Jay-Z is breaking his silence on the now-dismissed sexual assault lawsuit filed against him in 2024.

In an interview with GQ, the 56-year-old rapper reflected on the lawsuit, filed by a woman who accused Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, and Sean “Diddy” Combs of drugging and raping her at a party hosted by Combs following the MTV Music Awards in 2000.

Carter and Combs both denied the allegations and the case was dropped in February 2025 after the woman’s lawyers announced the voluntary dismissal did not include any reasons or explanation for the withdrawal. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed with prejudice, which means the plaintiff cannot refile the same complaint in court.

1:55 Jay-Z accused of raping 13-year-old girl, rapper denies allegation

“It was hard. Really hard. I was heartbroken,” the Empire State of Mind rapper said while speaking with GQ.

“I was really heartbroken by everything that occurred.”

He said that he never considered taking a settlement with such serious claims against him.

“I can’t take a settlement — it ain’t in my DNA,” Carter said. “First of all, I had to tell my wife [Beyoncé]. Let’s back up. I know the weight that this is going to bring on our family. I can’t do it. I would die. If I settled — make that thing go away. And for me, it would’ve been cheaper? Yes. Cheaper, quicker, move on with your life. I knew what was going. I wasn’t naïve.”

Carter said that the lawsuit “took a lot out” of him and described a feeling of “uncontrollable anger” over the allegations against him.

“We’re in a space now where it’s almost like consequence is not thought about enough. Because everything is so instant, you know what I’m saying?” he said.

“I was angry. I haven’t been that angry in a long time. You don’t put that on someone — that’s a thing that you better be super sure. It used to be like that. You had to be super sure before you put those kinds of things on a person. Especially a person like me.”

The Young Forever rapper said he was confident that the case would be resolved.

“I took that really hard. I knew that we were going to walk through that because, first of all, it’s not true. And the truth, at the end of the day, still reigns supreme,” he said, adding, “We played enough defense. 2026 is all offence.”

2:09 Jay Z files motion calling for judge to dismiss sexual assault lawsuit

Carter said that the lawsuit helped me “see how people felt about me, especially people that were close to me.”

“People can say that [they’ll always be there for you], but it’s very rare that you’re going to have to exercise it,” he continued. “And in the darkest moment for me, I got to see those sorts of things.”

The father of three also spoke about the fact that the lawsuit was filed one day before he and his wife joined their daughter Blue Ivy at the Los Angeles premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King.

He said that he had considered skipping the event because it was Blue Ivy’s “moment” but decided to attend because his family is a “tight unit.”

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After the lawsuit was dismissed, Carter filed a defamation lawsuit against lawyers Tony Buzbee, David Fortney and the anonymous woman, who accused him of sexual assault.

The rapper’s lawsuit, filed in Alabama, states that the initial allegations against him were “false and malicious claims” and were “strategically and tactically calculated and timed to inflict maximum pain and suffering on Mr. Carter.”

His legal team accuses Jane Doe and her lawyers of extortion and being “soullessly motivated by greed.”

His lawsuit, viewed by the New York Times, claims that Doe “voluntarily admitted directly to” his representatives that no assault occurred, and accuses Buzbee of coercing her into pursuing the allegations “to obtain a payday.”

Global News has not independently verified the reporting by the New York Times.

In the filing, Carter’s legal team notes that he “does not wish to expose his malicious and wrongful accuser’s identity in his complaint and seeks to maintain her anonymity as ‘Doe.'”

Carter’s suit also accuses Doe and her lawyers of malicious prosecution, abuse of process and civil conspiracy.

In a statement to Variety last March, Buzbee responded to Carter’s defamation lawsuit, saying, “This Alabama filing asserts the same claims as another case. Jay Z’s team pieced together and filed in Los Angeles. Like the case in LA, this new case in Alabama also has no legal merit.”

The defamation lawsuit is ongoing as of March 2026.

A Florida woman charged with attempting to murder Rihanna appeared in court to enter a not guilty plea Wednesday.

Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 35, also pleaded not guilty through her lawyer to more than a dozen other felony counts in Los Angeles Superior Court, The Associated Press reports.

Ortiz was charged with attempting to kill Rihanna, along with 10 counts of assault on a person with a semi-automatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an inhabited vehicle or dwelling, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors say Rihanna, her partner A$AP Rocky, her mother, and her three children, RZA Athleston, 3, Riot Rose, 2, and five-month-old Rocki Irish Mayers, were all at home during the time of the shooting, and many others were at their home in the Beverly Hills area when Ortiz allegedly opened fire on the property on March 8.

