Jay-Z is breaking his silence on the now-dismissed sexual assault lawsuit filed in opposition to him in 2024.
In an interview with GQ, the 56-year-old rapper mirrored on the lawsuit, filed by a lady who accused Jay-Z, whose authorized identify is Shawn Carter, and Sean “Diddy” Combs of drugging and raping her at a celebration hosted by Combs following the MTV Music Awards in 2000.
Carter and Combs each denied the allegations and the case was dropped in February 2025 after the girl’s attorneys introduced the voluntary dismissal didn’t embody any causes or clarification for the withdrawal. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice, which suggests the plaintiff can not refile the identical grievance in court docket.
“It was arduous. Actually arduous. I used to be heartbroken,” the Empire State of Thoughts rapper mentioned whereas talking with GQ.
“I used to be actually heartbroken by the whole lot that occurred.”
He mentioned that he by no means thought of taking a settlement with such critical claims in opposition to him.
Carter mentioned that the lawsuit “took so much out” of him and described a sense of “uncontrollable anger” over the allegations in opposition to him.
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“We’re in an area now the place it’s virtually like consequence isn’t thought of sufficient. As a result of the whole lot is so prompt, you already know what I’m saying?” he mentioned.
“I used to be offended. I haven’t been that offended in a very long time. You don’t put that on somebody — that’s a factor that you simply higher be tremendous positive. It was like that. You needed to be tremendous positive earlier than you set these sorts of issues on an individual. Particularly an individual like me.”
The Younger Perpetually rapper mentioned he was assured that the case could be resolved.
“I took that basically arduous. I knew that we have been going to stroll by way of that as a result of, to start with, it’s not true. And the reality, on the finish of the day, nonetheless reigns supreme,” he mentioned, including, “We performed sufficient protection. 2026 is all offence.”
Carter mentioned that the lawsuit helped me “see how folks felt about me, particularly those who have been near me.”
“Individuals can say that [they’ll always be there for you], however it’s very uncommon that you simply’re going to need to train it,” he continued. “And within the darkest second for me, I obtained to see these kinds of issues.”
The daddy of three additionally spoke about the truth that the lawsuit was filed at some point earlier than he and his spouse joined their daughter Blue Ivy on the Los Angeles premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King.
He mentioned that he had thought of skipping the occasion as a result of it was Blue Ivy’s “second” however determined to attend as a result of his household is a “tight unit.”
Jay-Z, from left, Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Carter arrive on the premiere of ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, on the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
After the lawsuit was dismissed, Carter filed a defamation lawsuit in opposition to attorneys Tony Buzbee, David Fortney and the nameless lady, who accused him of sexual assault.
The rapper’s lawsuit, filed in Alabama, states that the preliminary allegations in opposition to him have been “false and malicious claims” and have been “strategically and tactically calculated and timed to inflict most ache and struggling on Mr. Carter.”
His authorized group accuses Jane Doe and her attorneys of extortion and being “soullessly motivated by greed.”
His lawsuit, seen by the New York Instances, claims that Doe “voluntarily admitted on to” his representatives that no assault occurred, and accuses Buzbee of coercing her into pursuing the allegations “to acquire a payday.”
International Information has not independently verified the reporting by the New York Instances.
Within the submitting, Carter’s authorized group notes that he “doesn’t want to expose his malicious and wrongful accuser’s identification in his grievance and seeks to keep up her anonymity as ‘Doe.’”
Carter’s swimsuit additionally accuses Doe and her attorneys of malicious prosecution, abuse of course of and civil conspiracy.
In a press release to Selection final March, Buzbee responded to Carter’s defamation lawsuit, saying, “This Alabama submitting asserts the identical claims as one other case. Jay Z’s group pieced collectively and filed in Los Angeles. Just like the case in LA, this new case in Alabama additionally has no authorized advantage.”
The defamation lawsuit is ongoing as of March 2026.
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