Jay-Z Dares 13-Year-Old Accuser Who Sued Accusing Him of Rape to 'File a Criminal Complaint' — As Lawsuit Revives Questions about Rapper's Huge Age Gap Romance with Teenage Beyonce
Dec. 9 2024, Published 1:09 p.m. ET
Jay-Z's age gap with Beyonce has come into question after the rapper found himself at the center of a disturbing lawsuit alleging sexual assault of a minor alongside fellow music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs.
The rapper, full name Shawn Carter, issued a statement accusing "deplorable" Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee of blackmail after the lawsuit – which originally listed Combs as the defendant – was refiled to include Jay-Z on Sunday, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In the October lawsuit, initially filed by Buzbee in the Southern District of New York, accuser "Jane Doe" – who was only 13 years old at the time – claimed the assault occurred at a party following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards.
Jay-Z quickly responded to the allegations after his name was added as the other celebrity allegedly involved in the attack, slamming Buzbee for his "demand letter" in a lengthy statement on his Roc Nation Instagram.
The rapper wrote: "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 in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!
"These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case."
He added: "This lawyer, who I have done a bit of research on, seems to have a pattern of these type of theatrics!
"I have no idea how you have come to be such a deplorable human Mr. Buzbee, but I promise you I have seen your kind many times over. I’m more than prepared to deal with your type. You claim to be a marine?! Marines are known for their valor, you have neither honor nor dignity."
The timeframe of the alleged 2000 incident appears to align with when Jay-Z and Beyonce's relationship began getting serious, bringing up some uncomfortable questions.
At the time, Jay-Z, then 30, was beginning to court Beyonce, who had just turned 19. The two were also photographed together at the opening of an Armani exhibition, which came just weeks after the night in question.
On meeting Jay-Z, Beyonce told Oprah Winfrey in 2013: "We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates.
"We were on the phone for a year and a half, and that foundation is so important for a relationship. Just to have someone who you just like is so important, and someone (who) is honest."
By November 2001, they were seen with one another on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, with Jay-Z telling the publication they were "just beginning to try to date each other".
Continuing in his statement, Jay-Z then brought up how hard it will be to explain the situation to his kids – daughter Blue Ivy, 12 and twins Rumi and Sir, both 7 – whom he shares with the Single Ladies singer.
He continued: "My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people.
"I mourn yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at their young age. It is unfair to have to try to understand inexplicable degrees of malice meant to destroy families and human spirit."
The 99 Problems rapper went on to slam Buzbee as someone "exploiting people for personal gain", adding that his "idiotic claims" will have a serious negative effect on children.
Carter wrote: "My heart and support goes out to true victims in the world, who have to watch how their life story is dressed in costume for profitability by this ambulance chaser in a cheap suit.
"You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all 'celebrities' are the same. I’m not from your moral world. I'm a young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games.
"We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain. Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable."
He concluded: "I look forward to showing you just how different I am."
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The woman accusing Combs and Jay-Z claimed they assaulted her during an afterparty following the 2000 MTV VMAs at Radio City Music Hall.
She claimed she was trying to gain entry to the event and spoke to a limo driver who worked for Combs, who then allegedly took her to a house party where she signed a document she believes was an NDA.
She started to get lightheaded after drinking a cocktail, alleging Combs, Jay-Z, and a female celebrity referred to as "Celebrity B" surrounded her as she lay down in a bedroom.
The accuser claimed Combs threw her toward a wall, then on the bed, after which Jay-Z was alleged to have started stripping her as she grew "more and more disoriented".
She claimed he "vaginally raped her, while Combs and Celebrity B watched".
Her suit alleged: "After (Jay-Z) finished, he stepped back toward the wall. Combs then stepped forward and vaginally raped Plaintiff while Carter and Celebrity B watched.
"Carter has been with Combs during many such instances described herein. Both perpetrators must face justice."
She also claimed Combs tried to force her to perform oral sex on him – prompting her to fight back and punch the rapper in the neck.
Ms. Doe claimed she finally escaped the property and retraced the route taken by the limo driver before she reached a gas station and called her father to pick her up.
She said she then "fell into a deep depression" and now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as a seizure disorder caused by "stress and trauma".
Ms. Doe is asking for unspecified damages in the suit, which was filed under New York state's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act.
Attorney Buzbee said in the amended lawsuit filed on behalf of the alleged victim his legal firm had previously sent Jay-Z a letter seeking to mediate a settlement.
He alleged the rapper responded to the letter by suing him and "orchestrating a campaign of harassment" against him and other lawyers in his firm, which he contended was meant to silence his client.
In a social media post, Buzbee added the alleged rape victim he represents "never asked for a dime" from Jay-Z" and "sought only a confidential mediation".
Last week, Buzbee filed a lawsuit against law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan – whose lawyers represent Combs and Jay-Z – accusing the firm's legal team of harassing his colleagues, clients, and family.
Combs, who is being held at the brutal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, has denied all of the allegations against him including the one involving Jay-Z.
His attorneys released a statement on Sunday, branding Buzbee's latest lawsuit another of his "shameless publicity stunts".
They added: "This amended complaint and the recent extortion lawsuit against Mr Buzbee exposes his barrage of lawsuits against Mr Combs for what they are: shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr Combs.
"As his legal team has said before, Mr Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. "In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone – man or woman, adult or minor."
In October, Buzbee pledged to file several lawsuits on behalf of alleged victims of Combs, adding to the nearly 20 other civil cases and federal criminal charges – including sex trafficking – that Combs is currently facing.
Combs has faced multiple federal lawsuits for alleged misconduct between 1995 and 2021, including accusations from a 19-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy.
A federal judge recently denied his request for release before his 2025 trial, where he faces racketeering and sex trafficking charges that could lead to life in prison if convicted.
His trial is set for May 5, 2025, after two failed attempts to secure bail, despite offering a $50 million bond.
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