On Monday, rapper Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, issued a detailed response to allegations of sexual assault brought against him in an amended lawsuit filed on December 8. The accusations claim that Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs assaulted a 13-year-old girl at a Manhattan house party in 2000, following the MTV Video Music Awards.
The plaintiff, who filed the lawsuit in October, said that both men raped her while a female celebrity allegedly watched. Combs, who is serving time in jail for charges unrelated to the current case, also denied the allegations.
Jay-Z responded to the allegations through his Roc Nation social media account, calling the lawsuit a “blackmail attempt” by attorney Tony Buzbee. “My lawyer received a demand letter calculated to exploit the nature of these allegations and public scrutiny to force a settlement,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect. I will not give you one red penny!”
The rapper challenged the plaintiff to file criminal charges rather than a civil suit, stating, “These allegations are heinous. Anyone who would do such a crime to a child should be put away. He also sympathized with his family, mainly the children who have reached an age where such accusations are hurtful.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé viewed their daughter Blue Ivy’s new movie, Mufasa: The Lion King just hours after making the comments. After the event, Beyoncé took to Instagram to express her appreciation for Blue Ivy’s win.
Jay-Z and Combs have both strongly denied the allegations, which Combs’ lawyers branded a “shameless publicity stunt.”
The case is still attracting attention as both parties get ready for further legal battles.
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