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Don't call us friends
By This is London Last updated at 00:00am on 23.01.04Hip hop mogul Damon Dash today said he was sick of being called Victoria Beckham's friend.
The record producer spoke out on a trip to London, saying that producing Posh's No 3 single This Groove 'was not the highlight of my career'.
The 32-year-old also dismissed as 'ridiculous' a rape allegation against him by a former model who has not been to the police but who is suing him in New York for £8.2 million over an alleged incident at a New Year's Eve party in Brazil back in 2002.
Dash was left embarrassed when his new UK signing, hip hop duo SAS, failed to turn up to today's press conference - which he had organised to promote them.
He told reporters: 'Since my affiliation with Victoria I have come into the public eye on another level.
'In hip hop circles people know who I am, I've made history.'
He added: 'I don't want to be known as Victoria's mentor, Victoria's friend or Victoria's producer.
'I want to be known as Damon Dash CEO of Roc-A-Fella Records, Rocawear and films.
'When you say my name don't just say I'm Victoria's producer because I am way more than that. I am Damon Dash.
'I'm sick of being called Victoria's friend. I did what I had to do. She asked me to produce a record and I did.
'It's not like the relationship has been severed or anything and if she has another project to do maybe I'll work with her again.
'It's not like that was my greatest accomplishment. Don't make out like that was the highlight of my career, it's not. I don't care how I got your attention but I've got it now.'
'A grave injustice is being done here, you are all overlooking a genius.'
He said the former Spice Girl had a 'gangster attitude' because, 'despite the fact that people around her were telling her not to do hip hop, she did it'.
Dash, who was in London to also launch his new clothing range - which Posh has previously been signed up to promote - said he wanted to 'take over the planet'.
He said he wouldn't be 'cutting any cheques over the rape allegation'.
He added: 'It's sad that someone would put themselves out there like that. It's a mis-justice to me.
'When something doesn't smell right, the rest of the country knows it doesn't sound right.
It's just ridiculous. I am not going to do something that dumb.'
He said standing for United States president was on his 'to do list' with
the 'White House becoming the Black House'.
