How Jay Z and P Diddy's staggering empires nearly crumbled years before rape allegations
How Jay Z and P Diddy's staggering empires nearly crumbled years before rape allegations
Jay-Z and P Diddy have partnered together over the past 30 years as icons in the music industry but are now facing allegations that they raped a drugged 13-year-old girl, which they vehemently deny
Standing side by side on stage in New York, this was the moment Jay-Z and P Diddy must have realised they had it all - money, power, their own empires and the one thing that really mattered - a long friendship.
For more than 30 years the two rappers have had their fates intertwined. But it was during this emotional onstage reunion in 2016, when Diddy, who was touring to celebrate 20 years of his record label, claimed to know the real secret of their powerful relationship.
“Whenever I get in trouble, this is the one I call,” said Diddy. “This is my strategist right here. This is my brother!” Indeed, since the 90s the pair have had each other’s backs and risked their reputations and empires for each other.
Jay-Z even claimed his one and only conviction was the price he paid for being Diddy’s pal. Eight years later, many have speculated about where that bond now stands. And it's about to face its biggest test.
Jay Z at one of Diddy's famous White Parties
Last week, Jay-Z was named in a civil lawsuit alleging he and Diddy spiked a 13-year-old girl’s drink before taking turns raping her at a house party following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000. Both Jay-Z, worth $2.5billion, and Diddy, worth $400million, vehemently denied the claims, with Jay, real name Shawn Carter, publicly calling it a “blackmail attempt” and subsequently filing a motion to reveal the accuser's identity.
Diddy, real name Sean Combs, is currently in jail and facing dozens of unrelated drugging, rape, assault and sex trafficking charges. Diddy has denied the allegations against him and there is no suggestion any of his celebrity friends knew of any suspected wrongdoing. His "strategist" Jay-Z however has been notably silent since his friend's arrest.
It's a far cry from his glowing tribute just two years ago. “Here’s this guy from a neighbourhood, similar to where I grew up, that made it to these unreachable heights,” said Carter at the BET Awards 2022 while presenting his pal with a Lifetime Achievement honour. “Puff [Combs’ childhood nickname] was the first one that came through and made us feel like it was us.”
But now they've found themselves on the same side of the scandal, Jay-Z may be forced to pick a side. Does he abide by their 30-year bond and back his one-time pal, or does he distance himself so as not to risk his empire? This is not the first time either of them has nearly seen their life's work crumble. And it's certainly not the first time they've gone into battle together.
The friendship began in the 90s - both from New York, they began to get noticed on the hip hop scene around the same time. By 1996, Diddy had formed Bad Boy Records, with the Notorious B.I.G - real name Christopher Wallace - as one of his biggest signings. And Jay-Z helped make a small fortune for Diddy by collaborating with the rapper, also known as Biggie, on the track Brooklyn’s Finest.
Notorious B.I.G was shot in 1997 - just a year after the death of rival Tupac Shakur - and Jay-Z took part in a tribute track Young G’s to honour his life, a favour that Diddy would return later in the year by appearing on one of Jay-Z’s albums and co-writing a track with him - despite the rapper not being on his label.
The pair’s friendship grew as they helped each other up the fame ladder. But then in 1999, they both risked it all when they faced public scandals and the law.
It was in December of that year that Diddy and his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, were caught up in a New York shooting scandal. The pair had been at the now defunct Club New York in Times Square along with Anthony ‘Wolf’ Jones and rap protege Jamal ‘Shyne’ Barrow, when there was a dispute and shots were fired, leaving three people injured.
One of the victims, Natania Reuben, alleged Diddy was the shooter and a taxi driver claimed the rapper had offered him a £30,000 bribe to say the stolen gun was his. The incident became headline news with J-Lo, already a huge star thanks to her role alongside George Clooney in 1998’s Out Of Sight, caught in the crossfire.
Eventually, after a trial, Diddy and Jones were acquitted of all charges in March 2001 but Barrow was found guilty of five counts including first-degree assault, and spent nine years in jail. Diddy’s acquittal had an inadvertent knock-on effect on Jay-Z.
The same month as Diddy’s gun escapade, he was accused of stabbing Lance ‘Un’ Rivera, a producer who had allegedly sold pirate copies of the rapper’s then-forthcoming album. The court heard how Jay-Z and his crew met with Lance at New York’s Kit Kat Club for fellow star Q-Tip’s album launch party.
The rapper was accused of attacking Lance with an eight-inch knife and his entourage faced allegations that they stomped on him and beat him with glass bottles. “Lance, you broke my heart,” the rapper was said to have said at the time.
In October 2001, Jay-Z pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour assault charge in relation to the incident and received three years’ probation. Jay-Z however claimed he only took the deal because he feared Manhattan prosecutors may try to throw the book at him as they had just lost a high-profile case against his friend Diddy. Had Jay-Z been tried and convicted of a more serious assault charge he would have been facing up to 22 years in jail.
