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By Matthew Impelli
Life & Trends Reporter
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The recent rape allegations made against rapper and business mogul Jay-Z won't impact his current relationship with the NFL at this time, according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday.
Jay-Z's company Roc Nation has produced content for the NFL, including the Super Bowl halftime show. On Wednesday, The Associated Press (AP) reported that a source familiar with the NFL's relationship with Jay-Z, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that with "the ongoing legal process, there's no change to the relationship with Roc Nation and that includes the Super Bowl.
Goodell later confirmed the relationship will not be affected while speaking after the conclusion of the league's winter meetings on Wednesday.
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"We're aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z's really strong response to that," Goodell said. "We know the litigation is happening now. From our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl."
Newsweek reached out to the NFL and Roc Nation via email for comment.
The Rape Allegations
A woman who previously filed a lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 when she was 13, amended her complaint on Sunday to include a new claim that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the assault.
The federal lawsuit was originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York by Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee, listing Combs as a defendant. It was refiled Sunday to include Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter.
The anonymous plaintiff, identified as "Jane Doe," alleges that the assault occurred after being driven to an MTV Video Music Awards after-party. According to the lawsuit, she was taken to a white house with a U-shaped driveway where she was required to sign what she believed was a non-disclosure agreement.
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Jay-Z Response
In a statement released through his Roc Nation social media account and representative Jana Fleishman, Jay-Z called the lawsuit a "blackmail attempt" and criticized Buzbee directly.
"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," the Grammy winner stated.
"I have no idea how you have come to be such a deplorable human Mr. Buzbee, but I promise you I have seen your kind many times over," Jay-Z wrote. "My heart and support goes out to true victims in the world, who have to watch how their life story is dressed in costume for profitability by this ambulance chaser in a cheap suit."
In response to the statement, Buzbee told Newsweek, "Mr. Carter previously denied being the one who sued me and my firm. He even 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."
Jay-Z Relationship With NFL
The NFL partnered with Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2019 to collaborate on events and social justice initiatives, a partnership that was extended earlier this year.
Kendrick Lamar is set to headline the Super Bowl halftime show at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9, 2025. The performance will be co-executive produced by Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Update 12/11/24 6:06 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include comments from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
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