Damon Dash is gearing up for a tumultuous financial chapter as his film rights, including the Kanye West-produced Honor Up, are set to be auctioned off this month. This move comes as state tax authorities aggressively pursue millions in a long-standing bankruptcy case that has plagued the film executive for years.
The auction is scheduled for December 30, 2025, in New York City and is part of a court-approved strategy to settle claims associated with Dash’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which reveals liabilities exceeding $25 million. Following a judge’s authorization, the U.S. Marshals Service will oversee the liquidation of Dash’s significant assets.
Reports from AllHipHop indicate that the auction will include copyrights held by Dash’s media company, Poppington LLC. Notable titles up for bid include Honor Up, Too Honorable, and Welcome to Blackrock. The decision to auction these properties follows a series of court rulings confirming their eligibility for liquidation despite Dash’s bankruptcy status.
Court filings reveal that Dash filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in September, reporting debts of $25,073,520.58 against a stark $4,350 in assets. Among his financial obligations are approximately $19 million in tax liabilities, around $396,000 owed in child and spousal support, and numerous civil judgments dating back over a decade.
The auction results from a $4 million defamation judgment awarded to filmmaker Josh Webber and Muddy Water Pictures, linked to Honor Up, which features Dash alongside Cam’ron and Stacy Dash, with Kanye West as an executive producer. The public auction serves as a means to settle all outstanding claims related to this case.
The starting bid for the film rights is set at $300,000, though this amount may rise based on bidder interest. Creditors like Webber can leverage judicial claims as bids, which could reduce the funds available for other claimants.
State tax authorities have been relentless in their pursuit of Dash’s debts. The New Jersey Division of Taxation filed a secured claim amounting to $3,996,830.62, supported by a statutory lien and accruing interest. Meanwhile, the New York Department of Taxation and Finance has presented a claim for $8,668,450.51 in unpaid income taxes.
This isn’t the first instance of liquidation for Dash; in November 2024, he lost a one-third interest in Roc-A-Fella Records due to an unresolved $823,000 civil judgment tied to a film titled Dear Frank. The winner of that auction secured the rights with a $1 million bid, linked to another New York state tax matter.
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