NFL to maintain Jay-Z relationship despite underage rape allegation
Shawn ‘Jay-Z‘ Carter will continue to work with the NFL despite the recent underage rape allegation against him. The American football league is showing its support for Hov amid the shocking claims that he raped a 13-year-old girl, which the Roc Nation boss has completely denied.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the lawsuit in a presser on December 11th, speaking on the rapper’s bold statement. He revealed that nothing would change regarding their partnership, and they were already making plans beyond Super Bowl LIX which Kendrick Lamar will be headlining in February.
“We’re aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that,” Goodell said ahead of the Christmas Day games on Netflix. “We know that litigation is happening now. From our standpoint, our relationship’s not changing with [Roc Nation], including our preparations for the next Super Bowl.”
Carter was accused of raping an underage girl in 2000 alongside Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in a lawsuit that was refiled on December 8th. The anonymous accuser alleges that the incident occurred at an after-party for the MTV Video Music Awards. At the event, she claims she was handed a drink that made her “woozy, lightheaded and felt [like] she needed to lie down.”
Then, she alleges Carter removed her clothes, held her down and raped her while Combs and a female celebrity watched. After that, she says Combs also raped her, as Carter and the woman observed. The lawsuit was originally filed against Combs in the Southern District of New York in October, but it was refiled on December 8th to include Carter.
It was announced that Carter and the NFL’s partnership would continue in October, having worked together since 2019. ESPN reported that the previous deal over five years was worth $25 million, which involved Roc Nation working on the Super Bowl halftime show and the league’s social justice program.
“It’s been a mutually positive relationship, I’m not sure either one of us really spend much time talking about contracts,” Goodell said about the relationship. “Jay is happy. [Roc Nation CEO] Desiree Perez is happy. I’m happy, so we’re all good.”
Carter previously told The New York Times, “We didn’t say, ‘Let’s go make some money off the NFL,” upon signing the deal.