Jay-Z says he was “heartbroken” about being named in a since-dismissed sexual assault lawsuit, but he was confident he would persevere with the truth.
While speaking with Complex alum Frazier Tharpe for GQ, as seen here, Jay looked back on the legal back-and-forth, which ultimately led to the Jane Doe-filed suit in question being voluntarily dismissed with prejudice in February of last year.
As previously reported, Jay and Diddy found themselves at the center of the claims, with reps for both denying them as fabrications. Numerous inconsistencies with the allegations were made public, with Jay also zeroing in on Tony Buzbee, an attorney involved with the suit.
“This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere,” Jay, who also argued that Buzbee and the accuser had engaged in outright defamation against him, said in a statement issued after the suit’s dismissal. “The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones, and I have endured can never be dismissed.”
In his interview with GQ, Jay reiterated the impact of that trauma.
“It was hard. Really hard. I was heartbroken,” he said. “I’m glad we got right to that so we could just get that out the way. Like I was really heartbroken by everything that occurred. We’re in a space now where it’s almost like consequence is not thought about enough. Because everything is so instant, you know what I’m saying? That whole [lawsuit thing], that shit took a lot out of me. I was angry. I haven’t been that angry in a long time, uncontrollable anger.”
HOV went on to argue that the current climate seems to be at odds with that of the past, specifically when it comes to making such serious claims against someone. Still, despite it all, he entered the situation with confidence.
“I took that really hard,” he added. “I knew that we were going to walk through that because, first of all, it’s not true. And the truth, at the end of the day, still reigns supreme.”
Elsewhere, Jay elaborated on the support he says he received behind the scenes, plus underscored his insistence that a settlement was never a viable option, though going that route would have been “cheaper” and “quicker” for him.
“I’m still dealing with that,” he added of the impact of the lawsuit. “Because that’s a horrible thing to put on someone. It was, like, released the night of my daughter’s [movie] premiere.”
This, of course, is a reference to Jay’s decision to still join his family—including Beyoncé and daughter Blue Ivy—for the December 2024 Los Angeles premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King despite then-active news coverage of the claims.
“We are a tight unit,” HOV said.
In recent weeks, Jay has announced several upcoming live performances, including anniversary-commemorating headlining sets at Yankee Stadium and a special performance with The Roots in Philadelphia.
Naturally, fans have taken this return to the stage as a sign that new music could be on the horizon. For now, however, we have no direct confirmation.
