs Russel was talking about..Anyway the Dame Dash post was very on point!!
ReplyDeletepeople in this day and age don't know how to differentiate between a "hater" and constructive criticism..
ReplyDeleteI think you're mistaken...it's kinda self-centered to think that of all the blogs written about Dame, Russ read yours and it elicited his blog. Can someone say EGO???
ReplyDeleteCombat Jack keep going and dont let russell intimidate you. I thought dame would fire back at you so you could go hard at him instead of just telling story from the past but russ jumps in. Thats like talking about memphis bleek and Jay-z comes off his long ass honeymoon to drop a diss record on you.
ReplyDeleteRussell was talking about you because everybody has been talking about your piece. Even illseed quoted your shit on ahh. Alot of people blogged about dame dash but they were giving their opinions you were the one who had stories only inside people would know. I dont know why he would jump in to like he is his big brother or boyfriend anyway. Russ needs to go back to doing naked yoga with blondes on the beach and stay out of your business.
if you actually do know him personally, he may have read it and mentioned the Nutty Professor shit on purpose, but Russ reads Bossip and other gaysha like that... he was probably referring to them, let him live
ReplyDeleteWow...you're probably a great human being talking irate for no particular reason. Looks like your searching for publicity. Threats on a website...not so smart. Be smarter than that!!
ReplyDeletethis combat post is not a threat...more like a warning. just do you combat and you'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteyour dame post was objective and the russell thing probably wasnt be directly directed toward you but you gotta let it be known if your the type of dude that dont take shit...from any body...
keep doin what u do man.
way to ruin your best post by following up with your worst one. go post on worldstar or somethin
ReplyDeleteum... i think Russell was referring to this:
ReplyDeletehttp://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2009/03/rachel-roy-files-for-divorce-from-dame-dash
Why would you even bother replying like that in a blog of all places? If you really got a problem with Russell why not get at him through other channels?
Disappointed.
Russell on Twitter:
ReplyDelete@FABNEWYORK Freddie who's combat jack am I'm @risk :-)
Combat Jack Fail.
"This is guerilla warfare my dude.." might be quote of the year.
ReplyDeleteU stepping out ur lane jack! U need to be mindful when u speaking the name our fam and the father of hip hop u aint goin body nobody son! Im tired of u blogboys sittin in the coffeshop wit their laptop and headphones talking bout they gonna body someone. Nicca u better body that latte! U thinking the pen is mightier tthan the sword—right ; but not this here 12 GAUGE playboy. U better be mindful when u speaking the simmons name off ur ashy lips kid cuz we will GO IN ON U. But I aint gonna give u that free press, I got interns that will be waiting for u at starbucks that will shank u wit a letter opener! And staple ur fingers so u wont eva type no more. U messin wit a movement son TEAM BLACKOUT. We got enuff paper to shut down your url –wipe u off the internet like a virus. So keep ur small talk in the café with ur homo blogbitches and respect our conglomerate and maybe we’ll give u a job u lil hooker.
ReplyDeleteIs "Team Blackout" the name of Li'l Russy's crew? People get all aggie over a blog...
ReplyDelete"u better body that latte"
ReplyDeleteFunniest thing I've ever read on a blog.
Yo i just want CJ to go in hard like he did Tom From the Village Voice Back in the day that shit was classic
ReplyDeletefuck 'em, i got your back CJ (if that counts for anything)
ReplyDeleteand not to snitch, because according to the hip-hop bylaws that's a bad thing, but All Hip-Hop.com's Illseed has obviously read your post and made a story out of the Dame dating MJB piece of info that you posted yesterday and (gasp) not credited you. i understand how info spreads on the interwebs and whatnot but for a massive site like that to use what u wrote and not give you the correct dap is fucked up.
just thought u should know, keep up the good work.
Whoah, a lotta sensitivity in the air today, particularly with the anonymous responses. That's what I hated most about the industry, bunch a cats looking tough behind the desk, the boards and some money, but afraid to take a lil criticism. Or give criticism and leave their names like men. That's really big.
