The big lights of New York not only inspired Ava Dash, but her legendary parents as well. After growing up in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood—and taking a brief stint to live in Los Angeles—Ava is back in the Big Apple to focus on her modeling career, and her parents are right there to support her. Ava gave a closer glimpse into her tight relationship with her father, music mogul Damon Dash, on Episode 4 of Next Gen NYC.
“My dad definitely wants to know exactly what’s going on in my life,” she shared on the June 24 episode. She added she has no problem confiding in him about her relationships and friendships: “Honestly, it’s so fun. Giving tea to someone who is sat.”
Later, Ava invited her friend Brooks Marks and his father, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Seth Marks, to join her and her father at Damon’s golf outing in the Bronx for a group of educators.
“The OSG is hundreds of principals from economically challenged places,” Damon explained. “And what I’ve done is taught them entrepreneurship.”
Ava Dash shares details on father Damon Dash’s career
Ava shared more on how her father is an “entrepreneur,” explaining, “He cofounded Rock-A-Fella Records and Rocawear.”
Roc-A-Fella Records was launched by Damon, Jay-Z and Kareem “Biggs” Burke in 1994.
In 1999, Damon and Jay-Z also launched a clothing brand together called Rocawear Clothing Company—and it became a family business for Damon.
“When I was like four years old, I was in the Rocawear campaigns,” Ava shared during Next Gen NYC.
Damon ended up selling his stake in the company in 2005, but the move into fashion still had a big impact on Ava.
Ava Dash reveals how mom Rachel Roy influenced her career
Ava was also influenced by her mother, fashion designer Rachel Roy, who launched her “ready-to-wear and accessories business into a globally recognized brand” in 2004, according to her website.
“With my mom being a fashion designer, fashion has always been a part of my life,” Ava shared in the episode.
Even her godfather, the late André Leon Talley, was part of her fashion aspirations. Talley was editor-at-large of Vogue magazine for years and was also its first African American male creative director from 1988 to 1995.
“We call him ‘Fashion’s Godfather,’ too,” Ava said.
What does Damon Dash think of his daughter Ava’s career?
Despite his high-profile career as a music mogul, Damon shared he knows that Ava will be just as successful in her pursuits of fashion and modeling.
“She has a black belt in fashion. I want her to know the superhero that she is, and the power that she has, And how to use it,” he said on Next Gen NYC.
Damon celebrated the news that his daughter was going to join the show, posting a video of himself on his social media holding up a copy of the New York Post with the cast on the cover.
“Look at my baby!” he said in the video. “I’m in the supermarket, and look, I see my baby all in the middle of the newspaper, and she’s on the cover! Look at my baby!”
Ava’s not the only one on Next Gen NYC who grew up with famous successful parents. Find out what Brooks Marks shared about living in Meredith Marks’ “shadow.”
