Biggie’s Son Brings Defamation Lawsuit Over Diddy Assault Claims: ‘Calculated Smear Campaign’
C.J. Wallace, the son of the late hip-hop icon The Notorious B.I.G., has initiated a countersuit for defamation against music producer Jonathan Hay, who previously accused him of involvement in a sexual assault incident involving Sean “Diddy” Combs. The controversy stems from Hay’s lawsuit filed this summer, which alleges that during a 2020 remix project with the Biggie estate, Wallace and an associate brought him to a location where Combs allegedly forced him to perform oral sex. This lawsuit is part of a broader wave of civil assault claims against Combs, who has faced numerous legal challenges since being criminally charged last year.
In response to Hay’s allegations, Wallace’s countersuit, filed in federal court, describes the claims as a “calculated smear campaign.” Wallace’s legal team argues that Hay fabricated the story out of frustration after a remix project—an upbeat reinterpretation of Biggie’s classic album *Ready to Die*—was shelved due to the poor performance of its first single, a remix of “Big Poppa.” According to Wallace, Hay was “irate” after this decision, leading him to create false accusations against both Wallace and Combs. The countersuit seeks to address the damage caused by Hay’s public statements, particularly a detailed YouTube video in which he elaborated on his claims, asserting that these statements have resulted in significant professional and personal harm to Wallace.
While Hay has not commented on the countersuit, he has indicated that he is pursuing both a civil lawsuit and a police report regarding the alleged assault. Meanwhile, Combs, who is currently serving a prison sentence related to separate charges involving drug-fueled parties, has yet to respond to the latest developments. This ongoing legal battle highlights the complexities and serious implications of allegations within the music industry, particularly as they relate to the legacy of influential figures like The Notorious B.I.G. and the current controversies surrounding Combs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYddYjcizEk
C.J. Wallace, son of
The Notorious B.I.G.
, has countersued for defamation after a Florida music producer and publicist accused him of participating in a sexual assault with
Sean “Diddy” Combs
.
Jonathan Hay filed a lawsuit this summer claiming that while working on a remix project with the Biggie estate in 2020, Wallace and an associate brought him to a house where Combs forced him to perform oral sex. The case also alleged multiple other instances of sexual misconduct by Combs, who’s faced a barrage of civil assault lawsuits since being criminally charged last year.
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Wallace is now hitting back at Hay with a countersuit in which he calls the allegations a “calculated smear campaign.” The federal court complaint, filed Wednesday (Nov. 12), alleges Hay fabricated these claims because he was upset about their remix project falling through.
The countersuit alleges the estate decided to shelve the project — a house remix of Biggie’s 1994 album
Ready to Die
, called
Ready to Dance
— after the first single (a remix of “Big Poppa”) flopped in August 2020. Wallace says Hay was “irate” at this decision and later came up with a phony story about the alleged Combs assault.
“The statements constitute defamation,” writes Wallace’s attorney,
Jeremiah Reynolds
of Eisner LLP. “As a direct and proximate result, Wallace has suffered general and special damages, including loss of professional opportunities, humiliation and mental anguish.”
Wallace’s defamation claims don’t actually target Hay’s sexual assault lawsuit, since legal filings are broadly shielded from slander liability under a principle known as the litigation privilege. Instead, Wallace’s case focuses on an October YouTube video in which Hay repeated and described his claims in detail.
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While Hay’s assault lawsuit was filed anonymously, he revealed his identity in this video, titled “Jonathan Hay Details EXACTLY What Happen When Diddy A$$AULTED Him, Forced to S*CK D*CK & VlOLATED!”
Hay declined to comment on the countersuit when reached by
Billboard
on Friday (Nov. 14), but noted that he’s filed a police report in addition to the pending civil lawsuit against Combs and Wallace.
Combs’ reps did not immediately return a request for comment on the matter. The disgraced rap mogul is serving a
prison sentence
for arranging drug-fueled sex marathons between his girlfriends and male escorts, though he was
acquitted
of more serious sex-trafficking and racketeering charges at a blockbuster trial this summer.
