Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Dame Dash claims he turned down the chance to produce the 2004 comedy “Soul Plane” starring Snoop Dogg and Kevin Hart.
During a recent interview, Dash said that he was asked to produce the film, but he was “offended” by the offer due to its racist humor.
Dash built a rapport with Hart, who starred in the first film Dash directed, “Paper Soldiers,” back in 2002. The music producer said the comedian approached him to produce “Soul Plane,” but he declined based on the content of the film. He also claimed that Hart didn’t publically support him on social media.
“Anyone who interviews Kev, and he’ll say it. ‘Dame put me in my first movie.’ Why you won’t post his s—t?” Dash said in an interview clip shared by “The Art Of Dialogue” podcast on Feb. 19.
“They had asked me to produce ‘Soul Plane’ and I got offended,” he continued. “I didn’t like white people making money off making fun of us,” said Dash, prompting interviewer Math Hoffa to agree.
“No offense, like Kev,” said Hoffa. “I’ve seen plenty of his stuff that I f—k with, but ‘Soul Plane,’ I could never feel comfortable sitting in a movie theater watching people laugh at us.”
The “State Property” creator also condemned Hart for buying a billboard for his 2015 film “Get Hard,” which shows him braiding co-star Will Ferrell’s hair.
“I wouldn’t braid another man’s hair on a billboard,” said Dash. “I wouldn’t do that. I don’t care if it’s Will Ferrell, I don’t care who it is… I wouldn’t do it. He has done things that I didn’t raise him to do but he has a different kind of comedy.”
“I’m not judging him, I’m just saying, just repost my s—t! I was never mad at him for doing anything he’s done. It’s just not what I would do, and I’m not mad at him now. But it would be nice if any one of y’all muthaf—kas I put on would post my s—t,” he continued.
“Soul Plane,” a comedy about the “first black-owned airline,” received criticism from some in the Black community following its release for including stereotypical portrayals of Black people. The movie shows passengers eating fried chicken and drinking 40s on a plane that has a dance floor and craps tables on board.
“Do The Right Thing” director Spike Lee called the film, “coonery and buffoonery,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Publisher and executive producer of the Electronic Urban Report Lee Bailey also condemned the film for its stereotypical portrayals.
“There is definitely a feeling in the community that this is the film that really does cross the line, that doesn’t have any conscience whatsoever,” said Bailey. Despite the criticism, the film became a cult classic.
Hart did credit Dash for giving him his first movie during an episode of “All The Smoke” back in 2021. Hart said he’d just performed at a comedy club, and Dash offered him a role in the film “Paper Soldiers” following the show.
