DAMON DASH STANDING BY HIS FRIEND IRV GOTTI

Damon Dash has been showing his support for his friend Irv Gotti by showing up for the first two days of the Murder Inc. CEO's federal money-laundering trial. Dash told SOHH.com, "I can't believe the charges, but it all comes out in the courtroom. He seems ridiculously innocent of what he's charged of. What they're accusing him of...that's not characteristic of him."

Dash and Gotti have been friends for many years, as Gotti worked on Jay-Z's 1995 debut album, Reasonable Doubt, and even served as his tour DJ before landing an A&R gig at Def Jam Records, where he later facilitated the joint venture deal between the label and Roc-A-Fella Records.


Dash said, "I started my career...I got a lot of information from him as far as advice. Irv was Jay's DJ. We was on the road for a long time together...we spoke about our plans as entrepreneurs in a very legal way."

He added, "What I know is Irv, he's a good guy...he's a friend, we need to stand together. As a culture, we're supposed to stick together."

Irv and his brother Chris Gotti are facing allegations that they used Murder Inc. Records to launder money for reputed drug kingpin Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff. If found guilty, the two brothers could face up to 20 years behind bars.