DJ Akademiks jokingly apologized to JAY-Z and Roc Nation over his past remarks.
While highlighting how HOV and his team responded to a lawsuit led by attorney Tony Buzbee, which they dub as extortion, Ak highlighted the team as too powerful.
“I don’t want no parts of going at Jay, [his attorney] Alex Spiro,” Ak said as he read a report of Buzbee allegedly passing a venereal disease to an unnamed woman.
“I want no smoke with Roc Nation and I issue a formal apology,” Ak said. “I want to be on your team. I wanna be in the camp of the Roc Nation.”
He finished with, “See you at the brunch, gang.”
Akademiks shocked viewers during a livestream when he apologized to Jay-Z, the staff, the record label, and the mf crew.
While going over a suit filed against Tony Buzbee, Akademiks exclaimed that Roc Nation was too powerful before declaring that he wanted to “be on their team”.… pic.twitter.com/x9UfHtr2A9
Tony Buzbee, the lawyer filing multiple claims against Diddy and one against JAY-Z, is being accused of giving an STI to a woman he dated.
A new lawsuit filed in the New York Supreme Court cites a Jane Doe who stated she met Buzbee in an online conversation in 2018, which followed up with the lawyer taking advantage of her.
The woman states she was charmed into a date in Houston and seduced in a five-star hotel. The two allegedly had sex, but Buzbee did not reveal he had a venereal disease. The woman states she began to “feel uncomfortable sensations around her groin” the next day, leading to a doctor’s visit. Testing revealed the infection, and Buzbee acted surprised once he got a phone call.
Buzbee allegedly asked not to disclose the infection in exchange for free legal advice. The woman accompanied Buzbee on trips and said she was manipulated to hide the secret.
The woman also stated in a separate complaint that Buzbee pushed a champagne flute in her face during a trip to New York City. The woman has shared medical and dental records.
In response, Buzbee told TMZ that the legal actions were an attempt to discredit and push him away from Diddy’s claims. Buzbee states the case is “false, frivolous, laughable and ridiculous.”
JAY-Z is calling for the anonymous accuser in his civil suit alleging sexual assault come forward.
After blasting the charges online, Hov’s attorney, Alex Spiro, is calling for an identity to be released in the suit filed by Tony Buzbee.
“The filing from [JAY-Z’]s attorney, Alex Spiro, specifically requests that the Jane Doe’s identity be disclosed in order to properly defend himself against this false claim through the legal process in a transparent manner,” a press statement reads.
In a letter to Judge Analisa Torres, Spiro writes: “For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Carter is entirely innocent. This is a shake down. He is not mentioned, referenced, or implicated in any way in the criminal investigation of Mr. Combs. He is neither a target nor a person of interest in that investigation.”
Jay-Z's lawyer Alex Spiro is asking the judge to hurry up and dismiss the lawsuit.
"For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Carter is entirely innocent. This is a shakedown."
JAY-Z has been named as a defendant in a federal lawsuit which alleges that he, together with hip hop impresario Sean “Diddy” Combs, drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl in 2000.
The lawsuit was originally filed by an anonymous “Jane Doe” plaintiff in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in October. It named Combs as the defendant, alongside many of his corporate entities, including Bad Boy Entertainment and Bad Boy Records. Yesterday, the lawsuit was amended to add Jay-Z, a co-defendant, whose real name is Shawn Carter.
The lawsuit alleges that 2000 the plaintiff went to the MTV Video Music Awards in New York City without a ticket, hoping to get in. There, a limousine driver who claimed he worked for Combs invited her to an afterparty. He drove her to the party, where she alleges that she was made to sign a document that she believed was a non-disclosure agreement. She further alleges that upon drinking a portion of a beverage that was given to her by one of the waitresses at the party, she began feeling dizzy and lightheaded and found a room with a bed so she could lie down.
The lawsuit alleges that Carter, Combs and an unidentified female celebrity, who Plaintiff recognized, subsequently entered the room, and Carter held her down and raped her while Combs and the woman watched. Then Combs raped her while Carter and the woman watched. The lawsuit further alleges that Combs then tried to force her to perform oral sex on him, but she hit him, grabbed her clothes and ran away, escaping to a gas station outside where she used the phone to call her father.
