Jay-Z has no plans to show loyalty to longtime friend Sean 'Diddy' Combs amid the music mogul's legal woes, according to sources who say that the rap icon 'would absolutely throw Diddy under the bus' if that is what it took to clear his name of current rape allegations.
Last week, the 55-year-old rapper - real name Shawn Carter - was named in a civil lawsuit accusing him of raping a 13-year-old alongside Combs in 2000 after the MTV Video Music Awards.
The Empire State Of Mind rapper swiftly condemned and vehemently denied the allegations, while his attorney Alex Spiro insisted to the media that the pair do not share a 'closer association' than professional friends.
Now insiders have told DailyMail.com that the 99 Problems rapper is willing to do all he can in order to ensure that he never steps foot inside a jail.
'Jay-Z would absolutely throw Diddy under the bus if that is what it took to clear his name and walk away from this,' the insider exclusively dished. 'He has zero loyalty to Diddy.'
The insider noted that the rap star - who is married to singer Beyoncé - began to distance himself as soon as Combs was arrested on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution earlier this year.
Rapper Jay-Z 'would absolutely throw Diddy under the bus' in order to clear his name of current rape allegations, a source tells DailyMail.com
Last week, the 55-year-old rapper - real name Shawn Carter - was named in a civil lawsuit accusing him of raping a 13-year-old alongside Combs in 2000 (seen in 2015)
The insider continued: 'The moment Diddy was arrested, Jay-Z scrubbed him from his existence. He is going after [lawyer Tony] Buzbee for himself and not for anyone else.
'The only thing that he cares about is him never stepping foot inside a jail cell and his family being safe. Jay-Z is extremely powerful and will deploy any tactic necessary.'
Carter has slammed the Jane Doe's attorney Tony Buzbee for his alleged 'blackmail attempt' with the shocking lawsuit.
The unidentified woman recently added Carter to her lawsuit against Combs in Manhattan federal court - which was first filed in October.
The woman alleges that she was attacked by the musicians after Combs' limo driver offered her a ride to a VMAs afterparty.
Wednesday saw Carter's lawyers ask a judge to extract the rapper from the lawsuit, citing a recent television interview with NBC News in which his accuser acknowledged inconsistencies in her story.
Though Carter's legal team at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP have made it clear that they intend to get the suit dismissed, a second source noted that it has nothing to do with helping Combs.
'Jay-Z is more than ready to throw Diddy under the bus to defend himself if that is what it takes and doesn’t want anything to do with his lawsuits,' the source stated. 'Any notion that Jay is trying to help Diddy by going after Tony Buzbee is false. He doesn’t care about Diddy.'
Earlier this week, Jay-Z's lawyer Alex Spiro has insisted that the pair do not share a 'closer association' than professional friends (pictured in 2020)
The insider stated: 'The moment Diddy was arrested, Jay-Z scrubbed him from his existence. He is going after Buzbee for himself and not for anyone else' (pictured in 2019)
The source then explained that Carter had personally decided to cut ties after footage of Diddy physically attacking his ex-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura was leaked online.
The source continued: 'Jay was appalled by the Cassie video which is why he is adamant that he and Diddy weren’t friends as he didn’t really know what he was capable of.
'The video was a deciding factor for Jay when announcing that he and Diddy weren’t close.'
However, a third insider noted that no matter what the motivation might be, Combs is delighted to have another star involved in his fight against the allegations.
'Diddy does enjoy that Jay is fighting against the same person that is accusing him of doing any wrongdoing,' the insider began. 'Because if Jay succeeds, it will help Diddy tenfold.'
The insider continued: 'Diddy has a never-ending mountain to climb, but any small win can only lead to bigger wins. Diddy is very happy that he isn't fighting everything alone.'
Combs, who is already behind bars while awaiting trial, has also denied the rape allegation.
Buzbee, who is representing over 100 people with sexual misconduct allegations against Combs, has found himself at war with Carter after dragging the hip-hop mogul into the anonymous complaint.
Another source explained that Carter had personally decided to cut ties after footage of physically attacking his ex-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura was leaked online
But unearthed records – including a bleary-eyed mugshot – reveal Buzbee once faced legal troubles himself when he was busted for DWI in 2016, the National Enquirer first reported.
DailyMail.com has confirmed that the hotshot attorney, who's made a fortune suing huge corporations and celebrities, was arrested by Houston Police on March 31 that year and was charged with driving while intoxicated. He was later released after posting $500 bail.
The case was dismissed by the Harris County District Attorney's office after Buzbee completed a one-year education program in just eight months.