4:10 Rihanna safe after woman allegedly opens fire on her LA home

Ortiz’s lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Derek Ray Dillman, entered the plea on her behalf as Ortiz appeared behind glass in a custody area. She only spoke to agree to waive her right to a speedy preliminary hearing.

Her lawyer asked that her bail be reduced from US$1.9 million to $70,000 based on her ability to pay. The judge declined the request and kept the bail the same.

At her first appearance in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 11, Ortiz’s lawyer entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf, but then withdrew it in favour of postponing the arraignment.

Ortiz, a licensed speech pathologist, could get life in prison if convicted on all charges — all 14 counts against her are felonies.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman said when Ortiz was charged that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were together in an Airstream trailer at the time of the shooting, while her mother, their children and staffers were in the main house.

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The three counts of firing at a dwelling were for Rihanna’s house, her trailer and a neighbour’s house, prosecutors said. The 10 assault counts were for Rihanna and family, two staffers and two people in the neighbouring house.

“When an individual comes into our community and decides to shoot it up, that individual will be arrested and held fully accountable for her actions,” Hochman said outside the courthouse in downtown Los Angeles earlier this month.

“L.A.-based celebrities should not be additionally worried because of this,” Hochman said, “in large part because of the response of the police.”

Judge Theresa McGonigle issued a protective order for Ortiz to stay away from Rihanna and A$AP Rocky and their home after the shooting. McGonigle also said Ortiz is not allowed to possess any firearms or ammunition, along with several other conditions.

1:13 Rihanna shares never-before-seen family photos

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) responded to a report of the shooting at 1:15 p.m. local time on March 8 in the Beverly Hills Post Office neighbourhood, an LAPD spokesperson told Global News.

The suspect is accused of firing multiple rounds with what police described as an AR-15-style rifle from inside a vehicle, targeting the home of the Love on the Brain singer.

The reports say police discovered bullet-holes in a gate at Rihanna’s home, as well as in an RV parked in the driveway of the property.

This isn’t the first time the Grammy-winning singer has experienced a serious incident at her home.

In 2018, a 27-year-old man broke into Rihanna’s house after hopping a fence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney.

Rihanna was not home at the time and the man, identified as Eduardo Leon, spent 12 hours inside the home before he was discovered by the singer’s assistant.

Leon pleaded no contest to stalking and was ordered to stay away from Rihanna for 10 years. He was sentenced to formal probation for five years and placed on GPS monitoring for 90 days.

— with files from The Associated Press

Warner Bros. has revealed that Stephen Colbert and his son are developing a new Lord of the Rings movie.

The studio announced early Wednesday that Colbert will script The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past along with series veteran Philippa Boyens and Peter McGee, Colbert’s son.

Producer Peter Jackson revealed Colbert’s involvement in a social media video that introduced a “very special partner” on the film.

3:39 Brian Cox on his new animated reign in the latest ‘Lord of the Rings’ film

“In honor of Tolkien Reading Day and the destruction of the One Ring, we bring you a special announcement,” Warner Bros. shared on its various social media accounts.

“It took me a few years to scrape my courage into a pile to give you a call, but about two years ago I did,” Colbert told Jackson. “You liked it enough to talk to me about it, and ever since then, the two of us have been working with the brilliant Philippa Boyens on how to develop this story.”

Colbert said he kept finding himself re-reading the six chapters in The Fellowship of the Ring that didn’t make it into Jackson’s 2001 adaptation.

“You know what the books mean to me, and what your films mean to me,” Colbert said. “But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in The Fellowship that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day.”

“It’s basically the chapter ‘Three Is Company’ [Chapter III] through ‘Fog on the Barrow-Downs’ [Chapter VIII],” Colbert continued. “And I thought, ‘Oh, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?'”

The late-night host said he started talking the idea over with McGee, who is also a screenwriter, and they worked out what they thought would work “especially as a framing device for that story.”

“We recently took it to Richard Brenner at New Line [Cinema] and Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca at Warner Brothers and I could not be happier to say that they loved it,” Colbert shared.

1:16 Fallon, Kimmel are ‘next’ after Colbert cancellation and Stern exit: Trump

Jackson asked Colbert if he’s sure he will have “the time” to work on such a larger project.

“I did not think I would have the time. As much as I love it, I knew I couldn’t do that and do this show at the same time, but it turns out I’m going to be free starting this summer,” Colbert said, as The Late Show, which he hosts, is to air its last episode on May 21 after CBS announced it was cancelling the late night show last July.