The lawsuit alleges violation of the New York City Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act (VGMVPA). The VGMVPA provides a private cause of action for any individual who has been injured by another in a crime of violence motivated by gender. The VGMVPA temporarily suspends the statute of limitations for alleged acts that violate this law, even if the alleged acts took place decades ago and were previously time-barred. The VGMVPA allows individuals to recover economic damages, damages for emotional distress, punitive damages and attorney’s fees and expenses.
The lawsuit is one of many filed against Combs by Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee on behalf of more than a hundred plaintiffs. Buzbee previously made a name for himself representing twenty-two women who brought claims against Houston Texans quarterback DeSean Watson in 2021 for claims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. All the claims were eventually settled out of court.
Carter responded to the lawsuit in a statement, writing that “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee. 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!!”
Buzbee was sued in November by an anonymous male celebrity who alleges that Buzbee tried to extort payments by threatening to file sexual assault claims against him, which the celebrity denies. Buzbee denies all allegations of extortion. The anonymous celebrity has been alleged by Buzbee and in the media to be Jay-Z himself.
In a post on X on December 8, Buzbee responded to Carter, writing that “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.”
Buzbee also claimed in an Instagram post that there was a concerted campaign to intimidate him, including “filing frivolous cases against me and my law firm, defaming me with outrageous assertions to anyone who will listen, and having mysterious people follow me and my family.”
Hip hop artist and business mogul Jay-Z has been named as a defendant in a federal lawsuit which alleges that he, together with hip hop impresario Sean “Diddy” Combs, drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl in 2000.
The lawsuit was originally filed by an anonymous “Jane Doe” plaintiff in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in October. It named Combs as the defendant, alongside many of his corporate entities, including Bad Boy Entertainment and Bad Boy Records. Yesterday, the lawsuit was amended to add Jay-Z, a co-defendant, whose real name is Shawn Carter.
The lawsuit alleges that 2000 the plaintiff went to the MTV Video Music Awards in New York City without a ticket, hoping to get in. There, a limousine driver who claimed he worked for Combs invited her to an afterparty. He drove her to the party, where she alleges that she was made to sign a document that she believed was a non-disclosure agreement. She further alleges that upon drinking a portion of a beverage that was given to her by one of the waitresses at the party, she began feeling dizzy and lightheaded and found a room with a bed so she could lie down.
The lawsuit alleges that Carter, Combs and an unidentified female celebrity, who Plaintiff recognized, subsequently entered the room, and Carter held her down and raped her while Combs and the woman watched. Then Combs raped her while Carter and the woman watched. The lawsuit further alleges that Combs then tried to force her to perform oral sex on him, but she hit him, grabbed her clothes and ran away, escaping to a gas station outside where she used the phone to call her father.
The lawsuit alleges violation of the New York City Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act (VGMVPA). The VGMVPA provides a private cause of action for any individual who has been injured by another in a crime of violence motivated by gender. The VGMVPA temporarily suspends the statute of limitations for alleged acts that violate this law, even if the alleged acts took place decades ago and were previously time-barred. The VGMVPA allows individuals to recover economic damages, damages for emotional distress, punitive damages and attorney’s fees and expenses.
The lawsuit is one of many filed against Combs by Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee on behalf of more than a hundred plaintiffs. Buzbee previously made a name for himself representing twenty-two women who brought claims against Houston Texans quarterback DeSean Watson in 2021 for claims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. All the claims were eventually settled out of court.
Carter responded to the lawsuit in a statement, writing that “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee. 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!!”
Buzbee was sued in November by an anonymous male celebrity who alleges that Buzbee tried to extort payments by threatening to file sexual assault claims against him, which the celebrity denies. Buzbee denies all allegations of extortion. The anonymous celebrity has been alleged by Buzbee and in the media to be Jay-Z himself.
In a post on X on December 8, Buzbee responded to Carter, writing that “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.”
Buzbee also claimed in an Instagram post that there was a concerted campaign to intimidate him, including “filing frivolous cases against me and my law firm, defaming me with outrageous assertions to anyone who will listen, and having mysterious people follow me and my family.”
JAY-Z knows how to avoid a business disaster. The rapper and mogul was once affiliated with Monogram but stepped away from the partnership when he noticed the company was hemorrhaging cash.
According to TMZ, Hov stepped away from the brand years ago, which proved a decent decision, seeing they have blown through $575 million in cash.
