Rap legend and entertainment mogul Jay-Z sat down with him GQ In an interview published Tuesday as part of his first cover story in nearly a decade, the hip-hop king and Roc Nation CEO was game to look back on a turbulent year: During the interview for Jay-Z’s 30 Years Issue, he addresses the anger he felt over the rape allegations leveled against him in a now-dismissed lawsuit, sheds light on the toll the rap battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake has taken, and shares some new details about his daughter with Beyoncé, Blue Ivy.
The wide-ranging interview comes as two of the rapper’s early albums — his 1996 debut Reasonable doubt And 2001 Scheme – Turns 30 and 25 respectively; He will honor the records that launched his massive career with two shows at Yankee Stadium this summer. Remarkably, in a music landscape that can be so volatile and full of tension, Jay-Z has remained consistent across generations. Although he has released relatively little music over the past decade, he has been busy elsewhere. Roc Nation has transformed the Super Bowl halftime show from the world’s biggest stage into a massive cultural conversation year after year.
But in late 2024, the internet — especially the online hip-hop community — was abuzz over the federal indictment of Sean “Diddy” Combs and reports about his alleged “weird” parties. As speculation mounted about what celebrity might be named next, a lawsuit was filed in October in the Southern District of New York to name Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter. The allegation was outrageous: The complaint alleged that decades earlier, Diddy and Jay-Z raped a 13-year-old girl on the former’s property after that year’s MTV Video Music Awards. The case came to light amid a wave of civil charges against Diddy after he was federally indicted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Angered by what he says is a baseless accusation, Jay-Z has fought the case with intense focus. After watching a contemporary’s reputation disintegrate, he realized how even a pretense could permanently damage a public image. After several months of legal wrangling, the defendant dropped the case.
He said GQ About the experience of attrition in the sit-in, which took place over two two-hour sessions.
“It’s been hard. Really hard,” Jay-Z said, referring to the legal battle. “I was very sad. I’m glad we got this straight so we could get it over with. I was very saddened by everything that happened. We’re in a place now where the consequences aren’t thought through enough, because everything happens so instantaneously.”
“This is all [lawsuit]This shit took a lot out of me. I was angry. I haven’t felt this angry in a long time – uncontrollable anger. You don’t put that on someone. This is something you better be sure of. It was like this. There was a line: no women, no children. Those are the things I took from the street. We lived and died by that. So he’s strict to me, like he means a lot to me.
The rap icon said he always believed he would prevail: “It’s not true. And the truth, at the end of the day, still prevails.”
For the Mongols, the turmoil continues into 2025. Roc Nation’s Super Bowl pick, Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar, was a controversial choice as rap’s first solo headliner and in the midst of a high-profile feud with Drake. Jay-Z described the moment as extremely stressful and toxic.
“We love the excitement and the sparring, but in this day and age, there are a lot of negative things that come with it that you wish didn’t happen,” he said.
“It’s going too far. It’s bringing people’s kids into this. I don’t like it. I sound like the old man is wagging his finger, but I think we can achieve the same thing — in terms of sparring with music — by collaborating more than tearing everything apart. Back then, you had the fight, it was fun, and you moved on. Now, I don’t know if it can withstand the technology we have.”
Lamar ultimately emerged as the clear victor in the feud with his song “Not Like Us,” later giving a widely watched and praised performance at the Super Bowl.
“I picked the guy who was having a brutal year. It was the right choice. What do I care about these two guys fighting? What does that have to do with me? Do it. People are dragging everyone into it, like there’s a conspiracy to undermine Drake. It’s like, what the fuck? I’m Jay-Z!” He said while laughing.
The controversy proved to be a precursor to the halftime pick, international star Bad Bunny, which sparked political backlash from some right-wing figures, including President Trump. Jay-Z stuck to the decision, emphasizing his broader vision for the platform.
“I think everyone should experience music in its entirety. For many years, only one side of music was represented. We had the opportunity to create a more balanced picture of what popular music is today. These are the biggest artists in the world. I didn’t pick an independent artist from Portland. This is the most streamed artist in the world. It was like, ‘Let’s let him play.'” “It’s Rihanna!” He added with a laugh.
Jay-Z also spoke about his home life with his wife, Beyoncé, and their three children. Their eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, is already showing musical promise – she plays the piano and has joined her mother in supporting the tour Cowboy Carter.
“Blue is a crazy pianist, but she won’t let us make her a teacher,” he said. “She doesn’t want it to feel like a job. But she has perfect pitch. If she hears a song, she’ll say, ‘Play it again,’ and then she’ll teach herself. That’s just a talent. She’s made a career of performing, though, and that makes me proud. I don’t think we’ll get her off this stage any time soon.”
Despite going through a year in which he was beaten on multiple fronts but never fell, the King of Rap has remained resilient. It seems that it was his family that helped him get through the darkest days.
“It gives everything meaning, everything. I’m going across the country, doing what I have to do, and I’m going to get back on the plane that night,” he said. “I love taking them to school. I love taking them. Everything means so much more.”
