Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, and Sean "Diddy" Combs are facing a lawsuit where they are accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000, during a party after the MTV Video Music Awards. The Guardian reports that an amended lawsuit was filed in federal court, leveling accusations that the two rap moguls took turns assaulting the girl after she was allegedly drugged.

Jay-Z has vehemently denied the allegations, taking to social media to express his dismay and calling the lawsuit a "blackmail attempt." In a statement released by Roc Nation, he discussed the difficulty of having to explain the situation to his family, including his 12-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy. He accused the plaintiff’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, of engaging in "theatrics" and challenged him to "to fully take advantage and to properly file a criminal complaint, not a civil one," as noted in a communication provided by The Guardian.

Combs has also denied the allegations, and according to Fox News Digital, is currently incarcerated on federal sex trafficking charges to which he has entered a plea of not guilty. The alleged victim claims that Combs raped her during the afterparty and that she was able to escape after hitting him and fleeing to a gas station.

As detailed by both The Guardian and Fox News Digital, Buzbee states that he had attempted to mediate a settlement with Jay-Z prior to filing the lawsuit. Jay-Z responded with a lawsuit against Buzbee, which the lawyer described as an intimidation tactic meant to "to swiftly silence his client." The back and forth has escalated with Buzbee filing a lawsuit alleging harassment by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, the law firm representing both Jay-Z and Combs.

In the midst of these serious allegations, Jay-Z has shown his support for "true victims in the world," as quoted from his Roc Nation statement, accusing Buzbee of exploiting victims' stories for profit. Combs' representatives have echoed this sentiment, framing the suite of lawsuits against him as attempts at extortion, as detailed by The Guardian. With multiple lawsuits surrounding Combs, including a few involving sexual assault, the eyes of the public and the media are sharply fixed on the unfolding story and the anticipated trial.