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Jay-Z is filing a lawsuit against the unnamed woman who accused him of rape last year, claiming she has now directly admitted that she fabricated those explosive allegations.
The new case, filed weeks after the lawsuit against Jay-Z (Shawn Carter) was abruptly dropped last month, alleges that the Jane Doe accuser and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, carried out an “evil conspiracy” to extort a settlement from the superstar by making “false and malicious” allegations against him.
Notably, the new lawsuit says the Doe accuser has now “voluntarily admitted” directly to Jay-Z’s team that the star did not assault her and that Buzbee “pushed” her to make those allegations.
“Mr. Carter does not commence this action lightly,” his lawyers write in a complaint filed Monday (March 3) in Alabama federal court. “But the extortion and abuse of Mr. Carter by Doe and her lawyers must stop.”
In a statement to Billboard, Buzbee sharply denied the allegations: “This case is baloney and has no legal merit. Shawn Carter’s investigators have repeatedly harassed, threatened and harangued this poor woman for weeks trying to intimidate her and make her recant her story. She won’t. Instead she has stated repeatedly she stands by her claims. These same group of investigators have been caught on tape offering to pay people to sue me and my firm. This is just another attempt to intimidate and bully this poor woman that we will deal with in due course.”
The blockbuster case against Jay-Z, filed in December, claimed that he and Sean “Diddy” Combs drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl at an after-party following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. It represented a shocking expansion of the already-sprawling claims against Combs and came amid speculation that other stars might be implicated in Diddy’s alleged decades of abusive behavior.
Jay-Z forcefully denied the allegations, calling them a “blackmail attempt.” He accused Buzbee of trying to extort settlements from innocent celebrities by falsely tying them to Diddy and vowed to fight back and never pay his accuser.
Last month, Doe abruptly dropped the case — without explanation and without any kind of payment from Jay-Z. Though he celebrated it as a “victory,” the star hinted he would seek to further clear his name: “When they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions. The system has failed.”
In filing Monday’s lawsuit, attorneys for the star are essentially seeking to impose those kinds of repercussions. They accuse Doe and Buzbee of counts of malicious prosecution, abuse of process and civil conspiracy, claiming they teamed up to abuse the court system to “assassinate the impeccable and lifetime-earned character of Shawn Corey Carter” in an effort to score a payday.
“Defendants devised and executed their plan to accuse Mr. Carter of sexual assault and used national news and media outlets to disseminate the fabricated accusations to millions despite the falsity of the accusation,” his lawyers write. “Defendants’ actions were willful and purposeful in order to maximize the reputational harm to Mr. Carter and induce Mr. Carter to pay them.”
The new lawsuit is most notable in that it claims the accuser herself has admitted the allegations against Jay-Z are false. A headline-grabbing interview with NBC News exposed serious inconsistencies in her story, and Jay-Z’s team repeatedly argued the lawsuit was frivolous. But in Monday’s complaint, his attorneys now say Doe herself has confirmed to them that the bombshell charge was not true.
“Doe has now voluntarily admitted directly to representatives of Mr. Carter that the story brought before the world in court and on global television was just that: a false, malicious story,” the lawsuit says. “She has admitted that Mr. Carter did not assault her; and that indeed it was Buzbee himself … who pushed her to go forward with the false narrative of the assault by Mr. Carter in order to leverage a maximum payday.”
It’s unclear from the complaint when exactly Doe made such admissions to Jay-Z’s representatives or in what context. Reps for his attorneys did not immediately return a request for comment.
In addition to focusing on the old lawsuit, Jay-Z’s lawyers also say the star is now facing new “extortionate threats” from Buzbee. They claim Doe’s attorneys warned them last week that if they reveal Doe’s statements admitting her story was false, they’ll issue a press release claiming she’s been “harassed” by Jay-Z’s team and that she “dropped the lawsuit only because she was afraid for her life.”
“Thus, the threats of extortion and further defamation continue to this day, necessitating that Mr. Carter take action to prevent unscrupulous actors from further preying on him,” his attorneys write.
