Jay-Z has strenuously denied the latest allegations made in a lawsuit that he drugged and raped a 13-year-old lady together with Sean “Diddy” Combs throughout an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000.

The 55-year-old rap celebrity, whose actual title is Shawn Carter, branded the authorized motion as a “blackmail try.”

In a fiery assertion, he warned the attorneys who introduced in regards to the submitting: “You’ve gotten made a horrible error in judgment pondering that each one ‘celebrities’ are the identical.”

Whereas Carter is now distancing himself from Combs, the 2 New York-born music moguls have crossed paths many instances throughout their respective prolonged careers on the pinnacle of popular culture.

They’ve collaborated on music, made joint charitable donations and praised one another for his or her success in turning into self-made billionaires.

Right here’s a timeline of Carter and Combs’s friendship over the many years.

Nineteen Nineties

Combs based his document label Unhealthy Boy Leisure in 1993, and he quickly had an influential hit on his palms when The Infamous B.I.G. launched his debut single “Juicy” in August 1994. When Jay-Z put out his debut album Cheap Doubt in 1996, he playfully sparred with Combs’s greatest star on a joint monitor known as “Brooklyn’s Most interesting.”

The Infamous B.I.G., whose actual title was Christopher Wallace, was murdered in controversial circumstances in March 1997. After Wallace’s loss of life, Combs poured his grief over the lack of his good friend into his debut album No Means Out, which he launched underneath the title Puff Daddy and the Household. Jay-Z company on the monitor “Younger G’s,” alongside a posthumous look from Wallace.

Later that very same yr, Combs repaid the favour by showing on Jay-Z’s second album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, co-writing the monitor “I Know What Ladies Like” with Carter and Lil’ Kim.

In 1999, they collaborated once more on “Do You Like It… Do You Need It…” from Combs’s second album Without end.

2000s

Jay-Z met his now-wife, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, across the flip of the millennium. After gaining fame together with her group Future’s Youngster, Beyoncé launched her debut solo album Dangerously in Love in 2003. It was launched by her large world hit “Loopy In Love,” a collaboration with Jay-Z, whereas the B-side of that single featured “Summertime,” a collaboration with Diddy.

In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina prompted devastation in New Orleans, Jay-Z and Diddy made a joint donation of $1 million to the American Pink Cross. In an announcement to the Related Press on the time, Carter mentioned: “That is our neighborhood. After I activate CNN, I see a whole lot of black individuals on the streets. I do know it’s different individuals too, however these initiatives have been hit onerous.”

Combs added: “We’re all descendants from one another’s households. While you hear black individuals say ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters,’ it’s actually true. These are all those who I do know I’m associated to by some means, a way — the human race household.”

In August 2007, Jay-Z and Diddy carried out collectively on the touring hip-hop pageant Screamfest alongside headliners 50 Cent and TI. The efficiency gained notoriety after footage emerged showing to indicate Diddy slapping Jay-Z twice on the bottom. In 2023, after severe allegations towards Diddy grew to become public, 50 Cent continued his longrunning feud with Combs by posting the video on social media with the caption: “Diddy within the Again, pattin on n****s butts. Nah I ain’t wit it, I ain’t by no means been wit it.”

In 2009, Diddy was requested throughout an interview a couple of {photograph} of himself and Jay-Z talking at considered one of his events. “That was at considered one of my birthday events, and I used to be simply telling him I respect him coming,” he mentioned. “He was on tour, and he flew in personal after considered one of his exhibits simply to return to that occasion. Then he needed to fly again out. I used to be simply telling him how a lot I appreciated it and the way a lot I worth our friendship. Folks see us as rivals and completely different icons within the hip hop recreation however that was only a second of two Black brothers telling one another how a lot they respect one another.”

Diddy’s former accomplice Kim Porter, who died of pneumonia in 2018, added: “We name that image a secret society, all we ask is belief!”

2010s

In 2010, Forbes journal launched a hip-hop wealthy listing which listed Jay-Z in first place, having made $63 million within the earlier yr, and Diddy in second place with earnings of $30 million. The publications praised each males for diversifying their revenue streams, with Jay-Z touring and proudly owning a stake within the 40/40 nightclub chain and the NBA’s New Jersey Nets. Diddy was creating wealth from Ciroc vodka and his function within the comedy Get Him to The Greek.

The 2 moguls continued to dominate Forbes hip-hop lists over the subsequent few years. In 2012, Diddy topped their wealthy listing with an estimated whole price of $550 million whereas Jay-Z was in second place with $460 million.

In 2016, they reunited on stage in New York in the course of the Puff Daddy and The Household Unhealthy Boy Reunion Tour. Though Jay-Z was by no means signed to Diddy’s label, Diddy introduced onstage: “Unhealthy Boy’s celebrating 20 years of hits, however that is prolonged household,” referring to Jay-Z stood subsequent to him. “At any time when I get in hassle, that is the one I name. That is my strategist proper right here. That is my brother!”

2020s

In 2020, Diddy and Jay-Z each celebrated their continued success at a Black Billionaire brunch hosted by Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation. Diddy spoke on the occasion, saying: “It’s 2020, y’all, and it’s completely different than when it was 2016. The sport has been elevated. As you recognize, there no expense has been spared. We had a Black billionaire lunch yr, perceive, proper? And, we’re right here collectively in maintaining staying collectively. We’re getting tighter, and united we stand.”

In April 2022, Jay-Z and Diddy have been once more pictured collectively on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame as DJ Khaled acquired his star.

Nevertheless, since Diddy’s houses have been raided by federal brokers on March 25, 2024, Jay-Z has stayed quiet in regards to the collection of significant allegations towards his someday good friend and collaborator. The next day, 50 Cent trolled the pair by taking to Instagram to put up an image of a milk carton with Jay-Z’s image showing underneath the phrase: “MISSING.” “Anyone seen Jay LOL,” wrote 50 Cent, joking that Combs would really feel he “ain’t answering his telephone.”

When a federal lawsuit was refiled yesterday, December 8, to call Jay-Z alongside Diddy as having drugged and raped a 13-year-old lady in 2000, Jay Z was adamant in his denial.

“I’m a younger man who made it out of the challenge of Brooklyn,” he wrote in an announcement. “We don’t play a majority of these video games. Now we have very strict codes and honor. We defend kids, you appear to take advantage of individuals for private achieve. Solely your community of conspiracy theorists, pretend physics, will imagine the idiotic claims you will have levied towards me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding hurt to children, could be laughable.”