Jay-Z has launched a legal battle against attorney Tony Buzbee, following the dismissal of a high-profile lawsuit that accused the rapper and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual assault, People reports.
In a legal declaration submitted in Los Angeles on February 10, Jay-Z alleges that Buzbee strategically timed the filing of the suit to coincide with his daughter Blue Ivy’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” movie premiere, forcing him to choose between supporting his daughter or shielding himself from the damaging publicity surrounding the allegations.
The initial lawsuit, filed in October 2024, alleged that Jay-Z and Combs assaulted a 13-year-old girl at a 2000 VMAs afterparty. While the lawsuit against Jay-Z and Combs was ultimately dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled, Jay-Z contends that Buzbee’s actions caused him significant emotional distress and financial losses.
Jay-Z claims that Buzbee’s actions amounted to “placing a gun to my head,” forcing him to choose between supporting his daughter and enduring personal and financial ruin. He alleges that the false accusations led to a $20 million loss in contracts and caused significant mental anguish.
Following the dismissal of the initial lawsuit on February 14, Jay-Z released a statement on Roc Nation’s X account, calling it a “victory.”
“Today is a victory,” he wrote. “The baseless and outrageous allegations against me have been dismissed. This lawsuit was meritless from the start and never had any chance of succeeding. The story they fabricated was absurd, but the seriousness of the claims made it anything but laughable. I wouldn’t wish this ordeal on anyone. The emotional toll it took on my wife, my children, my loved ones, and myself is something I’ll never forget.”
Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, echoed this sentiment, stating that the case against Jay-Z “never should have been brought” and that he is pleased to have cleared his client’s name.