Star Music mogul, Jay-Z has denied accusations of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside fellow hip-hop icon Sean “Diddy” Combs at an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000.
The claims surfaced in an updated civil lawsuit against Combs filed on Sunday, which identified Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, as a co-defendant, previously referred to as “Celebrity A.”
According to the complaint, the minor was assaulted in the presence of other celebrities, who allegedly stood by without intervening. The lawsuit accuses both Carter and Combs of committing heinous acts against the plaintiff, whose identity remains undisclosed.
Carter responded strongly to the allegations, accusing the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, of attempting extortion. In a statement shared via Roc Nation’s social media platform, he said:
“My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee. What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are.”
Carter also urged that if the accusations were genuine, they should be pursued criminally, not through a civil suit.
“These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one! Whoever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away. These alleged victims deserve real justice.”
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who filed the suit, told AFP that “the pleading speaks for itself. This is a very serious matter that will be litigated in court.”
Meanwhile, Sean Combs, already under scrutiny for sex trafficking and racketeering charges, has denied all allegations against him.
Federal prosecutors claim Combs orchestrated a network of coercion involving drug-fueled parties and threats of violence. His criminal trial is scheduled for May 2025.
This case adds to the growing wave of legal battles involving Combs, with over 100 alleged victims reportedly preparing to take legal action against him, according to Buzbee.
Jay-Z, 55, is a billionaire entrepreneur, producer, and rapper married to global superstar Beyoncé.