ReplyDeleteI DO appreciate the cats that felt I went in a bit too aggie at Russ and left their names (I see you Ian, JoJo, Ty, Carl, Nation, Johnny Butter). Maybe I did, I dunno, I just write what I feel, and dude's post was a lil too coincidental, especially with his AND my reference to Foxy's contribution to the Roc with "Ain't No Nigga" within the same window of time.
I also see Rush seeing me on Twitter via the homie Fab 5. Whaddup Russ? Nah, I ain't no threat if you wasn't referring to me, but in this blog shit, if you wanna slang shots, shots get returned with ease, unnerstand? I'ma get at you anyways through our "mutual channels".
Team Blackout Inc. That's a dope name. Ya'll some funny niggas too. Guns to bloggers, I'm impressed and honored duke. And coming from a mad crew too?!? Not tryna get my blood spilt over this, but if you so eager to bust yer guns, I guess ya'll gonna do what ya'll gonna do. Not that bright though, making death threats online. That url connectivity thing goes both ways dunny. That line about bodying my latte was some classic shit though. Lol on that. Lol too on the fact that I can almost guarantee that one day soon we'll all be laughing at this "beef" over beers and liquors out in a bar somewhere in BK or Queens. I see that shit happening clear as day.
I guess this makes my point, this blog shit is really the new hip hop.
One.
I'm loving this!
Yo Combat Jack I enjoy what you do and I personally could not decipher any hate on your Dame Post, so in that regard I doubt Russell Simmons aka Dick in the Booty(c)Pimp C was referring to you in that spray shot. Anyways Keep this shit up because its one of the first things I look up in the morning after the World news.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous or not....you are the one who said "you'd body Russ"?? Thats funny to you?? Ok... your pumpkin puss like I thought. No...no need to leave you a name or a threat! Your tone in your last post says it all!!
ReplyDeleteBest part is, Im gonna see you and you wont see me!!
Yours truly...HOLLIS!!
Man, CJ got his BOLD on!
ReplyDeleteMaaaaan Listen! Everybody^^^^ calm the fuck down. Aint nothing wrong with a little journalistic shots. CJ clearly has a right to journal his experiences in the game. That goes for Russell as well. This shit is dope though. Russell riding for Dame is interesting nontheless
ReplyDeleteAre you paranoid or just delusional? Maybe both? You know what Russell is sayin. "You ain't even ina mi casa". He aint thinkin bout you. Fall back!
ReplyDeleteGreat Read...
ReplyDelete*Will chair a nigga on Combat Jack's behalf*
But it will never get to that point but I'm just letting it be known where my loyalty lies.
40 hath spoken.
Fuck Russell as a whole. I remember my first encounter with Russell. I just landed a job after selling from boy, girl, & E from state to state about 2 1/2 years. I finally saved some 'real' money, and wanted to get an industry job. Got hooked up with Steve Salem (RIP) and just happened to be Russell's boy from (Lisa, Lisa Cult Jam & Full Force days). Oneday at the Spring St. Phat Farm store I am in there with Steve's wife, doing what personal assistants do (everything), Suddenly Russell walks in, as I stood in awe. He looks me up and down, and says "Who the fuck is this nigger"? Now I thought, not the Russell that wrote books I've read, spoke on economic freedom, and the benefit of voting, black empowerment and Yoga. I was just blazing down Motherf*ckers in Brockton, MA over .20's & .50's and now this cocksucker is addressing me a "this nigger" on first sight?
ReplyDeleteFrom that point forward my distaste for Russell has been extreme. I wanted to slap the shit out of him and Kenny (you fucking fart sniffin chauffer), but I would've been a victim of circumstance (shoot-out in Westchester that night!). Let's just say, I kept the job for another 3 months. Fucked his god-daughter in his office, and jizzed on the desk. We talking the night of NV Christmas party 2001. Fat Joe was Santa, and Kimora had one kid (pregnancy was unannounced but people in the know -knew) Tweet & Ashanti were battling for new artist respect, How High premeire was that night also!!!
Fuck Russell. You probably kissed your god-daughter too that night also. I didn't!
