Overcoming three previous court rulings against
him, rap mogul Dame Dash has won full custody of his 10-year-old son in his
recent child custody dispute with Linda Williams. A New Jersey superior court
judge delivered the ruling in favor of Dash, whose Roc-A-Fella empire is worth
an estimated $300 million, despite his son’s plea that he wanted to live with
his mother, according to court documents.
The boy, whose name is being withheld, testified
in court that his father is only home “sometimes,” at his New Jersey mansion.
Williams, who had won the three previous custody cases against Dash, was upset
that her son was going from a full-time parent to a no-time parent.
She claims that her unsuccessful attempt to
have Judge Estela De La Cruz removed from ruling over the case may have swayed
the decision against her. Williams did not state any specific reason why she
wanted Judge De La Cruz removed, and the judge refused to comment on the situation.
Although Dash has taken his son to Paris and
the Superbowl, albeit the latter was in the custody of Dash’s late girlfriend
Aaliyah and not him, he is known to frequent nite clubs and be extraordinarily
social. Last week, he was quoted in The New York Times as saying: “I’m a social
dude. I like to go out. A lot of what I’m selling is my lifestyle. I need to
be living it, to package it and market it. It could be Bungalow 8, Suite 16,
Lotus…” While Dash was at Chelsea Piers one night, Williams also attended and
Dash claims she was stalking him, which she denied, but resulted in De La Cruz
issuing a restraining order against her. In the past, Williams has successfully
had two orders of protection against Dash and claims he was abusive.
“The judge blatantly ignored [Dash’s] arrest record” Williams said in the New
York Daily News. “I love my son. And I took care of him for his entire life
and now [the judge has] ripped him away from me. I want my son back.”
The 31-year-old Dash declined to comment on his arrest record, but through a
spokeswoman he issued a statement: “There was an extremely thorough six-week
trial, and I think that the fact that I won custody proves who is the more fit
parent. I also think the fact that I don’t go to the press regarding personal
business about my son further proves I am the more fit parent. I love my son
and would do anything to protect him.”
Roc-A-Fella has dubbed next month “ROCtober,” and plans on releasing albums
by Freeway and Memphis Bleek, as well as the release of the long delayed movie
“Paid In Full,” which stars Mekhi Phifer, Wood Harris and Roc-A-Fella recording
artist Cam’ron.
Currently, Dash is in Europe according to a spokesperson at Roc-A-Fella.