Online Reporter
NEW YORK. − American hip hop mogul Jay-Z is Roc Nation, is celebrating the clearance of his name and massive brand after a lawsuit claiming that he raped a teenage girl was dropped at the weekend.
Roc, the entertainment company founded by Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, issued a statement signed by him, referring to the dismissal as a “victory”.
“The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed,” he wrote.
“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.”
“The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed,” said the rapper, who is married to singer Beyoncé.
He continued: “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-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, emphasised in a separate statement that the case “never should have been brought”.
“By standing up in the face of heinous and false allegations, Jay has done what few can − he pushed back, he never settled, he never paid 1 red penny, he triumphed and cleared his name,” he said in a statement to the BBC.
The lawsuit against Jay-Z Sean “Diddy” Combs alleged the rape of a 13-year-old girl in 2000.
The attorney representing the anonymous plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, voluntarily withdrew the case, court records show.
The filing was submitted by lawyer Tony Buzbee, who is representing dozens of plaintiffs in lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct against Mr Combs.
The filings states that the plaintiff “hereby gives notice that the… action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice”.
Because the dismissal is with prejudice, the lawsuit cannot again be refiled in its current form.
Jane Doe initially filed the lawsuit against Mr Combs in October before adding Jay-Z’s name in December. She alleged that both men assaulted her in 2000 after an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty.
Jay-Z strongly denied the allegations, claiming that his attorney had been sent “blackmail” in an attempt to force a settlement. He said the attempt had the “opposite effect” and instead motivated him to publicly challenge the accusations. − BBC
Mathew Masinge