
Fat Joe sued for $20,000,000 over claims of underage sex with minors
Reports from America say that Fat Joe has been sued for a whopping $20million (£14.8m) over claims of unpaid wages and underage sex with minors.
The New York rapper, 54, whose real name is Joe Cartagena, rose to fame in the mid-to-late 90s as a solo performer and as a member of the Terror Squad.
He landed his biggest UK chart hits in 2002 and 2005 when he teamed up with Ashanti for What's Luv? and with Jennifer Lopez for Hold You Down – both top 10 singles.
Now, his former hypeman and stage partner of 16 years, Terrence Dixon – better known by his stage name T. A. – has filed a lawsuit against Cartagena in federal court.
Dixon is alleging that Cartagena engaged in 'coercive labor exploitation, financial fraud, sexual manipulation, violent intimidation, and psychological coercion' – claims that Cartagena denies.
Further reports (via Variety) indicate that the lawsuit also accuses the Feelin So Good rapper 'deliberately suppressed, silenced and erased Dixon's substantial creative, artistic, and commercial contributions'.
The complaint, which is 157 pages long, has been filed in the US District Court, Southern District of New York, and contains a trigger warning in its contents.
Dixon accompanied Cartagena on stages across the world for 16 years, often working up and energising the crowd before and during sets.
During this time, he alleges, the Lean Back rapper forced him 'into humiliating situations, including sex acts performed under duress and surveillance, accompanied by threats of abandonment.' https://www.instagram.com/p/DD0QsdqyETb/?hl=en
Cartagena is represented in the case by celebrity attorney Joe Tacopina, who has represented, among others, US President Donald Trump and rapper ASAP Rocky.
'The lawsuit filed by Tyrone Blackburn and Terrance Dixon is a blatant act of retaliation,' a statement from Cartegana's representatives began.
'[It's] a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the civil suit we filed first, which exposed their coordinated scheme to extort Mr. Cartagena through lies, threats, and manufactured allegations.'
The latest development follows Cartagena's filing of his own lawsuit against Dixon in April of this year, in which he claimed that his former hypeman had slandered him on social media.
Claims are made in Dixon's suit that he was personally coerced 'into more than 4,000 sexual acts to maintain his standing' within Cartagena's musical enterprise.
The most shocking claim made is that the hypeman 'personally witnessed [Cartagena] engage in sexual relations with children who were 15 and 16 years old.'
Three Jane Does – a 16-year-old girl from New York, a 15-year-old girl from outside the USA, and another 15-year-old girl – are listed in the document. More Trending
Dixon alleges that Cartagena 'contemplated leaving his wife' after 'falling in love' with the third girl, who it's claimed he met with just before she turned 16.
The response from Cartagena's legal team continued: 'The allegations against Mr. Cartagena are complete fabrications – lies intended to damage his reputation and force a settlement through public pressure.'
Dixon is credited as a musician and lyricist on several of Fat Joe's songs that were released around the late 2000s and early 2010s, specifically on the album Jealous Ones Still Envy 2.
The hypeman – also known as Population One in the music industry – is said to be represented for the lawsuit by Tyrone Blackburn, who is currently lead counsel in the high-profile Sean 'Diddy' Combs case.
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NBC News
6 hours ago
- NBC News
Fat Joe's former hype man alleges he was forced into 4,000 sex acts by rapper
Rapper Fat Joe is accused of forcing his former hype man to engage in thousands of sex acts with women in a $20 million federal civil lawsuit that also alleges he was underpaid, denied songwriting credits and threatened. Terrance 'T.A' Dixon filed the complaint Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against the rapper, members of his inner circle and Roc Nation. An attorney for Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Antonio Cartagena, said the allegations are 'complete fabrications' intended to damage the rapper's reputation. The lawsuit says that Dixon was the rapper's hype man, or on-stage entertainer, but also contributed as his lyricist, background vocalist, bodyguard and 'creative collaborator' from about 2005 to 2022. It alleges that Dixon authored or co-authored dozens of songs, including 'Congratulations,' 'Ice Cream,' 'No Problems' and 'Black Out.' 'Plaintiff contributed lyrics, melodies, vocal phrasing, and conceptual design to these works — substantially shaping their final form as distributed to the public,' the suit states. Dixon was underpaid, denied songwriting credits and deliberately concealed from royalties and backend compensation, according to the lawsuit. