The rapper and entrepreneur is citing his accuser’s retraction as he asks a California appeals court to reconsider its refusal to revive his extortion case against her prior lawyer

Jay-Z on September 13, 2026 in New York City.

After the woman who accused him of rape fully recanted her allegations in a sworn statement last Thursday, Jay-Z is hoping her reversal can revive his California-based extortion and defamation claims against lawyer Tony Buzbee and his law firm.

In a new petition for rehearing first obtained and reported by Rolling Stone, the rapper and entrepreneur, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, is asking a California appeals court to reconsider its recent refusal to reinstate his extortion and defamation lawsuit that a lower court dismissed last year. He says the woman’s new retraction, first reported by Rolling Stone, amounts to “explosive new evidence” that should allow his “meritorious claims to proceed” in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where he first filed them two years ago.

“Jane Doe’s declaration proves that discovery would yield evidence supporting Carter’s claims. Fairness and due process require this court to grant rehearing,” his new appellate filing argues.

In the woman’s sworn declaration, signed Thursday in her home state of Alabama, she said her sexual assault allegations were false, that she had never met Carter, and that she had disclosed certain “mental health conditions” to one of her lawyers before Buzbee’s law firm publicly named the Grammy-winning rapper in her lawsuit in December 2024.

“Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter never raped me. I have never met or spoken to Mr. Carter. Mr. Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever,” the woman wrote in the 11-page declaration filed in Manhattan federal court as part of a separate malicious prosecution case brought by the rapper.

“There is no truth to any of my claims against Mr. Carter,” she continued under penalty of perjury. “I understand my false accusations have caused Mr. Carter immense pain, suffering, and damage that can never be fully undone.”

In his petition for rehearing, Carter says the California appeals court relied heavily on the idea that Jane Doe dropped her rape lawsuit against him on Feb. 14, 2025, to “protect herself from harassment and invasion of privacy.” He argues that her new declaration tells a different story.

The woman now says she agreed to dismiss the rape case after telling her lawyers she had “doubts about [her] claims,” and after one of the lawyers allegedly traveled to Alabama to have her sign the dismissal papers. The sexual assault case was ultimately dismissed with prejudice under an agreement in which Carter promised that neither he nor his agents would contact or interact with her.

“I never received any threat from Mr. Carter or anyone acting on his behalf,” the woman said in her new declaration. “No one at the Buzbee Law Firm or any other law firm ever told me about a possible settlement of the New York Lawsuit. I did not authorize a settlement.”

Carter’s petition argues that Buzbee sought to dismiss the lawsuit against Carter not to shield the woman from harassment, but “to protect himself” from a pending sanctions motion. “Carter asks only that he have the opportunity to prove his case through limited discovery on remand,” the petition states. “If the discovery shows what he expects, then the case should proceed to trial where a jury can decide who is right.”

In the appeals court ruling, the panel upheld the lower court’s dismissal of Carter’s claims by finding that Buzbee’s demand letter was sent in anticipation of litigation. It said the trial court correctly concluded Carter failed to show Buzbee made statements about the woman’s claims with actual malice.

“The record contains no evidence Buzbee accused Carter of raping Jane Doe while knowing those statements to be false or with reckless disregard as to whether they were true. To the contrary, Buzbee submitted declarations showing his firm’s and [a referral firm’s] investigations led him to subjectively believe in the truth of the accusations,” Associate Justice Anne Richardson wrote in the unanimous ruling from California’s Second Appellate District.

Carter first sued Buzbee in late 2024, alleging the prominent Houston lawyer knowingly advanced false claims when he sent a demand letter in early November seeking money to resolve allegations that Carter had raped Jane Doe. By then, Buzbee’s firm had already sued Sean Combs on the woman’s behalf, alleging that a second, unidentified male “celebrity” also sexually assaulted her that night. Weeks later, after Carter declined to engage with the demand, Buzbee amended the complaint to explicitly name Carter as that celebrity, making him a co-defendant with Combs.

