Jay-Z is facing some a bump in the road at the moment: A few days ago, a civil lawsuit accusing the rapper and businessman of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside Diddy was filed. Despite that, the NFL does not currently plan to alter its relationship with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, the entertainment company that produces the Super Bowl.
As Variety notes, during a press conference yesterday (December 11), NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, “We are aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that. We know obviously that litigation is happening, but from our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl.”
He added, “I think they’re getting incredibly comfortable with not just the Super Bowl, but other events that they have advised us on and helped us with. They’ve been helpful in the social justice area to us on many occasions. They’ve been great partners that have provided a lot of value to us.”
As for the “really strong response” Goodell mentioned, Jay wrote in a statement, “My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee. What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”