Hip-hop entrepreneur (and boyfriend of the late Aaliyah) Damon Dash tends to more businesses in one day than most could ever imagine in a lifetime.
Hollywood Life: You've had a busy month. What have you been focusing on?
Damon Dash: Taking over the whole planet. I got a new clothing unit, movies, all kinds of stuff. The newest adventures in my life are on the movie and television end. That means I have to learn how to direct, act, produce, executive produce, cast, everything--because that's the kind of person that I am.
Q: You've been quoted saying half your job is about going out, going to parties. Can you name the best parties the last few months in New York?
A: I went to a pretty cool fashion-week party thrown by Bridgette Hall.
Q: Did you go to the Kate Moss party for W?
A: Yeah, that was decent, but I had fun at Bungalow 8 after that. Usually when the models throw a party, they have all their model friends there for support--it's a beautiful thing. Good DJ, good women, get some Armandale [Dash's vodka brand]--you can't beat it.
Q: New York nightlife has changed in the five or six years since Moomba was hot almost every night of the week.
A: I bought Moomba.
Q: You're bringing it back?
A: Yes, I'm going to call it The Breakfast Club. I might not make any money, because I don't think I'm going to let anyone in. I just want a quiet environment where my friends can relax, not have to run around--just a cool place to chill.
Q: Rumor has it that you had a camera crew follow you around for most of the summer.
A: If you see Backstage, that's the first movie I ever really did on a theatrical level. I've been actually having cameras follow me around since before I was in the music business just because every aspect of my life I think is an epic, you know what I'm saying?
Q: What's going on with Death of a Dynasty? Are we going to see that in theaters?
A: Definitely. My new best friend, Robert De Niro, was so kind as to let me premiere it at the Tribeca Film Festival. I'm going to give it one mote quick brush, then I'm going to release it.
Q: Any other movies in the pipeline?
A: I just executive produced The Woodsman starring Kevin Bacon and his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, Benjamin Bratt, Eve and Mos Def; that's being edited. And I'm about to start this other movie called Divas. Annette Bening is slated to star. We haven't actually cast the leading man yet. And I'm about to direct State Property II. It's a follow-up to State Property, which was released by Lions Gate.
Q: On the music side, you're signing people left and right, and not only in just the hip-hop world.
A: In the next six months, I should have between 10-15 releases. All my artists are individuals and are legends--they are all different; I think it will be really interesting to see how it all pans out. If they are all successful, I don't think anybody's going to be able to breathe, so let's hope.
Q: If you were at a dinner table with whomever you could invite, who would it be?
A: Jesus. Because I need someone who can hang with me intellectually, probably Einstein. Elvis, Bob Marley, Hare Krishna because he had a lot of bitches. I need to speak to Marilyn Monroe because she knows a lot of secrets. Malcolm X. And Frank Sinatra because he was a cool motherfucker.