Regardless of what happens with Carter’s attempts to revive the extortion and defamation claims, the billionaire entrepreneur is pressing ahead with the New York-based malicious prosecution claims against Buzbee and his firm. He dismissed the Jane Doe from the action last week, but he still argues her lawyers should have known her allegations “were contradicted by publicly available information, internally inconsistent, and unsupported by any credible story or investigation.”

Attempts to reach Buzbee on Monday were not immediately successful. Reached by email last Thursday, the lawyer defended himself. “We have multiple lawyers (at least four) who dealt with Ms. Doe long before she met me. She gave the exact same story to each. If for some reason now she is claiming she lied to us and the court, that’s new information,” he wrote. He previously told Rolling Stone that “sending a basic demand letter prior to filing suit is not and will never be ‘extortion.’”

One of Buzbee’s lawyers argued in a Friday filing in New York that Doe’s retraction was a “bought-and-paid-for declaration,” though she offered no evidence to support that assertion. The lawyer said Carter and his attorneys knew the new recantation contradicted Doe’s prior sworn testimony and noted that Carter’s legal team had previously described her as “an unreliable witness” with “several mental health disorders,” raising serious “concerns about her credibility.”

“In sum, there is no evidence that when the Buzbee Parties relied on Jane Doe’s multiple declarations they knew her to be a perjurer. Carter and his attorneys lack the same excuse,” Buzbee’s lawyer, Jessica N. Meyers of Sheppard Mullin, wrote in a letter to the court.

In a Sept. 1 motion to dismiss Carter’s malicious-prosecution claims, Buzbee’s camp called the lawsuit “improper” and “abusive.” They argued that filing a civil complaint on behalf of a Jane Doe alleging sexual assault did not amount to misconduct. They added that any inconsistencies in the woman’s recollection were not necessarily suspicious, particularly given her claim that she had been drugged and raped more than two decades earlier, when she was 13.

Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year Award for "The Fate of Ophelia" at 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony has arrived. Tonight, the biggest names in music gathered at the VMAs to see who would take home the night’s top prizes.

Madonna led all nominees this year with 13, thanks largely in part to the short film she made for her celebrated new album, Confessions II. In addition to being up for the coveted Video of the Year, it’s also earned several nods in creative categories, including Best Direction, Cinematography, and Choreography. It also received a nomination for the resurrected Best Dance category, which was doled out regularly for decades beginning in 1989, but hasn’t been awarded since 2019.

Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter’s Confessions II song, “Bring Your Love,” scored nominations for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration, and Madonna is up for Artist of the Year, too.

Taylor Swift trailed closely behind, earning 11 nominations. She is also up for Artist of the Year. Swift’s video for her Life of a Showgirl hit, “The Fate of Ophelia,” is nominated for Video of the Year, Best Pop, and numerous creative prizes. The visual for Swift’s other big Showgirl hit, “Opalite,” also scored a lone nod for Best Direction. It was already a big night for Swift leading up to the VMAs, as she was named the inaugural recipient of the MTV VMA Artist Director Honors ahead of the show.

In the coveted Video of the Year category, the Confessions II short film and “The Fate of Ophelia” will compete against Ariana Grande’s “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” Bruno Mars’ “I Just Might,” Gener8ion and Yung Lean’s “Storm,” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Tears.” Artist of the Year boasts Madonna and Swift competing against Grande, Mars, Carpenter, and Morgan Wallen.

Other highlights from this year’s VMAs are Nirvana will receive the Video Vanguard Award, and a bevy of newcomers are all up for Best New Artist, including Bella Kay, Cortis, Magnus Ferrell, Malcolm Todd, Myles Smith, Sienna Spiro, and Stella Lefty.

See the list of winners below (bolded), which will be updated throughout the night.