An insider stated, “JAY-Z stepped away years ago and it just went up in a mess.” The brand reportedly went to another owner in Dec. 2022.
One cannabis expert noted Hov’s The Parent Company noticed the brand had high campaign cost and the $50 price for a pre-roll was too high in the market.
As we look ahead to 2025, there are a handful of artists whose next projects we eagerly anticipate. Whether it’s a long-awaited comeback, a continuation of their musical evolution, or simply more of the heat they’ve been dropping, these five artists are at the top of our wish list for new releases. From legends like JAY-Z to rising stars like Doechii, each of these artists has the potential to redefine the year with their next moves. Here’s who we’re most excited to hear from in 2025.
Kendrick Lamar Yes, we just got GNX, but Kendrick Lamar’s creative energy is far from tapped out. With his momentum from the Super Bowl performance and GNX, we’re excited to see what he brings next. We expect nothing less than a groundbreaking project that will push boundaries and keep the conversation going.
JAY-Z Can you believe it’s been seven years since 4:44? While JAY-Z has blessed us with memorable features and business ventures, we’re ready for a full-length release. We need more of the Brooklyn legend’s insights, wisdom, and bars. Hov’s return would undoubtedly shake the game once again.
Doechii Doechii’s Alligator Bites Don’t Heal has kept us hooked, and the buzz around her new album is real. The TDE powerhouse continues to tease new music, and we can’t wait to see what she has in store. Her unique blend of creativity and lyricism has us eager for her next project.
Lil Baby Once the hardest rapper on the planet, Lil Baby’s upcoming album is highly anticipated. Despite some saying he took a slight step back, we know Baby still has it. His next album could be a statement, reaffirming his dominance in the rap game. We’re ready for the return of the young Atlanta legend.
Roddy Ricch Roddy Ricch has been vocal about needing to come harder, and we believe he’s ready to deliver. With Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial still a classic, his new project, The Navy Album, has us excited to see if he can reclaim his spot and prove why he’s one of the best in the game.
Team ROC, the social justice arm of Roc Nation, is championing transparency in the upcoming trial of former Kansas City, Kansas police detective Roger Golubski. Set to begin on December 2, Golubski faces federal charges for exploiting his position to extort and sexually assault Black women and teenagers.
Legal representation procured by Team ROC has filed a motion on behalf of Kansas City media outlets, including The Kansas City Star and KSHB-TV, advocating for journalists’ rights to broadcast the trial. The motion emphasizes the need for First Amendment protections to ensure public confidence in the criminal justice system, particularly given allegations of systemic misconduct within the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD).
This trial is part of a broader investigation into longstanding corruption within the KCKPD. Team ROC asserts, “The citizens of KCK deserve to know that the law enforcement system can protect them.”
“Transparency in trial proceedings is of the utmost importance for the public and to protect the First Amendment rights of the press,” Reed Smith LLP attorneys Jordan Siev and Lara Gatz said. “We believe the Court should grant the request to publicly broadcast the trial, or at a minimum permit the streaming of the trial at the federal courthouse in Kansas City, Kansas. The media should be able to provide real-time updates to the good citizens of KCK about a serious and painful matter involving their community’s police. Broadcasting the trial will prove to all that the justice system is open and fair.”
In a related effort, Team ROC and the Midwest Innocence Project (MIP) filed a lawsuit against the KCKPD and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County for failing to comply with the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA). Despite public records requests submitted in November 2023, the Unified Government has only provided limited documents, falling short of legal obligations.
Both initiatives underscore Team ROC’s commitment to uncovering corruption, holding perpetrators accountable, and fostering reforms within the KCKPD.
Jay-Z’s social justice arm, Team Roc, has taken legal action against the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department (KCKPD) and the city’s government, accusing them of obstructing efforts to investigate claims of wrongful convictions and police misconduct.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday (Nov. 19), alleges that the KCKPD has failed to comply with a public records request made under the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) in November 2023. According to Team Roc, despite paying $2,200 in fees, the department has withheld crucial documents related to allegations of officer abuse and misconduct. The 225 documents provided, the group claims, were mostly irrelevant, consisting of personnel and training records instead of the requested information.
