Ella Scott
Warning: This article contains discussion of rape and sexual assault allegations which some readers may find distressing.
Jay-Z admitted that he refused to settle a now-voluntarily dismissed sexual assault lawsuit lodged against him because it ‘wasn’t in his DNA’.
In December 2024, a federal court filing was submitted, alleging that the 56-year-old and incarcerated music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs both raped a 13-year-old girl at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000.
Both denied the allegations, which included drugging the minor, with the lawsuit being voluntarily dismissed two months later.
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When the plaintiff withdrew the legal notice, she claimed in an interview with NBC News: “I have made some mistakes. I may have made a mistake in identifying.”
In a statement issued from his record label, Roc Nation, Jay-Z said in February 2025: “Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed.
“This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. 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 father-of-three also alleged that the lawyers who represented the plaintiff decided to ‘walk away with no repercussions’ when they realized that their ‘money grab’ would ultimately fail.
“The system has failed,” he said, adding: “May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally.”
In a new interview with GQ, published on March 24, the wealthiest musical artist in history claimed he felt ‘uncontrollable anger’ amid the situation.
“You don’t put that on someone - that’s a thing that you better be super sure. It used to be like that. You had to be super sure before you put those kind of things on a person. Especially a person like me.”
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, also discussed why he refused to settle with the plaintiff.
He said at the end of the day, it was because the truth ‘still reigns supreme’.
“First of all, first I had to tell my wife,” the musician said, referring to 35-time Grammy winner Beyoncé.
“Let’s back up. I know the weight that this is going to bring on our family. I can’t do it. I would die. If I settled … it would’ve been cheaper? Yes.
“Cheaper, quicker, move on with your life. I knew what was coming. I wasn’t naive.
“I called – again, after my family – my partners. They were like, ‘What do you need to help? Don’t even worry.’ In a phone call. Not even a: ‘I got to go to the board with this.’ It was like a testament because people know me.”
Diddy, 58, who was also named in the 2024 lawsuit, is currently serving a four-year sentence in federal prison after being found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
He was acquitted of more serious charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking.
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org