Month: December 2024

Jay-Z (legal name Shawn Carter) is publicly denying the ‘heinous’ allegations made against him in a civil lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

NBC News reported that Jay-Z, 55, and Combs are accused of raping a 13-year-old girl 24 years ago in the lawsuit, that was amended since originally being filed in October. Carter was named in the civil lawsuit filed by a woman identified only as Jane Doe; according to the amended complaint, Doe alleges that she was assaulted after she was driven to an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000.

The lawsuit that was originally filed in New York City on October 20 had the names of two celebrities redacted, only listing Combs, 55, as a defendant. An amended complaint was filed on Sunday, Dec. 8 has the unnamed woman alleging that she was raped by Combs and Carter, while a still-unnamed female celebrity watched during a party in a N.Y.C. residence after the VMAs.  The suit states: “Defendant Sean Combs, along with his longtime friend and collaborator Shawn Carter (a/k/a ‘JayZ’), drugged and raped a thirteen-year-old girl at an afterparty following the 2000 Video Music Awards. Another celebrity stood by and watched as Combs and Carter took turns assaulting the minor.”

Carter responded to the allegations via the X account of Roc Nation, calling the accusation false and stating that the filing was a blackmail attempt:  “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!! These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case  You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same. I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, 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. I look forward to showing you just how different I am.”    

Carter added that his “only heartbreak” is for his family: “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. I mourn yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at their young age.”

Combs’ attorneys also denied the allegations in a statement: “This amended complaint and the recent extortion lawsuit against Mr. Buzbee exposes his barrage of lawsuits against Mr. Combs for what they are: shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs. As his legal team has said before, Mr. Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone — man or woman, adult or minor.”

Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com

Elton John and Brandi Carlile dropped their new original song “Never Too Late” from the Disney+ documentary, Elton John: Never Too Late. “Never Too Late” was co-written by Elton and Carlile in the summer of 2023, and is produced and co-written by Andrew Watt.

Carlile shares: “I found the early cut of the documentary that went on to become Elton John: Never Too Late so moving. It was really amazing to see historic footage of Elton and the trajectory of his life. But as fantastic and as beautiful as everything was that we were all witnessing as fans, his life was also pretty lonely and difficult at times. And I thought that the documentary illustrated a really important sentiment because he might not have ever found his serenity and his peace, but he did find it, and he found it later in life. And it is never too late – too late to find the love of your life, or to start a family, or to change your mind about anything.”

John added: “When Brandi told me she was so inspired by the early cut of the documentary that she wanted us to to co-write a new song for it, I was thrilled. I’ve known for a long time how great she was but still, reading her lyrics and co-writing with her on the music was deeply moving. Especially given how personal it is to see, seeing my life on the screen, she just perfectly captured the essence of the documentary and why I stopped touring to spend more time with my family. I’m constantly astonished by her craft, she can channel my voice in a way only Bernie has managed to do before. I know Bernie helped guide Brandi on that. The standard of her musicianship, her songwriting, her passion for what she does are sensational. She truly is one of the greatest there is.”

Elton John: Never Too Late received a limited theatrical release before it officially debuts on Disney+ on December 13th. The documentary follows Elton as he looks back on his life and the early days of his 50-year career, with R.J. Cutler and Elton’s partner, David Furnish, directing the film.

Listen to Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s Never Too Late (from the film “Elton John: Never Too Late”) – here.

Editorial credit: Tony Norkus / Shutterstock.com