Sensitive citizens of Hip Hop, Russell will call you out, point blank. Combat Jack knows what it is. Not to say, he could've spoken on a wider spectrum, but satire requires no explination. Unless offense is taken, and better yet... Russell, Kevin (remember the Def Jam Jackets), And Lyor were always ridiculed by Dame for using Jay as a pawn. Which proved to be an intangible influence in later times.
I am sure that most of the responses are even in tune that sizzle chest was the blueprint, Damon is an asshole, it's his mantra. My nephew rocks with Jimmy very close, and I am totally BKLYN all DAY we're the INDUSTRY GOONS point blank. But Russell has the mouth of a crackhead from Mother Gaston at 2 a.m. trying to get a hit. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, then it must Quack sometimes!
Hit that mofo over the head Combat, or make him bow out gracefully! Dude sucks 100%. SMH!
Damn CJ, your piece was mad diplomatic, until you got wild, but I took it as you playing (in "response" to rush).
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned, the funniest thing of this whole shchabang was: Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte! Nicca u better body that latte!
I think team Blackout and Budden's Internet Soliders have a lot of overlapping membership.
Yo CJ, I talked slick about you when you didn't reply to my request to help an out of work Gtown law alum attorney. I'm talking real slick about you down here in ATL, just ask Dallas Penn. You gon body me son? And fear of a black planet was the shit! Or maybe I roll with the other PE album. Whatever to get in your lane (pause).
You better just sit back and body that Latte my ninja.
No love lost, this shyt was hilarious.
dameSTATUS
combat jack = g.o.a.t. of this bloggin ish, well at least a real good competitor next to DP, robbie from unkut, TSS crew an one or two others. have much respect for ye buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut.....
ReplyDeletedespite how much i was lovin the dame post, this one smacks a little too much of that e-thuggery gick.
Russ's post MIGHT've been bout you, might not have tho. feel what your sayin wit the foxy references n tha, but still....
i know your combat jack, an this is kinda your steez but i think you mighta came a little too hard on this one[||].
just sayin a little of the diplomacy shown on the dame post coulda been employed here too.
( just realisn i coulda just said that in th first place, but i dont type for a living and no way am i throwin away that whole spiel i just tapped out ha)
CJ-- Very interesting, as I saw Russell's blather and was like... huh? I won't let myself waste any more time on the musical embarrassment that's Jim Jones (or why he's cosigned by Dame and Russell), but this does remind me--
ReplyDeleteQ: Any thoughts you careto share on Russell and MC Serch (which was a very interesting post, btw) versus the Beastie Boys?
Is it water under the youthful bridges or was there something more substantial in Russell giving Serch a pass AND the BBs going against both dudes?
Keep up the great work.
Not really pertaining to this post, but your stories from memory are as good as most books of fiction, I read.
ReplyDeleteSalute.
ya i don't think russ was talkin bout you.
ReplyDeletebossip and them runnin DD into the ground right now and they bEEn talkin bout Blood Diamond Russ erytime he lays out a white girl. those folks are the haaaterz.
hahaha.. there's nothing funnier that an angry blogger. i can just picture you typing away furiously and taking hours rewording everything. shit is sad - you look stupid for that.
ReplyDeleteand maybe you should do some research and pay some attention - every blog is dissing dame right now. simmons didnt call you out specifically, so why'd you think it was you over the millions of other blogs talking about dame? paranoid narcissism at its finest.
