Up until now, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has managed to keep his nose clean of any Diddy drama. But now, he’s been named in the most recent civil lawsuit against his long-time friend, Sean “Diddy” Combs. The Root previously reported that the founder of Roc Nation responded to allegations claiming he participated in the rape of a 13-year-girl in 2000 alongside Diddy.
It didn’t take long for Hov to respond to all the hoopla, but simply denying the allegations wasn’t enough for the Hip-Hop mogul. Carter’s Instagram statement acts as a much needed PR strategy to limit fallout and control this dangerous narrative.
Here’s the breakdown of everything he said.
Claims of ‘Blackmail’
Hov began saying this is all an attempt to blackmail him, but unlike other folks, he has no plans to settle. “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee.”
Carter added to his statement saying, “You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same.” Hov suggested these alleged “blackmail” attempts might’ve worked on some celebrities, but he is not them. “I look forward to showing you just how different I am,” he said.
Now since then, Buzbee responded to Carter on Instagram saying “I won’t be bullied or intimidated. People will see through this effort to discredit me and my clients and the truth will be revealed.”
Beef With Tony Buzbee
According to the Brooklyn rapper, Buzbee’s attempt to “blackmail” him hasn’t worked. In fact, Hov said “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion.” He continued saying “So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
The rapper didn’t stop there. Jay-Z went on to say he did his own research on Buzbee and wasn’t impressed. The Texas lawyer is representing over 100 of Diddy’s alleged victims. According to Buzbee, several demand letters have been sent to celebrities allegedly involved, including Diddy and Jay-Z, “because it’s in the best interest of the victim,” he said during a TMZ interview.
Jay-Z even went as far to say Buzbee is an “ambulance chaser in a cheap suit.” Now, who really knows how much either of them spend on their suits, but we do know billionaire Hov spends a pretty penny on his wardrobe.
Jay-Z Double-Dog Dares Criminal Charges
The most shocking part of Hov’s response is when he dared Buzbee to do away with the civil case and move to file criminal charges instead. “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!” he wrote on Instagram.
“Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, wouldn’t you agree?” Jay-Z asked. “We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children.”
The Carters Explaining Allegations to Their Children
Jay-Z made a point to mention how these allegations, whether true or not, will affect his family. “My only heartbreak is for my family,” he said. “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.”
The Carters have three children: Blue Ivy, 12, and twins Sir and Rumi, 8. Throughout their lives, the Carters have taken pride in largely protecting their children from the spotlight. And now — comparable to the Combs children — the Carter kids are facing horrific allegations against their father.
The anonymous accuser is seeking unspecified damages. The lawsuit against both Carter and Combs is filed under New York’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act.