The rapper's case was being heard just a few months after a New York jury cleared Diddy on all counts of various gun offences. Speaking on Dj Vlad’s podcast last year, Lance claimed there had been 10 people around him with knives that night and insisted Jay-Z was not the one that stabbed him.
He said: "No. JAY-Z was not the guy that actually stabbed me that night. I don't know where people got JAY-Z stabbed me from. Because if anyone knows JAY-Z, JAY-Z's a nice guy. He's an artist, he's a poet, he's gifted and it's never been his history.”
Many may have thought Diddy’s inadvertent part to play in Jay-Z’s conviction would have caused trouble in their friendship. But a conviction did little harm to the Jay-Z’s empire and the pair’s friendship continued into the 2000s.
He even involved Diddy on one of the biggest debut solo releases of the year - his then girlfriend Beyonce ’s first single away from Destiny’s Child. Jay-Z is credited on Crazy In Love and Diddy is credited on the B-side Summertime.
In 2005 the two rappers again supported each other as they made a joint $1m donation to the American Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. In a joint statement,t Jay-Z said: “This is our community. When I turn on CNN, I see a lot of Black people on the streets. I know it’s other people too, but those projects have been hit hard.”
Diddy added: “We are all descendants from each other’s families. When you hear Black people say ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters,’ it’s really true.”
Diddy and Jay-Z continued to build their separate empire but would enjoy the spoils together. They were often seen partying together, including at Diddy’s infamous ‘White Parties’.
In 2009, Diddy was asked by a reporter about a picture of the pair seemingly talking very intensely at one of his birthday parties. He revealed Jay-Z had flown in on a private jet straight performing a gig on his tour, so he could be at the party. He had to jet straight back and do another gig.
“I was just telling him I appreciate him coming,” Diddy explained. “I was just telling him how much I appreciated it and how much I value our friendship.
“People see us as competitors and different icons in the hip hop game but that was just a moment of two Black brothers telling each other how much they appreciate each other.”
However, Diddy’s late girlfriend, Kim Porter, who died of pneumonia in 2018, then chipped in with a now-cryptic comment, saying: "We call that picture a secret society, all we ask is trust!"
Diddy and Jay-Z’s mutual appreciation certainly helped both of them. By the early 2010s, their empires had both diversified to include numerous side businesses and brands from basketball teams to nightclubs.
By 2012, Diddy had earned enough to top a Forbes’ Rich List. His $550 million net worth was $90m more than the person in second place….Jay-Z with $460 million. But they also both risked their own reputations and batted off fears of bad press to come to the other’s aid.
In 2013, Diddy got into a fight with the musician J Cole at an afterparty for the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. Jay-Z was also at the bash, with an onlooker later telling New York Daily News: “It was mayhem. Beyoncé was yelling to stop and Jay-Z was separating people.”
Then at Diddy’s 50th birthday party, in 2019, the two rappers had each other’s backs again - as they confronted a person who had been spotted filming Beyonce on the dancefloor. Diddy also calmed Jay-Z’s three-year feud with Kanye West at the same party - after inviting both of them so they could finally hash out an agreement regarding Kanye’s compensation for his work with Jay-Z’s streaming service Tidal.
In 2020 the not-so-humble pair celebrated their legacies at the Black Billionaire Brunch, hosted by Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation. Diddy spoke of their symbiotic relationship and friendship. He said: “We’re here together in keeping staying together. We’re getting tighter, and united we stand.”
This year however, it seemed this drive to help each other and stand side by side like “brothers” through potential scandals, had finally come to an end. For, far from being his vocal supporter, Jay-Z has remained silent since Diddy’s arrest in September.
And it was only after being named in the recent civil lawsuit that Jay-Z finally spoke out - but to defend himself. This civil complaint is unrelated to any criminal charges brought against Diddy.
The complaint alleged the two rappers spiked a 13-year-old girl’s drink at a house party following the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in 2000 before taking turns to rape her. Both stars have refuted the claims and Jay-Z has been extremely vocal - accusing the claimant of trying to blackmail him.
“It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion,” said the rapper in a statement. “So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!” He went on to imply that if the allegations were true, the complainant should have sought a criminal case that would end in his conviction rather than a civil one, which may end their payday.
He said: “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!” The complainant’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, responded: "I won't allow anyone to scare my clients into silence." In a fresh statement on his Roc Nation Instagram page on Saturday, Jay-Z hit out again at Mr Buzbee.
He said: "Today's investigative report proves this 'attorney' Buzbee filed a false complaint against me in the pursuit of money and fame." He continued: "This incident didn't happen and yet he filed it in court and doubled down in the press. True Justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR our victory. This was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn't realize it yet, but, soon."
Reference: Daily Mirror:: Jessica Boulton: 17:07, 19 Dec 2024