Music mogul Jay-Z, wife Beyoncé, daughter Blue Ivy and mother-in-law Tina Knowles stood united at the “Mufasa: The Lion King” premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles days after rape allegations were filed against the rapper.
The film, a prequel story to “The Lion King,” is Blue Ivy’s first feature film. The burgeoning star turns 13 in January. Beyoncé, who voiced the character of Nala in the 2019 live-action remake, returns, as well as a litany of other actors.
A beaming Jay-Z posed on the carpet alongside his family, noticeably standing beside Beyoncé in all the photographs.
JAY-Z FILES TO DISMISS RAPE LAWSUIT WITH SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS, DEMANDS END TO ‘EXTORTION SAGA’
A lawsuit filed on Sunday alleged that Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Corey Carter, raped a 13-year-old girl alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs at an after-party following the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000.
The lawsuit, which was initially filed in October, was refiled Sunday in New York by an anonymous accuser claiming Jay-Z “raped” her while Combs and “Celebrity B” watched. Initially, the lawsuit stated Combs raped the minor while “Celebrity A” and “Celebrity B” watched. Carter was identified as “Celebrity A” in the refiled lawsuit.
Jay-Z fervently denied the allegations in a statement shared by his entertainment company, Roc Nation, accusing lawyer Tony Buzbee, who filed the lawsuit, of blackmail. “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case.”
In his statement, Jay-Z noted the pain that these allegations would ultimately cause his children, including his eldest daughter, now at an age where the news is readily accessible by her peers.
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“My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people,” he wrote.
“I mourn yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at their young age. It is unfair to have to try to understand inexplicable degrees of malice meant to destroy families and human spirit.”
A representative for Combs once again denied the allegations, saying in a statement to Fox News Digital, “This amended complaint and the recent extortion lawsuit against Mr. Buzbee exposes his barrage of lawsuits against Mr. Combs for what they are: shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs.”
On Monday, the family faced more controversy after it appeared Tina Knowles had liked a post detailing the filing. “I was Hacked !” she wrote on Instagram, without acknowledging the suspicious activity. “As you all know I do not play about my family. So if you see something uncharacteristic of me . Just know that it is not me !”
Knowles seemed jovial on the carpet standing directly next to Jay-Z.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” will be released in theaters on Dec. 20.
Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
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