Jay-Z claims now-dismissed rape lawsuit cost him $20 million

The blockbuster, now-dropped lawsuit accusing Jay-Z of raping a 13-year-old girl cost the Brooklyn-born artist $20 million, he claims in court filings.

Jay-Z, 55, detailed his arguments as part of a defamation lawsuit against the woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, accusing him of deliberately timing the suit to inflict maximum harm.

“This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions,” he said in a Feb. 14 social media statement.

The initial lawsuit was filed Oct. 20, 2024, naming Sean “Diddy” Combs and an unidentified male “Celebrity A.” The suit claimed Combs and the celebrity raped a 13-year-old girl on Sept. 7, 2000, at a party after the MTV Video Music Awards.

On Dec. 8, the suit was refiled naming Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, as “Celebrity A.” Jay-Z claimed the timing was not accidental, as his daughter Blue Ivy had a movie premiere event the next day for “Mufasa.”

“I feel that Mr. Buzbee purposely filed this lawsuit on the eve of my daughter’s premiere to put me in the position of having to choose between supporting my daughter or hiding to avoid the negative press coverage,” Jay-Z said in a Feb. 10 filing, according to Deadline.

Jay-Z further claims the negative publicity threatened business relationships with his company, Roc Nation, and cost him $20 million in partnerships, People magazine reported. He also previously claimed that Buzbee tried to blackmail him in November before adding his name to the lawsuit the following month.

Buzbee has not publicly responded to Jay-Z’s newest claims. He dropped the original lawsuit on Feb. 14 with prejudice, meaning it cannot be simply refiled.

A Houston resident, Buzbee is representing dozens of women accusing Combs of sexual assault. He previously represented more than 20 massage therapists who accused NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual harassment, and defended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at his impeachment trial in 2023.