“So if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go finish a television show and I’ve got to write a movie script but I’ll see you all in the Shire,” Colbert added.

Colbert’s film is set 14 years after Frodo’s death, with Sam, Merry and Pippin setting out to retrace the first steps of their adventure, according to Variety.

The new film will also feature Sam’s daughter, Elanor, discovering a long-buried secret and she is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began, the outlet reports.

The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past will come after Andy Serkis’s upcoming The Hunt for Gollum, which is set to arrive in theatres next year.

2:06 Colbert announces ‘The Late Show’ to end days after slamming $16M Trump settlement 

The upcoming Lord of the Rings film marks Colbert’s first gig after The Late Show ends in May.

Colbert shared the news with his audience last July at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater, saying he learned that after a decade on air, “next year will be our last season.”

“The network will be ending The Late Show in May,” Colbert said as the crowd erupted in boos. “Yeah, I share your feelings. It’s not just the end of our show but it’s the end of The Late Show on CBS.”

The 61-year-old comic said he is not being replaced as host and that the entire show “is just going away.”

“I do want to say that the folks at CBS have been great partners. I’m so grateful to the Tiffany Network for giving me this chair and this beautiful theatre to call home,” Colbert said. “And of course I’m grateful to you, the audience, who have joined us every night in here, out there, all around the world, Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea.”

Colbert said he is also grateful to share the stage with The Late Show‘s band and said he’s “extraordinarily, deeply grateful to the 200 people who work here.”

— with files from The Associated Pres

Taylor Frankie Paul is revealing how the leaked video from a 2023 incident with her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen is affecting her daughter after the video was made public.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star said her eight-year-old daughter Indy, whom she shares with ex-husband Tate Paul, is “having to relive” the incident all over again.

“Worst part is my daughter is having to relive and see it all over again years later after extensive work with her and apologies to her about that night,” Paul wrote on TikTok.

0:57 ‘The Bachelorette’ Season 22 cancelled amid Taylor Frankie Paul controversy

She also said her two-year-old son Ever, whom she shares with Mortensen, had his birthday “taken from him” because the footage was published online that day.

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Paul was previously arrested for domestic violence charges following the incident in 2023.

She faced misdemeanour charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child after she was accused of throwing a chair at Mortensen that reportedly hit her daughter.

The 31-year-old reality star pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in August 2023, while the other charges were dismissed, according to ABC4 Utah.

Footage of the alleged 2023 incident between Paul and Mortensen, where she can be seen kicking and hitting her ex-boyfriend and throwing chairs at him, was leaked to TMZ on March 19.

“Your daughter is right here,” Mortensen says in the video before Paul throws a chair in his direction.

During an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Paul told host Alex Cooper the charges stemming from her 2023 arrest “were all dropped.”

“I never had hurt my daughter. I never intentionally did anything with my children,” Paul added.

“After the arrest, I was under so much stress. I was filmed leaving the jail and then that was immediately on the internet,” she said. “It was a blessing in disguise. It helped me wake up.”

It has not been confirmed who released the video to TMZ.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Miranda Hope became the first cast member to publicly speak out following the recent news on Friday.

“Domestic violence and abuse of any kind is something I take very seriously. As a human, and especially a mother, I cannot support that kind of behavior. My heart is with the children in this and I hope they’re safe, supported and surrounded by love,” she wrote.

Over the weekend, Hope addressed rumours that one of Paul’s co-stars leaked the video.

“The first time I saw that video was the same day you all did. None of us girls have ever been in possession of it or any other evidence,” she said. “My intent with my statement was not to shade Taylor, but to simply address that I do not support nor condone that behavior from either party.

“I have my theories on who leaked the video, but I can promise you it wasn’t any of the women.”

ABC decided to pull Season 22 of The Bachelorette, starring Paul, after the video surfaced.

“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” Disney Entertainment Television said in a statement last week.

Disney’s statement did not include details on what the network planned to do with the already filmed season of the dating reality series.

4:06 Taylor Frankie Paul domestic violence video causes ‘The Bachelorette’ to be cancelled

Following the news of the season cancellation, Paul said in a statement from her spokesperson: “Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”

“There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives. Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”

After the video was released, a spokesperson for the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star said in an earlier statement that it’s “sad to see the latest installment” of Mortensen’s “never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.”

“Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences,” her rep added.

In response, Mortensen said, “As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation.”

“I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same,” his statement said.

— with files from The Associated Press