Video of the YearAriana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”Gener8ion — “STORM starring Yung Lean”Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”Sabrina Carpenter — “Tears”Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia” Artist of the YearAriana GrandeBruno MarsMadonnaMorgan WallenSabrina CarpenterTaylor Swift Song of the YearBTS — “Swim”Ella Langley — “Choosin’ Texas”HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI — “Golden”Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter — “Bring Your Love”Olivia Dean — “Man I Need”PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”RAYE — “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” Best New ArtistBella KayCORTISMagnus FerrellMalcolm ToddMyles SmithSienna SpiroStella Lefty Best CollaborationClipse, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Malice — “Chains & Whips”French Montana x Max B — “Ever Since U Left Me”Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter — “Bring Your Love”PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”Shakira & Burna Boy — “Dai Dai”Teyana Taylor & Lucky Daye — “Hard Part” Best PopAriana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”Charli XCX — “SS26”LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”Olivia Rodrigo — “drop dead”Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia” Best Hip-HopCardi B ft. Kehlani — “Safe”Don Toliver — “E85”Drake — “Janice STFU”Megan Thee Stallion — “LOVER GIRL”Travis Scott — “DUMBO”Tyler, The Creator — “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE” Best R&BBruno Mars — “I Just Might”Chris Brown — “It Depends/Obvious”Dave & Tems — “Raindance”Justin Bieber — “YUKON”Kehlani — “Folded”Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis — “Is It a Crime” Best AlternativeGeese — “Taxes”mgk & Fred Durst — “FIX UR FACE”Noah Kahan — “The Great Divide”Olivia Rodrigo — “the cure”SOMBR — “Homewrecker”Tame Impala — “Dracula”twenty one pilots — “Drag Path” Best DanceBebe Rexha & Faithless — “New Religion”Harry Styles — “Aperture”Lady Gaga & Doechii — “RUNAWAY”Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”Slayyyter — “DANCE …”Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl” Best LatinAnitta with Shakira — “Choka Choka”Bad Bunny — “NUEVAYoL”Fuerza Regida — “TU SANCHO”KAROL G — “Papasito”Rosalía ft. Yahritza y Su Esencia — “La Perla”Ryan Castro, Kapo & GANGSTA — “LA VILLA”Shakira & Burna Boy — “Dai Dai” Best K-PopBLACKPINK — “JUMP”BTS — “SWIM”CORTIS — “REDRED”KATSEYE — “PINKY UP”LE SSERAFIM (feat. j-hope of BTS) — “SPAGHETTI”LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi” Best Country Ella Langley — “Choosin’ Texas”Kacey Musgraves — “Dry Spell”Lainey Wilson — “Somewhere Over Laredo”Luke Combs — “Back in the Saddle”Shaboozey — “Cowgirl”Stella Lefty — “Boston” Tucker Wetmore — “Brunette” Best DirectionAriana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”GENER8ION — “STORM starring Yung Lean”Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”Taylor Swift — “Opalite” Best Art DirectionCharli XCX — “SS26”Lady Gaga & Doechii — “RUNAWAY”Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”SOMBR — “My Body Isn’t Ready”Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia” Best CinematographyA$AP Rocky — “PUNK ROCKY”Ariana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”Shaboozey — “Cowgirl”Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia” Best EditingAriana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”Bruno Mars — “I Just Might”LISA — “Dream feat. Kentaro Sakaguchi”Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”Sabrina Carpenter — “House Tour”Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia” Best ChoreographyGENER8ION — “STORM starring Yung Lean”Harry Styles — “Dance No More”KATSEYE — “PINKY UP”Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”Tate McRae — “Nobody’s Girl”Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia” Best Visual EffectsAriana Grande — “hate that i made you love me”JISOO X ZAYN — “Eyes Closed”Madonna — “Confessions II — The Film”PinkPantheress — “Stateside + Zara Larsson”RAYE ft. Hans Zimmer — “Click Clack Symphony.”Taylor Swift — “The Fate of Ophelia”

Social Categories:Best Group:BLACKPINKBTSCORTISFLOFuerza RegidaGeeseKATSEYETwenty One PilotsBest Long Form Video:Charli xcx – “Music, Fashion, Film” – Atlantic RecordsElla Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia RecordsGENER8ION – “STORM” starring Yung Lean – Iconoclast MusicMadonna – “Confessions II – The Film” – Warner Records

