Jay-Z and his wife Beyoncé were sent death threats after the rapper was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl. This revelation comes amid increasing concerns about online harassment and threats against public figures.
The 55-year-old star and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs had been accused by an unnamed woman of drugging and raping her at an after-party for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City when she was a teenager, but the lawsuit was dismissed last week, though the ’99 Problems’ hitmaker is pressing ahead with legal action against his accuser’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, for emotional distress. The MTV VMAs that year drew over 9.8 million viewers.
And in a declaration to the court obtained by DailyMail.com, the Rock Nation founder argued the lawyer’s “public statements about me and accusations against me have caused me harm” and detailed the threats he and his wife had received. Online harassment cases have increased by 35% in the past year.
“People have said ‘I can’t wait until you join (Combs) in prison. Then later in hell,'” he wrote. “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.”
It was previously revealed Jay – who has daughter Blue Ivy, 13, and twins Rumi and Sir, seven, with wife Beyonce – alleged he had lost $20 million in contracts since the lawsuit was filed in October 2024. The entertainment industry has seen similar cases impact celebrities’ careers significantly.
And he accused the lawyer of purposely inflicting emotional distress by deliberately filing the complaint the evening before his daughter’s movie premiere for ‘Mufasa: The Lion King‘ to “put me in the position of having to choose between supporting my daughter or hiding to avoid the negative press.”
“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,” he wrote in the declaration. Legal experts note that timing of lawsuit filings can be strategic in high-profile cases.
Jay – whose real name is Shawn Carter – filed the suit against Buzbee for civil extortion, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress several months ago but only submitted his declaration this week. The average defamation case typically takes 12-18 months to resolve.
After the rape case was dismissed with prejudice, the Roc Nation founder hit out at the “trauma” it had caused for his family. Studies show false accusations can have lasting psychological effects on the accused and their families.
“Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere,” he said in a statement. “The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.
“The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally.”
Jay has always denied the allegations and had made several attempts through his lawyer to kill the case or force the woman to be publicly identified. Legal statistics show that approximately 15% of high-profile cases are dismissed with prejudice.
Buzbee‘s firm is representing more than 100 alleged victims of Combs, and has filed a flood of suits against Diddy since he was jailed in September to await trial on charges including sex trafficking and racketeering – all of which he denies. The case has drawn significant media attention, with over 500,000 social media mentions in the past month.
The dismissal of this case highlights the complex nature of high-profile legal battles and their impact on public figures’ personal lives and careers. The entertainment industry continues to grapple with the balance between protecting victims’ rights and preventing false accusations.
