Jay-Z has made his first public appearance after being accused of raping a 13-year-old girl with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in the early 2000s.
The famous singer, who is 55 years old, made a public appearance with his wife, Beyoncé, their daughter Blue Ivy Carter, and his mother-in-law, Tina Knowles. They attended the premiere of Disney’s movie, Mufasa, in Hollywood, California on December 9.
The family showcased a strong bond as they posed together on the red carpet. In the movie, Beyoncé plays the role of lioness Nala, while Blue Ivy lends her voice to the character of lioness cub Kiara in this prequel to the 2019 version of The Lion King.
The outing comes after Jay-Z was accused of rape in a civil lawsuit along with Combs.
According to reports from NBC News, the rapper was accused of being involved in the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in 2000 alongside Combs, who is also 55 years old. The accuser, identified only as “Jane Doe,” stated that the assault took place at an afterparty following the MTV Music Video Awards.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, responded to the lawsuit on Sunday, December 8. The statement, provided to Us Weekly, denied the allegations, saying that his “only heartbreak is for my family.” (Jay-Z has been married to Beyoncé, 43, since 2008, and the pair share three children, Blue Ivy, 12, and twins Rumi and Sir, both 8.)
“My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people,” Jay-Z’s statement read. “I mourn yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at their young age. It is unfair to have to try to understand inexplicable degrees of malice meant to destroy families and human spirit.”
The statement also spoke to Jay-Z’s “strict codes and honor,” claiming that he strives to protect all children. Directing his response to Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who filed the lawsuit on Sunday after its initial filing in October which only included Diddy’s alleged involvement, Jay-Z wrote, “You seem to exploit people for personal gain. Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable.”
Buzbee is one of the attorneys who has filed lawsuits on behalf of several of Diddy’s alleged victims. He has previously claimed to be representing at least 120 of the disgraced mogul’s alleged victims. Diddy, who has been in prison since his September arrest, has denied the allegations. Diddy has been denied bail four times and currently remains behind bars until his trial, which is scheduled for May 2025.