Best Album:Drake – ICEMAN – OVO/Republic RecordsMadonna – Confessions II – Warner RecordsOlivia Dean – The Art of Loving – IslandOlivia Rodrigo – you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love – Geffen RecordsSabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend – IslandTaylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl – Republic Records

Song of the Summer:Ariana Grande – “Hate That I Made You Love Me” – Republic RecordsBruno Mars – “Risk It All” – Atlantic RecordsCharli xcx – “Camera” – Atlantic RecordsElla Langley – “Choosin’ Texas” – Columbia RecordsKATSEYE – “Hootie Frutti” – HYBE x Geffen RecordsLatto ft. Doja Cat – “Okayyy” – Steamcut / RCA RecordsMorgan Wallen – “Been By Now – Big Loud / Mercury RecordsOlivia Dean – “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” – IslandOlivia Rodrigo – “Stupid Song” – Geffen RecordsSabrina Carpenter – “House Tour” – IslandSlayyyter – “Brand New Chanel$” – RECORDS/Columbia Recordssombr – “Homewrecker” – SMB Music / Warner RecordsStella Lefty – “Boston” – Sandlot / Atlantic OutpostTame Impala & JENNIE – “Dracula” – Columbia RecordsTaylor Swift – “I Knew It, I Knew You” – Walt Disney Records / Republic Records

Drake and Karol G

Drake made a surprise appearance at Karol G‘s concert in Houston on Sunday night. The rapper joined the Colombian singer for a performance of his 2016 hit “One Dance.”

Karol G’s show at Reliant Stadium marked the latest stop on her Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour, which kicked off in July. The global trek continues through 2027, with stops in North America, Europe, and South America. Her latest album, No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, arrived earlier this year.

Drake previously popped by Karol G’s Toronto show in July, where he was shown on the venue’s Jumbotron. He later name-checked her on his Maid of Honour track “New Bestie.” The duo then released a joint single, “Ahí,” which appeared on No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto.

“Drake singing in Spanish has always been incredible to me,” Karol told Rolling Stone. “We started talking about making it a duet, like the verses responding to each other. And I was like, ‘I don’t know, but I’d love it if Drake sang it in Spanish.'”

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Drake recently unveiled his elusive project Fear of Missing Out, a self-described “not-so-short film.” The clip features Drake dancing through his sprawling mansion and driving his lime-green boat along the slick Toronto skyline; joining an intimate chat between his mother, Sandra “Icemom” Graham, and her best friends; and brandishing a pair of $150,000 Iron Man suits. The video also previewed songs with Don Toliver and Sexyy Red, and a reworked version of Ella Langley’s massive hit “Choosin’ Texas.”

Taylor Swift accepts the Video of the Year Award for “The Fate of Ophelia" at the 2026 MTV VMAs

Taylor Swift dedicated her award for Best Music Video at the 2026 Video Music Awards on Sunday to the late Dolly Parton, “the ultimate showgirl.” The winning video, “The Fate of Ophelia,” from Swift’s most recent album, The Life of a Showgirl, was written and directed by Swift herself.

“Thank you so much for giving this award to this video,” Swift said. “I’m so proud of it. To the fans, thank you for voting on it. I just, I loved making this video because I wanted it to seem like one continuous shot, so I learned a lot about hiding cuts in places, and I want to thank everybody who helped me on this video shoot.” She shouted out the video’s choreographer, Mandy Moore, its production designer, Ethan Tobman, its cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto, and its editor, Chancler Haynes.“And lastly, but most importantly,” Swift added, “I want to thank and dedicate this award to one person, without whom this wouldn’t be happening, and that person is the ultimate showgirl, Dolly Parton. Every single song that she wrote, her storytelling was so vivid and so rich. Listening to her songs, it’s like watching the best music video you have ever seen in your life, every single time you hear what she has written. Man, she handled this thing with such grace and joy and love and gratitude for the fact that she got to do this.”“And everything that happened in her life or her career, she channeled back into love and gratitude and appreciation for her fans,” Swift continued. “I’m lucky I got to be one of them, and I will always be one of them. I love you all so very much, and I think we were all very lucky to share this planet with Dolly Parton for a time, and thank you for this amazing moment. I love you all.”On Friday, Swift dropped the extended version of Showgirl, featuring four tracks. The single is “Patient Zero,” with a video co-starring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell that she debuted at the VMAs.

