Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter might have 99 problems, but a sexual assault lawsuit certainly isn’t one! The civil suit against him was officially dropped on Feb. 14, but the Hip-Hop mogul isn’t done clearing his name. In a shocking development, Jay-Z is suing Tony Buzbee, the lawyer who represented the Jane Doe accuser.
Over the past few months, Carter has made it his mission to fight back against Buzbee both in the courts and online. The two men have thrown accusations and challenges at each other, all stemming from the original civil lawsuit where Jane Doe accused Carter and Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her in 2000.
The Roc Nation founder released a statement following the dismissal, calling the civil suit “without merit and never going anywhere.” Hov continued saying “The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims.” And just like he promised back in December, Carter is coming after Buzbee in the form of a defamation lawsuit. Here are the details:
Declarations and Official Filing
The Root previously reported Jay-Z’s original defamation suit against Buzbee was first filed months ago. Then, Carter accused the lawyer of civil extortion, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Now, Hov filed a declaration on Monday (Feb. 10) accusing the Texas lawyer of strategically syncing the Jane Doe suit to coincide with the eve of his oldest daughter’s, Blue Ivy, “Mufasa: The Lion King” movie premiere. Carter claims this purposeful move to outshine Blue’s moment “put me in the position of having to choose between supporting my daughter or hiding to avoid the negative press,” according to him.
“I felt that Mr. Buzbee was placing a gun to my head that I either bow to his demands or endure personal and financial ruin,” Carter wrote in the declaration. If that wasn’t enough, the rapper also alleged he lost $20 million in sports and entertainment contracts due to the false accusations in Buzbee’s lawsuit.
The Mental Toll and Death Threats
In addition to the financial hit, Carter’s suit also claims he experienced “mental anguish” because of the rape allegations. In the filing, he said he was forced into “hiding” to avoid negative media attention. This emotional distress, according to Carter, aimed to attack his character and ultimately his legacy. And by doing so, not only was Jay’s name smudged but also that of his family’s.
“I would not wish this experience on anyone,” Jay said. “The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones, and I have endured can never be dismissed.” Additionally, Hov said his family had received death threats over the matter— which might explain the extra security during the Carters’ recent Grammy appearance.
“People have said ‘I can’t wait until you join [Combs] in prison. Then later in hell’,” the declaration said. “Other comments have accused me of being a ‘satanist’, a ‘trafficker’, a ‘terrorist’, and a ‘monster’, called me the N-word and threatened violence against me and my wife, including to ‘kill’ or ‘execute’ us.”
So... What’s Next?
With the sexual assault case against Hov dismissed with prejudice, his name has been cleared, and in return, Buzbee is next on Jay’s to do list. The rapper’s lawsuit seeks financial damages as he aims to set a precedent against “corrupt” attorneys misusing the legal system for personal gain.
Buzbee has not responded to the dismissal of the suit or to Jay’s updated declaration.