Jay-Z and Beyonce put on united front with daughter, 12, for first time since rapper faced rape allegations
Rapper Jay-Z, 55, and wife Beyonce Knowles, 43, made their first public appearance since a historic rape allegation was made against the music mogul on Monday.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl 24 years ago in a civil lawsuit refiled with New York’s Southern District on Sunday.
The superstar couple appeared alongside their 12-year-old daughter at the premiere of her new film, Mufasa: The Lion King, where she plays Kiara.
Joining the family was Knowles’ 70-year-old mother, Tina, who had earlier denied liking a post discussing the allegations against Carter.
The Halo hitmaker’s mother said: “I was hacked. As you all know I do not play about my family. So if you see something uncharacteristic of me, just know that it is not me!”
The four appeared in good spirits as they strode the red carpet, smiling and posing for photos.
He issued a lengthy and strongly worded statement through his Roc Nation label’s Instagram account as the civil case was made public.
The allegations stem from an alleged incident at New York’s Radio City Music Hall following the 2000 MTV Music Video Awards.
A woman, identified as Jane Doe, has filed a lawsuit claiming she was raped by both Carter and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs when she was 13 years old.
Combs previously denied drugging and assaulting Doe and is currently jailed on federal sex trafficking charges – to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Lawyer Tony Buzbee, who is representing Doe, has previously filed complaints against Combs on behalf of more than 50 plaintiffs.
In his statement, Carter branded Buzbee as “deplorable” and an “ambulance chaser in a cheap suit” in a warning that he was “more than prepared to deal with your type.”
“What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” the rapper stated.
“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,” the 99 Problems hitmaker added.
Carter went on to challenge Buzbee to pursue the claims in a criminal case, rather than a civil one, as the allegations were so “heinous”.
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“My only heartbreak is for my family,” the statement added, “My wife and I will have to sit our children down… and explain the cruelty and greed of people.”
He continued: “I mourn yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at their young age.”
The statement concluded: “Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me.”
According to lawsuit documentation seen by NBC News, the accuser claims she was told she “fit what Diddy was looking for” by a driver who took her to a house party.
While there, Doe alleges she was made to sign a document now “believed” to be a non-disclosure agreement and was given a drink that made her feel “woozy and lightheaded”.
In the lawsuit, she alleges Jay-Z and Combs entered a room where she was laying down and took off her clothes.
Doe claims both Jay-Z and Combs then raped her while an unnamed female celebrity watched. The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages against the music moguls.
Buzbee’s legal firm has been contacted by GB News for comment.
