STAGE FRIGHT
How Jay-Z’s bombshell rape case has cast a shadow over Beyonce’s bid to make lookalike daughter Blue Ivy a superstar
Jay-Z and Sean 'Diddy' Combs both strongly deny allegations against them
IT was supposed to be a week that unveiled the next glittering chapter in Jay-Z and Beyonce’s quest for global domination.
As the pop queen dazzled crowds at a stunning Christmas Day NFL show, the couple’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter joined her mum for a surprise cameo that sent fans into meltdown.
6
6
6
6
But the 12-year-old’s big step on to the world stage has been overshadowed by the allegations levelled against her music mogul father.
Jay-Z, 55, is accused of taking it in turns to rape a 13-year-old girl with pal Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
The alleged victim claims she was attacked at a VMAs after-party in 2000 while an unidentified female celebrity watched on.
Both men strongly deny the allegations.
READ MORE ON JAY Z
Yesterday, a judge accused Jay-Z of making “combative” personal attacks in an attempt to have the accusations thrown out.
The rapper’s lawyer Alex Spiro tried to have the woman behind the allegations identified in public but he was criticised by Judge Analisa Torres, who refused.
‘Cruelty and greed’
She said Spiro’s “relentless filings of combative motions” were filled with “inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks” that blasted the woman’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee.
It is the latest twist to a case which could see Jay-Z and superstar wife Beyonce, 43, take a hit to their vast, multi-billion pound fortunes.
Most read in Celebrity
The accusations also overshadowed the long-plotted launch of Blue Ivy Carter’s career.
The 12-year-old appeared on the red carpet for Disney movie Mufasa with her parents earlier this month — a day after the rape claims emerged.
Jay-Z and Beyonce's $3billion net worth 'could take a big hit' after rape claims, lawyer says
Blue Ivy voices Princess Kiara, the daughter of King Simba, in the new Lion King prequel, while mum Beyonce plays Queen Nala.
The family put on a united front at the film’s premiere, but it proved to be Jay-Z’s last public appearance.
He was nowhere to be seen when Blue Ivy made an unexpected cameo in Beyonce’s Christmas Day NFL show in Houston.
Looking just like her mum, Blue Ivy danced while the pop icon sang her hit Texas Hold ’Em.
Jay-Z, real name Shawn Corey Carter, has previously released a statement telling of his “heartbreak” at having to tell Blue Ivy and seven-year-old twins Rumi and Sir about the accusations.
My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at an age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims
Jay-Z statement
Aggressively denying the claims, vowing not to part with “one red penny”, Jay-Z wrote: “My only heartbreak is for my family.
“My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at an 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 and Beyonce have spent years carefully sketching out the career path of Blue Ivy.
She has already collaborated with both, making her debut on her dad’s 2012 hit Glory and on her mum’s 2019 single Brown Skin Girl.
Blue Ivy also joined the troupe of professional dancers on Beyonce’s Renaissance tour last year.
6
Beyonce has waged a 12-year bid to have Blue Ivy’s name trademarked to stop others cashing in on it.
The couple insist they were “not involved” in securing her involvement in the latest Lion King instalment, but the film’s director said Beyonce always made sure she was on set with her daughter.
What is certain is that the latest accusations against Jay-Z will have had a massive impact on the family.
Jay-Z’s 38-year-old acc- user, from Alabama, alleges she was picked up by one of Sean Combs’ drivers after failing to get into the VMAs.
She claims she was taken to a house where she was given a drink that made her woozy and light-headed before Combs and Jay-Z took turns to rape her — watched on by an unnamed female celebrity.
Jay-Z has labelled the civil lawsuit “blackmail” and “false”.
The woman at the centre of the claims has admitted “inconsistencies” in her story but is adamant the attacks took place.
She conceded that her claims to have spoken to a particular celebrity during the after-party could not have been correct as the person was not in New York at the time.
