Instagram/Jay-Z & Lupe Fiasco & Dam Music Dame Dash reveals why Jay-Z never signed Lupe Fiasco, citing his competitive nature and refusal to let another rapper outshine him. May 10, 2026 AceShowbiz - Dame Dash, co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, recently disclosed why Jay-Z never signed Lupe Fiasco despite recognizing the Chicago rapper's talent. According to Dame Dash, the key factor that prevented the deal was Jay-Z's intense competitive nature toward other rappers. "Jay never liked another rapper because he saw them as competition," Dash explained.