AceShowbiz - Jay-Z is embroiled in a legal battle over the copyright to his classic debut album, "Reasonable Doubt", as New York City has accused him of trying to "poison" the auction of Damon Dash's one-third stake in the iconic LP.

Ahead of the auction, set to take place on October 21, a lawyer for the city's Department of Social Services filed documents claiming Jay-Z (real name: Shawn Carter) was misrepresenting the value of Dash's stake in Roc-A-Fella Records, including the Reasonable Doubt copyright.

The city contends that Jay-Z is attempting to undermine the auction to benefit himself, as Dash owes the city a substantial amount in unpaid taxes.

According to the documents, Jay-Z has claimed his stake of the album will revert back to him in 2031, but the city disputes this date. They argue that the rapper's contract with Roc-A-Fella describes "Reasonable Doubt" as "work made for hire," which would allow the label to retain the copyright until 2098.

The city's filings indicate that the successful auction of Dash's stake could yield a final bid ten times higher if the copyright is believed to extend until the next century rather than just seven years.

Jay-Z's attorney, Alex Spiro, filed a response denying the city's accusations and claiming that Jay-Z has only filed a notice of termination with the copyright office to regain control of the album in 2031 and blamed the media for twisting his legal team's comments.

In a statement to the press, Dash defended the auction of his interests in Roc-A-Fella, accusing Jay-Z's team of spreading falsehoods to deter potential bidders. Dash owes $193,000 in child support and millions in unpaid taxes, and the city stands to benefit directly from the auction.

Jay-Z's dispute with Dash has drawn the attention of attorneys for New York City, claiming that the rapper's copyright termination notice is ineligible. The city argues that Jay-Z created the album as a "work for hire" under a written contract with Roc-A-Fella, making the company the legal copyright holder. They claim he has no rights to take back the album in 2031, as he has asserted.

The city requested a definitive ruling from the judge on Jay-Z's eligibility for termination and a postponement of the auction until a decision is made. However, Spiro argued that the city has no right to seek such a ruling and that it is premature to address the termination notice issue now.

As the auction approaches, the minimum purchase price has been set at $3 million. However, the exact nature of what a potential winner would be buying remains uncertain, as the album's streaming royalties provide a revenue stream, but the buyer would also be a minority owner in a company controlled by hostile partners.

The outcome of the auction remains uncertain, but it is clear that the battle over Reasonable Doubt will continue to captivate the music industry and beyond.