JAY-Z made an unexpected appearance at the premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King with his wife Beyoncé and their eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, just days after he was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl.
The iconic rapper showed up on the red carpet in support of his wife and daughter, both of whom provided voices for the film.
He also posed for photos with his family but did not speak to the media present.
This marked JAY-Z’s first public outing since he was hit with a high-profile lawsuit accusing him of rape, followed by an even more significant denial.
Jay Z poses with Beyoncé and Blue Ivy on the red carpet at the #Mufasa premiere pic.twitter.com/K5SOd7KJCi
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) December 10, 2024
The “99 Problems” rapper made a rare public statement in which he condemned the lawsuit and the plaintiff’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, on social media.
“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,” he stated.
“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.”
He continued: “My only heartbreak is for my 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.”
In response, Buzbee quickly took to social media, writing: “Mr. Carter previously denied being the one who sued me and my firm. He filed his frivolous case under a pseudonym.”
“What he fails to say in his recent statement is my firm sent his lawyer a demand letter on behalf of an alleged victim, and that victim never demanded a penny from him. Instead, she only sought a confidential mediation.”
“Since I sent the letter on her behalf, Mr. Carter has not only sued me, but he has tried to bully and harass me and this plaintiff. His conduct has had the opposite impact. She is emboldened. I’m very proud of her resolve.”
JAY-Z has also called for the lawsuit to be dismissed in court.
