Author Topic: Jay-Z Countersues R. Kelly (Read 423 times)

Jome · « **on:** February 02, 2005, 06:17:28 PM »

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1496522/20050202/jay_z.jhtml?headlines=true

Jay-Z Countersues R. Kelly Over What He Calls Their 'Nightmarish Odyssey'
02.02.2005 6:18 PM EST

Jay-Z argues in his suit that he was forced to kick Kelly off the Best of Both Worlds tour.
R. Kelly and Jay-Z
Photo: Def Jam/MTV
Jay-Z first gave it to R. Kelly on wax, and now he's giving it to him in court.

After dissing Kelly for his lawsuit against him on the "Drop It Like It's Hot" remix, the rapper has now filed a countersuit against the R&B singer in Manhattan

Supreme Court.

Kelly filed his $75 million action in November against Jay-Z, his business associates and the tour's promoter when he got kicked off the Best of Both Worlds tour (see "R. Kelly Sues Jay-Z For $75 Million, Claims Sabotage"). The duo's last show together saw Kelly walking off the stage at New York's Madison Square Garden after telling the audience he thought he saw someone waving a gun at him; he was later pepper-sprayed backstage by one of Jay-Z's associates (see "Jay-Z, R. Kelly Part Ways As Best Of Both Worlds Tour Collapses"). But Jay-Z argues in his suit, filed January 24, that the tour promoter was forced to kick Kelly off the trek, which Jay calls a "nightmarish odyssey fueled by R. Kelly's financial woes, insecurities, and unsafe and unpredictable behavior," which included showing up late and unprepared, and leaving shows early in tears.

Jay had previously said in a statement at the time of the tour's cancellation that Kelly had scrapped three performances with less than 24 hours' notice and delayed multiple shows by hours: "In Chicago and Baltimore, R. Kelly was not 'ready.' In Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Hartford, R. Kelly was not 'willing.' In St. Louis and New York, R. Kelly was not 'able.' "

Jay-Z, who depicted Kelly's suit as a "waste of time" in the "Drop It Like It's Hot" remix (see "Jay-Z Dissing R. Kelly On 'Drop It Like It's Hot' Remix?"), now calls Kelly's lawsuit a "calculated stunt" designed "to deflect attention from his upcoming felony trial involving an alleged sexual liaison with a 14-year-old child."

In response, Kelly's lawyer Ed Hayes said that he doesn't take Jay's suit "too seriously," saying his client is "a creative genius, and of course, no one expects geniuses to act like everybody else."

— Jennifer Vineyard