NFL commissioner breaks silence on Jay-Z rape allegations after calls for rapper to lose Super Bowl deal
Jay-Z's company Roc Nation choreographs the Super Bowl halftime show, and with its owner now facing rape allegations, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has broken his silence on the matter.
Earlier this week it emerged that a civil lawsuit which originally named Diddy, real name Sean Combs, had been amended to include Jay-Z too. It accuses the pair of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000.
Jay-Z has spoke publicly denying the 'false and heinous' claims.
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Diddy was indicted by a grand jury following his arrest at the Park Hyatt hotel in Manhattan back in September - and remains locked up in a cell in New York, awaiting a trial due to take place on May 5.
He has since been charged with racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion - charges he's continued to deny.
Now, Goodell has spoken out for the first time on whether the NFL will cut ties with Jay-Z.
He said during a press conference: "We're aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z's really strong response to that and we know obviously litigation's happening now but from our standpoint our relationship's not changing with them including our preparation for the next Super Bowl."
As for Jay-Z, he published a lengthy statement on Twitter through Roc Nation.
An extract from it read: "These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!"
The rapper went on to explain how damaging these claims are to his status as well as to his family, with one of his daughters old enough that her friends will read the news and see the allegations against him.
"My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a 'lawyer' named Tony Buzbee," he wrote.
"What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.
"No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!"
Buzbee himself has also responded on Twitter, explaining that his client didn't ask for money.
His statement concludes: "As far as the allegations in the complaint filed, we will let the filing speak for itself and will litigate the facts in court, not in the media."
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
Topics: Jay-Z, NFL, Super Bowl, Diddy
Joe Yates