Griggs Kenyatta - Culture Vultures: Conversations with Damon Dash

Poppington LLCHip Hop Motivation

CULTURE VULTURES
Published 2017 in U.S.A by
Poppington LLC and Hip Hop Motivation LLC

All rights reserved. No Part of this book may be used ofreproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical,including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any informationstorage retreval system without the written permission of thepublisher.

Edited by: Jacob Algier, Kenyatta Griggs, and Dr. Tyra SeldonTranscribed by: Kenyatta Griggs, and Carolyn GentleArtwork by: Raquel M. Horn
Layout by: Michael Ziobrowski / @XIsTheWeaponPhotography: Raquel M. Horn & Carolyn Gentle
Contributing photographers from DD172 & Poppington Staff :Shea Flynn, George A. Robels, Jonah Schwartz, & John PeetsAudio Recorded by: Michelle Gentle
Published by: Poppington LLC.

With love to my children Boogie, Ava, Lucky, Tallulah,and wifey for lifey Raquel M. Horn. This book isdedicated to independent like minded people whobelieve love is the ultimate currency and that is howthey determine their wealth, and to all women in thestruggle... #investinwomen
Damon Dash

My work in this book is dedicated to the lifeand memory of Benjamin Griggs (Dad), WynoliaRobinson (Grandmaw), Frazier Slow Robinson(Paw Paw), William Griggs (Grandfather), CarolynGriggs (Aunt), David McCoy Jr. (Friend), andDorothy Moseley (Aunt).

A Shout with Love goes to my children Khari, Kalei,Kamaile, Karma, Krisna, Kenyatta, and of course theirwonderful mothers. My First Lady Michelle Gentle.My #hiphopmotivation partner in inspiration CarolynCare Gentle. My East Coast #hiphopmotivationhomeboys John Robinson, and Kirk Webber, and my#hiphopmotivation producers Marlon Frost Douglas,and Invizible Handz.To my sisters and brothers: MyishaGriggs, Sherie Griggs, Malik Raymond Griggs, andYorel Griggs. My family: Aunt Betty, Aunt Barbara,Aunt Della, Grandmaw Sarah (100 years old), UncleShabaka, Uncle Phil, Uncle James, Sanjay, Mark,Malika, Dawn, Amili (P-Steel), Abike, Toddy, Freddy,Shana, Shaundra, and all my loved ones in California,North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. Ihave to give an honorable mention to my Mother MaryGriggs for starting me off on the right path. Love youmom! Also a big Shout Out goes to all the barbers,beauticians, and clients on Crenshaw, and last butnot least the entire culture of Hip Hop. God BlessYour Journey.

---Kenyatta Griggs #hiphopmotivation
Culture Vulture Chapters:

What Is a Culture Vulture? ..................................... 9
Intro Damon Dash ............................................ 17
Intro Kenyatta Griggs ........................................ 23

1st Section: Reasonable Clout..................... 27

Chapter 1. Reasonable Doubt Reflection ....................... 29
Chapter 2. We Played Our Position (All Jay Had To Do Was Rap).... 37
Chapter 3. Lee Daniels Was Being Flagrant ................... 45
Chapter 4. People That Cheat To Win ......................... 51
Chapter 5. Spiritual Business ................................. 57

2nd Section: Business Elevator..................... 65

Chapter 6. Suitable Lawsuits .................................. 67
Chapter 7. Secure Business Insecurity ........................ 71
Chapter 8. Business Objective ................................ 77
Chapter 9. Culture Parasite ................................... 81
Chapter 10. Elevator Incident (Jay Z & Solange) ................ 85
Chapter 11. Closet Racism ..................................... 91
Chapter 12. Black Business Dysfunction ....................... 95

3rd Section: Radioactivity........................ 101

Chapter 13. Funkmaster Flex ................................. 103 Chapter 14. Ebro ............................................. 109Chapter 15. Is Dame Broke? ...................................115Chapter 16. Definition Of A Man .............................. 123Chapter 17. Rules To The Game .............................. 129

4th Section: Independent Cheese With Corporate Crackers.... 135

Chapter 18. Crackers With Cheese ...........................137
Chapter 19. Weed, DMX, Hollywood, The Devil ................ 143
Chapter 20. I Taught Jay Z & Kanye Self Sufficiency .......... 153
Chapter 21. Politics As Usual ................................. 163
Chapter 22. Corporate Options ............................... 165
Chapter 23. Beach Chair Life ................................ 169
Chapter 24. Cant Knock The Blueprint ....................... 173 Chapter 25. Shame In The Game ............................ 179Chapter 26. Friend Or Foe ................................... 185Chapter 27. On To The Next One (The Octopus) ............. 189Chapter 28. The 360 Deal ................................... 193Chapter 28. Im A Businessman ............................. 197

5th Section: Online Business Health............... 203

Chapter 29. Tortious Interference & O.D.B. Lawsuit ...........205
Chapter 30. Being A Diabetic .................................211
Chapter 31. Aaliyah .......................................... 217
Chapter 32. Internet Hustle ..................................223
Chapter 33. Web Currency ..................................229
Chapter 34. Culture Disrespect ..............................237
Chapter 35. Warren Buffet ..................................247

6th Section: A Friendly Game Of Life............... 255

Chapter 36. Culture Embarrassment .........................257
Chapter 37. Big Pimpin Apology .............................265
Chapter 38. Tupac (B.I.G.) ................................... 271
Chapter 39. Black Distributors? ..............................275
Chapter 40. God & Religion .................................279
Chapter 41. The Fashion Game ..............................285
Chapter 42. The Film Game .................................293
Chapter 43. Digital Benefits ................................. 301
Chapter 44. The Investment Game ...........................305

Bonus Photo Gallery............................. 312

You may be asking yourself, Whats a Culture Vulture? ACulture Vultureisnt about skin color or race; its about a personsstate of mind and whether or not they live by the honor code. A CultureVultureis someone who will exploit a life and culture they dont abideby, making money from it, while completely disrespecting it. It wouldbe like a black man whos Christian making money off of the Jewishculture, and having one Jewish person fighting another Jewish personwhile that black man sits back and monetizes the situation withoutever giving advice to the Jewish culture on how to respectfully furtherthemselves and their community. If that were the case then that blackman unapologetically would be defined as a Culture Vulture.

What Ive witnessed is people of different races inside the culture of Hip Hop cheating to win like the black Culture VultureSteve Stoute, and white Culture Vultureslike Lyor Cohen. When I bring up certain people and label them as Culture Vultures, its because of my personal experiences with them. Im not saying that because its a conspiracy or I assume something I dont know. This book is based on my personal experiences. For instance, the reason I call Lyor a Culture Vultureis because Ive witnessed him make money from my culture while monetizing beefs without ever squashing them. Plus, he was the one who ended Rocafella. He gave Jay a choice saying, listen if you want to continue Rocafella without Dame and Biggs, Ill support you. Im not saying that takes the blame away from the other parties involved, but I believe that if that option wasnt given then it wouldnt have ended the way it did. Ive also heard similar stories from other people who have worked with him.