Jay-Z Intensifies Legal Battle Against Woman Who Accused Him of Rape, Despite Her Dropping the Lawsuit

 

Jay-Z is not backing down in his legal fight against the woman who accused him of rape, even though she decided to drop the lawsuit earlier this year. The rapper has now filed an amended defamation suit, asserting that the woman, identified as Jane Doe, continues to publicly stand by her allegations through social media posts. Jay-Z argues that these posts are malicious and untrue, and he is seeking legal recourse for the damage to his reputation.

According to the latest court filing, Jay-Z's legal team points to a TikTok video allegedly posted by Doe in April, where she lip-syncs to an audio clip that says, "You couldn't pay me a million dollars to get an apology video out of me, I stand on what I said, f** you."* Jay-Z’s lawyers argue that this post exemplifies a “shocking and reckless disregard for the truth.” They believe it underscores Doe’s continued effort to harm his reputation, even after she had voluntarily withdrawn the lawsuit.

The controversy began when Doe filed a lawsuit claiming that Jay-Z and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted her after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. However, she later dismissed the case, citing fears of retaliation from the powerful figures she had accused. Despite dropping the lawsuit, Doe has never retracted her allegations, maintaining her stance in public statements.

Jay-Z’s amended suit also turns the spotlight on Doe’s attorney, Tony Buzbee. The rapper’s legal team now claims that internet protocol (IP) addresses linked to Buzbee’s law firm were used to make over 100 edits on Wikipedia. These edits allegedly served two purposes: boosting Buzbee’s online profile and attempting to damage Jay-Z’s reputation, as well as tarnishing the image of his entertainment company, Roc Nation.

In response to these allegations, Buzbee has dismissed them as baseless. He publicly criticized Jay-Z’s legal team, saying, “I’m trying to wrap my head around this creative pleading. As I understand it, the new argument is that someone amending Wikipedia about me harms his reputation? That’s laughable and super weak. I don’t have anything to do with Wikipedia and haven’t looked at it in years.”

This lawsuit represents yet another chapter in a high-profile and increasingly personal legal battle between the two sides. The dispute has now escalated beyond the courtroom, with both Jay-Z and Doe using public platforms to advance their respective claims.