JAY-Z recently sat down for an interview, and he shared why he refused to settle a sexual assault lawsuit that was levied against him.
Speaking with GQ, JAY-Z said that settling a lawsuit where he was innocent is “aint in his DNA.
”It was hard. Really hard. I was heartbroken,” Jay-Z said about the allegations.
”I’m glad we got right to that so we could just get that out the way,” “Like I was really heartbroken by everything that occurred. We’re in a space now where it’s almost like consequence is not thought about enough,” JAY-Z continued. “Because everything is so instant, you know what I’m saying?”
Throughout the tumultuous time, settling the lawsuit was never an option for the billionaire mogul.
“I know the weight that this is going to bring on our family,” he said. “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 coming. I wasn’t naive. I called—again, after my family—my partners,” JAY-Z explained. “They were like, ‘What do you need to help? Don’t even worry.’ In a phone call. Not even a: ‘I got to go to the board with this.’ It was like a testament because people know me. Like: ‘ know who you are, and that’s impossible. Not only are we standing by you, but what do you need?”
JAY-Z RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM BLUE IVY
At the height of the crisis, JAY-Z received support from his daughter, Blue Ivy, who purposely wore a jersey with his name on it.
”I was just in the corner, like tears coming down. Seriously. To have that, it’s priceless,” he said. “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. And in the darkest moment for me, I got to see those sorts of things.”