Jay-Z has dismissed a rape allegation made against him as part of an extortion attempt, calling the claim “idiotic” and “heinous in nature.”
This comes after a woman, who previously accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her at an after-party during the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards when she was 13, amended her lawsuit to include Jay-Z. She alleges that Jay-Z, along with Combs and another unidentified celebrity, participated in the assault.
In a statement released through Roc Nation, Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, denied the allegations and revealed that he had filed an anonymous lawsuit against the woman’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, in November.
He accused Buzbee of attempting to blackmail him with threats of making the allegation public unless he agreed to a settlement. According to Jay-Z, a letter from Buzbee demanding mediation had the opposite effect.
“It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion,” Jay-Z wrote in his statement. “So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
The lawsuit against Jay-Z is part of a broader wave of legal actions targeting Combs, who is currently in custody in New York on federal sex trafficking charges.
The unnamed woman, referred to as Jane Doe, claims she managed to gain access to a celebrity party at a private residence after the awards show.
She alleges that she was asked to sign a nondisclosure document in a limousine on the way to the party. Once there, she says she consumed a drink that made her feel disoriented and went to a bedroom to rest.
The lawsuit states that Jay-Z, Combs, and another individual entered the room and raped her. Afterward, the woman claims she fled the house and called for a ride from a nearby gas station.
Buzbee, a Houston-based personal injury lawyer, rejected Jay-Z’s blackmail allegations as “stupid and laughable.” In an emailed statement, he asserted that his letter was a routine demand for confidential mediation and did not seek money directly from Jay-Z.
Diddy and Jay-Z (Photo: Getty Images)
He further claimed that Jay-Z’s actions, including suing him and the plaintiff, have only strengthened the woman’s resolve. “She is emboldened,” Buzbee said. “I’m very proud of her resolve.”
On Monday, Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, filed a motion requesting that Jane Doe reveal her identity if she intends to proceed with the lawsuit. Spiro argued that the plaintiff’s claims of potential harm do not justify anonymity and emphasized that the accusations have severely tarnished Jay-Z’s reputation.
“Mr. Carter deserves to know the identity of the person who is effectively accusing him — in sensationalized, publicity-hunting fashion — of criminal conduct,” Spiro wrote.
Jay-Z also issued a public challenge to Buzbee, urging him to pursue criminal charges if the allegations are legitimate. In his statement, Jay-Z expressed his support for genuine victims of sexual assault while lamenting the potential impact of the accusations on his family, particularly his wife Beyoncé and their three children.
“My heart and support go out to true victims in the world,” he said. “I mourn yet another loss of innocence.”
Buzbee has announced that he represents over 120 individuals with allegations of sexual misconduct against Combs. His firm has set up a hotline for accusers and has been filing lawsuits against the hip-hop mogul, who is also facing allegations involving minors.
Combs’ legal team has dismissed the lawsuits as “shameless publicity stunts” aimed at coercing settlements. They maintain Combs’ innocence, emphasizing that he has pleaded not guilty to federal charges and is set to stand trial in May.
Both Jay-Z and Combs are icons of the hip-hop industry, having risen to prominence in the early 2000s as artists and entrepreneurs.
Despite their history of collaboration and mutual appearances at high-profile events, they have also been business rivals. Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records and Combs’ Bad Boy Records both played pivotal roles in shaping the music industry.
Earlier this year, Forbes estimated Jay-Z’s net worth at $2.5 billion, underscoring his status as one of the wealthiest figures in the entertainment world.