More recently, the high-profile personal injury lawyer, who has handled previous civil suits against other public figures including NFL star Deshaun Watson and rapper Travis Scott, has become embroiled in a public legal feud that has seen more of his skeletons come out of the woodwork.
Both sides – Carter plus his lawyer Alex Spiro, and Buzbee – have accused the other of using underhand, coercive tactics.
Team Carter alleges Buzbee added the rapper's name to a lawsuit first filed in October in revenge after he refused to pay off his accuser with an 'exorbitant' sum, prompting Carter to sue Buzbee for extortion in Los Angeles last month.
Spiro also claims Buzbee's firm might be pressuring potential clients to make false accusations in lawsuits – an allegation the lawyer denies.
Buzbee denies any attempt at extortion, dismissing the Team Carter claims as a 'silly sideshow' intended to distract from the rape allegation.
The Empire State Of Mind rapper has since condemned and vehemently denied the allegations made against him
His lawyers have said the case is 'provably demonstrably false' and provided evidence in a new filing to prove that Jane Doe's allegations 'never happened' (seen at the 2000 MTV VMAs)
The lawsuit alleged that the woman — then aged 13 — took a drink at the VMAs afterparty that had 'a reddish-yellow mixture that tasted like orange juice, cranberry juice, and something bitter' and 'began to feel woozy and lightheaded, making her need to lie down.'
She claimed she laid down in 'what appeared to be an empty bedroom' and then Combs, Carter and a female celebrity referred to as 'Celebrity B' entered the room.
'Combs aggressively approached Plaintiff with a crazed look in his eyes, grabbed her, and said, "You are ready to party!"' legal documents read.
The accuser said in the lawsuit that Combs threw her 'toward a wall,' leading her to fall, then 'grabbed her again and threw her on the bed.'
She went on to claim that Carter began stripping her down 'as she grew more and more disoriented' and held her down as 'he vaginally raped her, while Combs and Celebrity B watched.'
'After [Jay-Z] finished, he stepped back toward the wall. Combs then stepped forward and vaginally raped Plaintiff while Carter and Celebrity B watched,' the suit says.
According to legal docs, in the 2000 incident, 'another celebrity stood by and watched as Combs and Carter took turns assaulting the minor. Many others were present at the after party, but did nothing to stop the assault.'
'Carter has been with Combs during many such instances described herein. Both perpetrators must face justice,' Jane Doe claimed.
In their court filing Wednesday, Carter's lawyers cited a recent television interview with NBC News in which his accuser acknowledged inconsistencies in her story
The accuser also said that Combs tried to force her 'to perform oral sex on him,' at which point she 'fought back, standing up quickly and punching out at the same time, hitting Combs in the neck,' at which point he 'stopped his attempt.'
The accuser 'fell into a deep depression which continues to affect every facet of her life,' according to the lawsuit.
She 'suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and a seizure disorder caused by stress and trauma,' the suit states.
The accuser has also 'had difficulty maintaining normal relationships and lives largely withdrawn from society.'
The accuser is asking the court for unspecified damages in the suit, which had been filed under New York state's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act.
Carter's lawyers fought back in a filing obtained by Dailymail.com on Wednesday: 'When pressed by NBC, [Jay-Z's accuser] was forced to admit "I have made some mistakes," "I may have made a mistake in identifying," "Not all the faces there are as clear," and even that she was "guessing" about key details, including the time it took to reach the venue.
'What is more, she admits she does not have a single corroborating witness over the last 24 years.'
Carter's legal team said Wednesday that his accuser's 'unsupported allegations crumble under scrutiny, as the evidence - and lack thereof - reveals glaring inconsistencies and outright impossibilities.'
The rapper's lawyers have has said the article proves that Tony Buzbee, a personal injury lawyer, filed a false complaint against him for money and fame
Among the inconsistencies cited included 'a Jumbotron' that wasn't present, according to authorities and MTV personnel; as well as evidence that both Carter and Combs were photographed at nightclubs after the award show when they were accused of being at a nearby house.
Carter's legal team said that 'taken together, the factual inconsistencies, timeline impossibilities, and the lack of corroborating evidence make [his accuser's] allegations ... wholly unreliable.'
Last Friday, NBC aired an interview in which the accuser said she spoke with musicians Benji Madden and his brother at the party, and her father picked her up after the alleged assault.
NBC also reported that a representative of the Maddens said they were touring the Midwest during the VMAs, and her father said he does not recall what would have been a drive home of more than five hours.
Carter has said the article proves that Buzbee filed a false complaint against him for money and fame.