The new case isn’t the first time Jay-Z has gone on the legal counteroffensive. Weeks before the headline-grabbing rape case was filed against him in December, attorneys for the star secretly filed a preemptive lawsuit under a John Doe pseudonym accusing Buzbee of extortion and defamation. Jay-Z’s role as the mystery plaintiff in that case was later revealed after Doe filed her rape lawsuit.
At a hearing in that case last week, a Los Angeles judge said he would likely dismiss the star’s extortion claims against Buzbee but that he would likely allow the defamation claims against the lawyer to proceed toward trial.
Drake & iHeartMedia have reached a settlement in Drake’s dispute about Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” being boosted on radio airplay. Keep watching for the full story. What do you think of Drake’s lawsuit? Let us know in the comments below. Tetris Kelly: Drake has settled a radio dispute! Back in November, the “God’s Plan” […]
Abbott Elementary is halfway through its fourth season, but Sheryl Lee Ralph is teasing fans about an exciting guest star in the finale. The superstar joined Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet at the annual The Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party on Sunday (March 3), where she mostly kept her lips sealed about […]
Cam’ron and Mase had an interesting theory as to why Gervonta Davis didn’t win his fight against Lamont Roach Jr. over the weekend at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and instead left with a draw.
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To open up the latest episode of their sports talk show It Is What It Is, the first topic was about Davis walking out to the ring with Dipset members Jim Jones and Juelz Santana as they performed 2004’s “Crunk Muzik” and how that might’ve spelled bad luck for the Baltimore fighter.
“I just want to say something, to your credit,” Cam began as Mase enjoyed a big bucket of popcorn. “A lot of times I’ll be like, ‘This n—a Mase, he be bugging.’ I don’t say it out loud, because your opinion’s your opinion. Mase always says, ‘Yo, don’t bring this n—a out with you, ’cause they’re not going to win if you bring this n—a out with you.’ Talking about football games, basketball games. And I be sitting here, like, ‘I don’t really know.’ But then I got it, when the fight went on. When you got that type of energy and you breathing that energy when everybody’s sad and mad and depressed, [trying to] look happy but they really not happy. It gets into you.”
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Cam continued to elaborate on Mase’s theory, saying, “The people you with could possibly f— your energy up for some sh– that you supposed to do. You can’t come out with that energy, man, it’s bad energy, man. Nobody’s happy over there. … Tank, get outta there,” he added, referencing Davis’ nickname.
Mase then added that if Meek Mill had performed during the Philadelphia Eagles recent playoff run they wouldn’t have gone on to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history. “If Meek Mill walked them out,” he said, “They’re not going to win a championship.”
They aren’t the only ones with this theory. Former NBA player Nick Young said the same thing on social media, joking that, “Tank fight was a draw soon as I seen Juelz.”
Cam and Jim Jones have been going back and forth for weeks now, stemming from a 50 Cent appearance on Cam’ron’s interview series Talk With Flee where the two legends reminisced about their past issues.
You can watch the full episode below.
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In today’s episode of Just Checking To See If Elon Musk Is Still Racist…Yep, He’s Still Racist, the South African migrant who spent President Donald Trump’s first day in office turning the Nazi salute into a MAGA trend has, for the second year in a row, decried diversity at the Oscars.
On Sunday, Musk reposted a tweet from a fellow white-and-eternally-whiny fanboy who was being fragile over the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ diversity policy regarding Best Picture nominees.
“This is messed up,” Musk captioned his post. “Should just be who is best, not best with an asterisk!”
Oh nah, Musky, that asterisk has always been there.
You see, Musk, like millions of white people across the Western world, believes the reason white actors and filmmakers have always dominated the Oscars is due to merit, ignoring the fact that white people have always dominated the academy because no racial demographic has ever been more catered to than white people.
It’s the same false logic they use when claiming DEI is racist against white people while ignoring the fact that diversity initiatives were only ever necessary in the first place because, for the overwhelming majority of America’s history, white men were hiring white men and only white men in every single major industry. That’s not “merit,” it’s the lasting effect of patriarchy and white supremacy.
Similarly, Musky Musk and his Nazi Bunch are pretending to believe an academy full of white people who view art through a culturally white lens are likely to always find the right nominees for Best Picture — as opposed to the nominees white people are most likely to believe are the best nominees for Best Picture. White people who relate more closely to white people consistently selecting predominately white films for Best Picture is not an example of “merit.”
