Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, has filed his first legal response to allegations that he and Sean “Diddy” Combs raped a 13-year-old girl at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000.
The accusations surfaced in a civil lawsuit connected to ongoing trafficking allegations against Combs. Carter was named in the case after initially being referred to as “Celebrity A.”
Carter and his lawyer, Alex Spiro, have called the allegations “extortionate” and filed a motion demanding the accuser, currently identified as Jane Doe, reveal her identity.
“Mr. Carter deserves to know the identity of the person accusing him of such serious claims,” Spiro stated in the filing. The motion also accuses prosecution lawyer Tony Buzbee of orchestrating a “publicity-hunting” campaign to tarnish Carter’s reputation.
In a statement posted to Roc Nation’s Twitter/X account, Jay-Z described the allegations as a “blackmail attempt” and urged the accuser to file a criminal complaint rather than a civil lawsuit.
Spiro argued that Carter should be allowed to defend himself fully, including access to the accuser’s identity, a practice supported by recent precedents in celebrity cases.
The lawsuit follows other high-profile cases, such as those involving Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey, where accusers’ anonymity was debated. The judge overseeing the case has yet to rule on Carter’s motion. Jay-Z denies all allegations and vows to fight to clear his name.