And her father said he did not recall picking her up as she originally claimed.
In an anonymous interview with NBC News, the woman said: “Honestly, what is the clearest is what happened to me and route that I took to what happened to me. Not all of the faces there are as clear. So I have made some mistakes.”
On the night of the alleged rape, Combs was pictured surrounded by party-goers having a furious row with then- girlfriend Jennifer Lopez.
There is no suggestion the argument was connected to the claims against Jay-Z or Combs.
99 Problems rapper Jay-Z is the first major celebrity to become entangled in allegations against Combs, who faces charges of drugging, rape, assault and sex trafficking.
Many of the charges relate to Combs’ “White Parties” — a reference to the dress code — held at his mansion in the East Hamptons, New York, from 1998 to 2009.
They were attended by scores of A-listers, including Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton and Leonardo DiCaprio.
There is no suggestion that they knew or had any involvement in any wrongdoing.
Combs’ former publicist Rob Shuter previously said: “When Diddy winked at you and said come into the VIP section [at the parties], you knew you were going to have a really good night.”
‘Crack was everywhere’
According to business mag Forbes, Combs’ net worth fell from £589million in 2019 to £318million in June this year, following the accusations of sexual misconduct.
Former court prosecutor Neama Rahmani, of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told The Sun how the case could affect the business ventures of Jay-Z and Beyonce, who are worth a combined £2.3billion.
He said: “The mere accusations themselves can be very damaging.”
The mere accusations themselves can be very damaging
Former court prosecutor Neama Rahmani
Beyonce and Jay-Z own the most expensive home ever bought in Californian history, a £158million eight-acre compound with a private beach and infinity pool.
They also have a £70million Bel Air mansion with eight bedrooms and an £89million seven-bed property in East Hampton.
It is a far cry from Jay-Z’s upbringing in Brooklyn, where he dealt drugs aged 13.
He recalled in Vanity Fair: “Crack was everywhere. You go in the hallway — crackheads in the hallway. You look out in the puddles on the curbs — crack vials are littered.”
In 2009, he told Oprah Winfrey that he shot his drug addict brother Eric in the shoulder after he stole his ring but his elder sibling decided not to press charges.
More questions
The new claims have also led to questions about Jay-Z and Beyonce’s age-gap relationship.
Jay-Z is 12 years older than the Crazy In Love singer, and the pair, who wed in 2008, have given differing accounts about when they met.
The rap mogul said in a 2007 interview that they met “ten years ago” which would have made her 16 at the time, while Beyonce later said that she was 18.
And their marriage has also been hit with rumours of cheating. In her 2016 album Lemonade, Beyonce inferred her husband had been unfaithful with mystery woman “Becky with the good hair”.
Adding to their woes, a man claims he is Jay-Z’s illegitimate son.
Rymir Satterthwaite, 31, has been embroiled in a legal battle with Jay-Z since 2010 when the star refused to take a DNA test, claiming a New Jersey court had no jurisdiction over him.
Rymir and godmother Dr Lillie Coley told The Sun they believed the dad-of-three is “scared” to take the test because late mum Wanda was only 16 when she got pregnant.
In a display of how determined he is to protect his wife and kids, Jay-Z has hired big-gun celebrity lawyer Alex Spiro, whose long list of clients include tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin.
He previously represented the rapper when fragrance firm Parlux sued Jay-Z in January 2016, accusing him of costing the company millions by breaching their deal to promote Gold Jay-Z cologne.
After six years, Spiro won Jay-Z around £5.5million in royalties.
But Spiro’s attempt to reveal the name of his client’s rape accuser backfired after Judge Torres slammed his “inappropriate tactics.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Jay-Z has previously attacked the woman’s lawyer Tony Buzbee, accusing him of “blackmail” and describing him as “deplorable.”
As the allegations rumble on, Jay-Z looks hell-bent on defending himself as he tries to protect his family — and Blue Ivy’s career.
6
Topics