Jay-Z has, famously, been one of the most guarded figures in hip hop history. He spent the first three decades of his career carefully sculpting a persona for the public. The sexual assault allegations that were made against him in 2024 threatened to undo all of that. The rapper was accused of assaulting a Jane Doe alongside Diddy, who has been hit with numerous accusations over the last twelve months. Jay-Z maintained his innocence, however, and the case was dropped. The rapper is now taking legal action against Doe and her lawyers.
Rolling Stone confirmed that Hov is suing Jane Doe for malicious prosecution and defamation. He's also named Doe's lawyers Tony Buzbee and David Forney, as co-defendants. The Brooklyn rapper claims all three parties "conspired" to extort him with a "completely fabricated" story. The suit goes a step further, and claims Jay-Z's legal team has reached out to Jae Doe and confirmed the sexual assault allegations are untrue. She reportedly admitted to feeling "pressured" by Buzbee and Forney into recounting her allegations to NBC during a sit down interview in December.
Why Is Jay-Z Suing Tony Buzbee?
The interview in question proved to be disastrous. Doe admitted to misremembering several details from her initial story. "She has admitted that Mr. Carter did not assault her," the latest lawsuit reads. "And that indeed it was Buzbee himself who pushed her to go forward with the false narrative of the assault by Mr. Carter in order to leverage a maximum payday." Jay-Z accused Tony Buzbee, in particular, of using shady tactics and spreading misinformation as a means of getting him to pay up. The rapper consequently feels that damage has been done to both his family and his reputation.
The new lawsuit alleges that Jay-Z's company, Roc Nation, has suffered a $20 million loss as a result of Doe, Buzbee and Forney's claims. He also cited "civil conspiracy" and "abuse of process." Jay-Z and his legal team are reportedly real and punitive damages. Buzbee quickly issued a response to Rolling Stone, and he claimed the rapper's accusations have no merit. The lawyer asserted that he won't be "bullied" by Hov. Nor will he allow Jane Doe to be "intimidated" by the rapper's legal team. "[They] have been caught on tape offering to pay people to sue me and my firm," he alleged.
[via]