Art is subjective. White privilege is a demonstrable fact.
Mind you, just under a year ago, Musk was on X calling the Oscars a “woke contest” because he thought too many non-white people were winning. When it was pointed out to him that white actors and directors dominated all the major awards, which they have almost every single year since the inception of the Academy, he immediately backpedaled and admitted that he was “wrong.”
That’s right, folks, Musk was educated on the fact that the Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress and Best Director categories, among others, were overwhelmingly dominated by white people in 2024, and the Woke Boogieman that haunts his nightmares retreated back under his bed and allowed him to rest at ease. All was right in his white world once again.
So, you know, maybe Musk and his fellow fragile, diversity-hating white men are just plain bigots, and the “woke” Oscars is just another excuse for them to let their bigotry shine.
Sad.
Tate McRae is more than OK following the reveal of this week’s Billboard 200, which puts her new album So Close to What at No. 1 — her first time ever reaching the chart’s summit. And in a couple of posts on social media Sunday (March 2), the Canadian pop star reacted to the news […]
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MF DOOM’s estate can finally bring some of his personal belongings back home. They have settled the dispute with Egon Alapatt over the late MC’s notebooks.
As spotted on Hype Beast the issue regarding some of MF DOOM’s items have finally resolved. Last week the estate of the late rapper confirmed they have come to an agreement with Egon Alapatt—a former executive at Stone’s Throw Records. Jasmine Thompson, widow of DOOM, released a formal statement announcing the good news. “We are relieved to bring this chapter to a close. Over the years, there have been many public narratives concerning this matter, some of which have been misrepresented or unfairly magnified” she said.
Thompson went on to confirm that the two parties did not always see eye to eye throughout the process. “While differences did arise along the way, we acknowledge that Egon preserved DOOM’s invaluable notebooks and are grateful to now have them returned as part of this resolution” she added. “As a family, our focus remains steadfast on celebrating DOOM’s extraordinary legacy—his unparalleled artistry and his lasting impact on music and culture. We hope that this resolution serves as a step forward in continuing to honor his memory.”
Egon also commented cleared up his intentions for holding onto the notebooks. “DOOM was a dear friend to me and one of the most important artists I’ve ever known. I bought DOOM’s notebooks and kept them safe for years to ensure his powerful musical legacy could be preserved. My only goal has always been to showcase DOOM’s lasting musical genius, and the resolution Jasmine and I have reached regarding DOOM’s notebooks represents a significant triumph in protecting the genesis of a once-in-a-lifetime talent” he explained. “I am proud to have played a role in saving some precious markers of DOOM’s life in music and trust Jasmine to determine the next steps for his notebooks.”
According to the original lawsuit the 25+ notebooks contained the original lyrics to MF DOOM’s most celebrated works including Doomsday, MM…FOOD, Madvillainy and “other creative ideations.”
Venesti is on a roll as he secures his third straight No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart, all within a little over a year, as “Fuera de Lugar” rises from No. 2 for its first week atop the March 8-dated chart. The single’s coronation comes after a 37% gain, to 7 million audience impressions, during the tracking week of February 21-27, according to Luminate.
“‘Fuera de Lugar’ is a song that connects with a lot of people because we’ve all been through that moment of giving up on a relationship out of pride and say things that we later regret,” Venesti tells Billboard about his third consecutive No. 1 on the Latin pop radio ranking. “But in this case what I want to convey is that sometimes you can put that pride aside and have at least one more day with that person; that story has made it stay in people’s hearts.”
Venesti’s “Fuera de Lugar” trades places with fellow Colombian Maluma, whose song, “Cosas Pendientes,” dips 1-2 after a 13% decline in impressions, to 6 million.
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Venesti’s winning streak on Latin Pop Airplay began as “No Es Normal,” with Nacho and Maffio, landed at the summit in January 2024, where it dominated for 10 weeks, the second-most that year, after Shakira’s “Soltera,” which crowned for 11 consecutive weeks in 2024. (The latter ruled for a total of 18 weeks, with seven of those frames in 2025).