Swift recently received a Country Music Association Awards nomination for Single of the Year for her 2026 release “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her contribution to the Toy Story 5 soundtrack. The nod marked her first CMA nomination in four years. “LOOKS LIKE I HAVEN’T YEE’D MY LAST HAW THANK YOU CMA!!!!” she wrote on Instagram.

The CFL is turning the 2026 Grey Cup into a major Canadian music showcase, with Sarah McLachlan, Blue Rodeo and James Barker Band joining country star Riley Green on the entertainment lineup.

The 113th Grey Cup takes place November 15 at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium, where Green will headline the Grey Cup Halftime Show. The Alabama-born country singer, who has scored six No. 1 hits on Canadian country radio, including “There Was This Girl” and “Worst Way,” will bring his Southern country sound to Alberta.

Before the game, Canadian music icon Sarah McLachlan will perform “O Canada,” while Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor will deliver a special performance.

James Barker Band will close out the pre-game entertainment with the SiriusXM Grey Cup Kickoff Show. The Ontario country group has had a busy year that included another JUNO Award, its fourth consecutive CCMA Group or Duo of the Year win and a new album, One of Us.

The Grey Cup Festival runs November 11 to 15 and includes a Kick-Off Party featuring The Trews, a Thursday night concert with Alan Doyle featuring The Strumbellas, and a Saturday night country concert whose headliner remains secret.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 08: Musician Tinashe performs a DJ set during day two of the Capitol Hill Block Party on August 08, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images)

Welcome to our weekly rundown of the best new music — featuring big singles, key tracks from our favorite albums, and more. This week, Tinashe navigates the highs and lows of being a pop star, Blondshell basks in the beauty of her life, and Taylor Swift is back for the curtain call with a deluxe offering from The Life of a Showgirl. Plus, new music from Phoebe Bridgers, U2, Leon Bridges, Perfume Genius, and Nanpa Básico.

Tinashe, “Popstar” (YouTube)

Blondshell, “Lucky” (YouTube)

Taylor Swift, “Pink Clouding” (YouTube)

U2, “Silencio” (YouTube)

Phoebe Bridgers, “On Video” (YouTube)

Madonna, Charli XCX, “Danceteria Afterhours Mix” (YouTube)

Leon Bridges, “Watch You Dance” (YouTube)

Julia Jacklin, “If I Had the Hand of God” (YouTube)

Perfume Genius, “Natural High” (YouTube)

Cara Delevingne, “What Love Is Like” (YouTube)

Lennon Stella, “Comedy Show” (YouTube)

Nanpa Básico, SOG, “No Me Morí” (YouTube)

Jeff Parker feat. Chris Speed, Kaveh Rastegar, Aaron Steele, “Miles’ Mode” (YouTube)

Jae Stephens, “Expensive & Difficult” (YouTube)

Bktherula feat. Underscores, “Addicted2U” (YouTube)

Tezzus, Che, “Matches” (YouTube)

Niko Rubio, “Dream” (YouTube)

Bree Runway, “Bags of Yen” (YouTube)

Jane Remover, “Beauty Sleep” (YouTube)

Mary in the Junkyard, “Jane” (YouTube)

Karina Rykman, “Riverside Drive” (YouTube)

Ibeyi, “Moshpit” (YouTube)

Lily Konigsberg, “Free Byrd” (YouTube)

Snõõper, “Mouth Closed” (YouTube)

Worldpeace DMT, “Gabriel” (YouTube)

Boyg1rl, Surfgang, “Show Me” (YouTube)

Rainbow Body, “Strange Memory” (YouTube)

Joy Oladokun, “Easy Company” (YouTube)

Stephen Wilson Jr., “Cornerman” (YouTube)