Zeezus iz in yo corner Jack, I dont really know to much about dame cuz im only 24 but if you need me to pile on a nigga i gotz u. I got nuthin against russell cuz he stay paid but them team blackout niggas iz a joke. My dude wuz on they street team for latchkey records(their label) and he had to give out free blackout t-shirtz at a club, the Vault. So he was throwing shirtz at the girls, and guess what? them bitchez threw them shitz right back at him. thas right, u corny lil squirrlez, cant even give out free t-shirtz. An i know jojo didnt write that post it was one of hiz lame azz crewz, probably that nigga sub-spit, who jus tryin to get some o yo daddy money. cuz jojo and them is nice church boyz and dont mess around with real nigga talk. But Zeezuz wanna know when gonna start that advice column cuz i got some shiz u can help a nigga wit
ReplyDeleteKeeping it a hundred I loved the story you posted on Dame and felt that you brought the real to the forefront. But who I think Russell is talking to directly is sites like bossip and mediatakeout who tend to hate a brother while he's down. Everyday it seems these sites get a kick out of putting people down and all for the sake of entertainment. The problem is these people don't know Dash personally so for them to take shots at his character is straight out wrong. I'm sure that Dame is not a saint but you can definitely see all the work he has put into creating an empire artists to this day still attempt to emulate. I for one think Dames business is his business. He doesnt put it out there people who are not happy with there own lives are the ones putting playboy on blast. Being famous is a double edged sword. The price of fame is forever steep. But as for the haters it comes with the territory so my man Dame hold ya head and give em the finger
ReplyDeleteOne love
Ca$ Money
Done said.. Thanx for the props. Combat Jack is the KING of this blog ish, I am just a humble servant.
ReplyDeleteFunny: There are alot of Blog Gangsters out there. I even seen Jay -Z flinch at the Runway in Five Towns @ Far Rockaway lotta years ago, yes, and ain't no nigga was out, BIG was alive. Redman & Meth performed "How High" and I basically shut that shit down! (after throwing mad stuff onstage at Poppa Wu) That night, lucky I did, cause my boy Pacman (no relation to that NFL player) was gonna rob that Mobb again. Those were the days... Long b4 this, you could get punched in your face for what you said! The 52 was replaced with the .38 Special, you had in the 40 belows! Got made skinned up shins cause of that type action!
The responses to this particular blog are almost as entertaining as the blog itself....
ReplyDeleteand @blackmanstain: you need to set up a blog and tell some stories dude...you are funny as hell!
CJ: Keep doing your thing! Keep these stories coming, and don't ever compromise your integrity...
CJ....i'm sure if you holla at dude through those channels, i'm sure he'll clear up that he wasn't referring to you.
ReplyDeleteAs far as none of these commenters knowing your true identity...i'm surprised. i thought your real life gig et al was public record. if you really intend this blog to be anonymous, scrub a little more...i mean, it took me two seconds to google your real name etc.
russ ain't know who you were. but even so, i think it was a shot aimed not at "combat jack" but at bol/xxl, if it was someone specific. he and his set stay clowning Dame since way before his divorce.
to all you doubters: CJ is a real industry cat. Be thankful he drops jewels on us from time to time.
I read the Dame Dash piece after I read this piece and now I think you may be wrong. I don't think someone would have seen your piece as hating, Russ pretty much agrees with you in that Dame made bad decisions and will probably end up back on top.
ReplyDeleteTherefore, I'd venture a guess that you either are too sensitive and/or you wanted to vent some shit out at Russ and jumped on the first opportunity to do so. Which is fair enough. he's got that annoying smugness about him.
double13..
ReplyDeleteThank you, also. I am riding with Combat Jack. If he ever extends his arm out to a brother to enter his focus of educating, exposing, and engulfing us with the brutally honest truth..then so be it. Till then I will remain humble, and exercise my right to say the WTF I want, in my own crazy ass way. Ha Ha
Old man Russ, what more can I say? Fuck em. He was good to hip-hop. Varick Street was the cornerstone of some of memorable hip hop moments, from the Phat Farm sample sales, with Kimora's (Old Patricia Fields having)ass to the one's that still occur at Chung King Studios. I used to see the old man's Rolls Royce out there, and waiting for the Godfather. I give respect in that sense, but he can kiss my ass doing a pinky toe stand extended of his fassy guru's nose!
Yeah cause I get higher off life than the rent in the white house! Extend ole' man...But remain so lokey my mom's don't know me..
ur getting like 50 comments on each post. ur bigger than ur boy bol now. he's gonna start hating on u now
ReplyDeleteIsn't Russell technically a "blogger" dishin from the sidelines???
ReplyDeleteI think you're reading too much into it CJ.
ReplyDelete