“Kansas City residents have suffered enormously as a result of KCKPD abuses,” the lawsuit states. “Some have been framed for crimes they did not commit; some have been coerced into providing false testimony; some have been sexually assaulted; some have endured brutal beatings; and some have even been killed. Rather than promoting a culture of transparency and accountability, the KCKPD has a long history of turning a blind eye to, at best, and even covering up, if not worse, abusive and/or corrupt conduct by its officers.”
Team Roc has been actively seeking transparency from KCKPD since 2021, previously filing lawsuits to obtain records detailing complaints against officers and documents on the training and oversight of the department’s investigative division. The current lawsuit highlights a systemic pattern of alleged misconduct within the department, including framing individuals, coercing false testimony, sexual violence, excessive force, and even fatal incidents.
“When good faith efforts are met with bad faith tactics, the fight for transparency continues in court. Truth deserves no less. The people of Kansas City, Kansas, deserve no less,” Team Roc wrote in an Instagram post announcing the lawsuit.
Attorney Alex Spiro, representing Team Roc, emphasized that the organization has a right under KORA to access the requested records, which could shed light on the alleged abuses. However, the government’s resistance has made legal action necessary.
“The government has attempted to block our access to those files, and so we’re suing to see what they don’t want us to see,” Spiro explained.
Team Roc’s lawsuit seeks to compel the release of the withheld documents and to hold the department accountable for its alleged failures in transparency and accountability. This latest legal move underscores their commitment to uncovering the truth and advocating for justice in Kansas City.
On this day in Hip-Hop history, Brooklyn’s own Jay-Z released his would-be retirement album, The Black Album. Although there was virtually no pause between The Black Album and new Jay-Z music (collaboration albums with R. Kelly and Linkin Park were released the following year), this album is easily the greatest retirement project of all time.
This album sounds more like a greatest hits album than the eighth project of an illustrious career. Starting with the first track, “December 4th”, this album takes the listener on a nostalgic journey. This opening tale of Hov’s origin sets the album’s tone and properly introduces Jay to an industry he feels has taken him for granted. This album is an opus to Jay’s distaste for the rap game. On numerous tracks, specifically “Encore” and “What More Can I Say”, Hov can be heard stating his frustration with being the one-punch man (a fictional superhero who can defeat any opponent with merely one punch, causing him to become bored with superhero work) of Hip Hop.
Aside from staking his claim as the greatest, Hov spent this album perfectly juggling his unique brand of bragging with the dropping of street knowledge you couldn’t pay for. Singles “Change Clothes” and “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” are perfect examples of the particular swagger Jay-Z brought to rap. His mature yet flamboyant lyricism is on par with the life described by Robin Leach. As the album progresses, Jay increasingly begins to put his would-be competition in its place with sheer willpower. From “Threats” to “Lucifer” it seems Jay is directly challenging the rest of the rap world to get on his level before they never again get the chance.
The album ends with two songs that could interchangeably be used as an outro. Both “Allure” and “My 1st Song” show Jay-Z coming to terms with the final chapter of his career coming to a close, even if he was planning a comeback.
Featuring production from Kanye West, Just Blaze, The Neptunes, Timbaland, 9th Wonder, Rick Rubin, DJ Quik, and even Eminem, it’s easy to see why this album is as amazing as it is. Aside from the prolific production team, Jay-Z put together one of his most successful albums without any features (aside from a hook sung by Pharrell). Commercially, the album peaked at #1 on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart and the Billboard 200 chart (where it appeared twice, each for a week). The album also went triple platinum in the United States and appeared on music charts of eight different countries.
The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse was the seventh studio album released by rapper Shawn Carter akaJay-Z. The album was released on November 12, 2002 on the Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings imprints. The Brooklyn rapper released the album as a sequel to his sixth album The Blueprint (2001). The album debuted at number one, shipping with first-week sales of 545,000 units. Jay-Z was already debatably classified as one of the greatest rappers of all time.
During this time, rumors of Jay hooking up with singer Beyonce began to circulate in the industry, the rumor was almost confirmed with the song “03 Bonnie and Clyde” off the album. The world watched as a budding relationship began between the two megastars. “Excuse Me Miss” featuring Pharrell showed a sensitive and grown upside to the BK rapper who previously rapped about drugs and throwback jerseys. Inevitably becoming one of the biggest forces in hip hop and one of our first billionaire couples, The game changed when Jay-Z released this album and How continues to break boundaries. Today the album is certified 3x Multi-Platinum by the RIAA.