Vensti’s “Es Normal” arrived at the summit six months later, to rule for four weeks starting the July 20-dated list.
Concurrent with its Latin Pop Airplay triumph, “Fuera de Lugar” surges 17-4 on the overall Latin Airplay chart, for Venesti’s fourth top 10 there.
All charts (dated March 8, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, March 4. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
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One of film’s finest (with some questionable past decisions) has finally received her long overdue acclaim. Zoe Saldaña has won an Oscar Award for her work in Emilia Perez.
As per The Guardian, the actor had one of the biggest nights of her professional career. On Sunday (March 2), the film industry gathered at the 2024 Academy Awards to celebrate the best performances of the previous year. The category for “Best Supporting Actress” was stacked with top tier talent including Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), Ariana Grande (Wicked) and Isabella Rossellini (Conclave). Zoe Saldaña took home the award for her stellar work as Rita Mora Castro, a struggling lawyer who takes a Mexican cartel kingpin as a new client.
It was clear to everyone in attendance at the Dolby Theatre and viewers online that Zoe was taken by surprise with her win. “I am floored by this honor,” she explained. She first thanked her mother and remaining family but made sure to highlight her immigrant background. “I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands,” she said while trying to hold back her tears. “And I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last.”
She then closed out her speech with a reference to her late grandmother. “I hold the fact that I’m getting an award to a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish — my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted. This for my grandmother, Argentina Cesse. Thank you so much. Muchas gracias.”
While Emilia Perez has been met with general critical acclaim, the film has faced some ongoing criticism due to Karla Sofía Gascón, the film’s protagonist. The actor’s old social media posts are where she made some very derogatory remarks about Islam, the murder of George Floyd and more.
Additionally, Mexican media was very critical of the film for how it represented the country. As spotted on Variety, after her Oscar win she addressed the criticism at a press junket. “First of all, I’m very, very sorry that many Mexicans felt offended. That was never our intention. We spoke from a place of love,” she explained in the interview room. “I don’t share your opinion. For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We were making a film about friendship. We were making a film about four women.”
You can see Zoe Saldaña’s acceptance speech below.
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Hazel Dukes, the former NAACP national president and national civil rights leader, passed away in Harlem over the weekend.
On Saturday (March 1), longtime civil rights activist Dr. Hazel Nell Dukes died at her home in Harlem, New York. She was 92. Her passing was announced by her only son, Ronald. Former New York Governor David Patterson, a close friend and former neighbor of Dukes when she lived in Roslyn, Long Island, confirmed to reporters that she passed away at 6:20 a.m. surrounded by her family.
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 17, 1932, Dr. Dukes was born to Edward and Alice Dukes. Activism was a strong influence from her youth, as Edward Dukes was a Pullman porter and union organizer, and one of their neighbors was Rosa Parks, who would become an iconic figure of the Montgomery bus boycott. After moving to New York in 1955 with her family, Dr. Dukes worked for President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Head Start program and became one of Nassau County’s first Black hires at the county’s Attorney’s office as well as the Economic Opportunity Commission.
She would make education and anti-poverty initiatives her focus for her political career, becoming a force alongside the “Gang of Four” – Percy Sutton, David Dinkins, Charles Rangel, and Basil Paterson – representing Harlem and the Black community’s interest for decades. It led to her 1977 election to lead the NAACP’s New York State Conference (a position she held until her passing) and to become president of the national organization from 1989 until 1992. Dr. Dukes was a passionate activist, unafraid to spar publicly with enemies such as former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, as she recounted in a New York Amsterdam News profile last year. “I had fights with them,” said Dukes. “We had a NAACP convention. Giuliani was so bad that I said he could not even bring greetings. His behavior toward the Black community was so bad that he could not speak at an NAACP convention.”
Numerous political allies paid homage to Dr. Dukes upon the news of her death, including Mayor Eric Adams, who ordered all flags at City Hall to be lowered at half-staff in her honor. Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman also decreed the same honor for Dr. Dukes upon hearing of her passing. Adams counted her as one of his most staunch supporters, having appointed her to his Charter Revision Commission in 2023, which was a temporary panel to suggest changes in city government.