Freekey Zekey claims that Jim Jones’s slap of JAY-Z’s longtime A&R Lenny Santiago was the cause of the notorious feud between Dipset and Roc-A-Fella.

In an interview with The Art of Dialogue, the rapper from Dipset discussed the conflict between the two groups, which established a fruitful but tumultuous collaboration in the early 2000s.

“It was Jim, Snagz, and I that truly stood apart at times of intense strain. We requested studio time when we called Lenny S. I believe it was a Sunday when we went up to the studio and asked Lenny S, “What’s going on?” “Kiss my ass, it’s Sunday!” he exclaimed. Zeke remembered.

“We went to Roc-A-Fella the following day, ” We were unable to locate him. My man Snagz and Jim [Jones] pulled me into the elevator once I got on it, and they pressed the button while saying, “Come on, let’s go downstairs!”

“I’m not sure what happened, but I’m fairly certain that Lenny S was physically assaulted or someone else was slapped.”

Zekey claims that Dame Dash pulled up and tried to mediate a quarrel between Jim and Lenny to resolve any disagreements as the three of them quickly left the label’s headquarters.

Jim runs out the gate as soon as we get downstairs. I’m running slowly because I’m a little fatter. The Dame arrives.

“We’re going to fight,” said Dame after bringing Lenny S. down and bringing Jim and Snagz with him. Because none of this foolishness will continue. Let’s battle it out if there is an issue. “Go over there and fight Jim, Lenny S.”

However, Freekey Zekey asserted that the unexpected appearance of one of Memphis Bleek’s relatives put an end to the planned altercation.

The diamond began to shatter at that point. Because it was like, “Wait a minute, are you guys going to ride? This is Bleek’s people with Lenny S.” That’s the source of the difference,” he stated.

“I imagine Lenny S. called someone from Bleek’s family, but it was just intended to be a battle between Lenny S. and Jim Jones. It was like, “Word?” now. And it was the root of the conflict. That day, no one received it, and everyone parted ways.

Juelz Santana has also previously discussed the conflict between Dipset and Roc-A-Fella, asserting that the label failed to make the Harlem gang feel welcome because of problems between JAY-Z and Cam’ron.

“Jay and Cam never really— I won’t say never got along because that’s a weird word, we’re not kids,” he told VladTV in 2022. However, their relationship was amusing. They never seemed to mix well enough to make us seem like actual Roc-A-Fella musicians.

We were cool with State Property and Dame always showed us that affection, but we never felt like we belonged there. We thought we had to fucking blow the cake over to be noticed and heard, and we felt like the family’s outsiders.

According to long-running rumors, Cam and Hov’s relationship ended when Dame Dash, without Jay’s consent, offered the “Hey Ma” rapper the position of vice-president of Roc-A-Fella.

After exchanging insults, the two would finally put their differences aside in 2019.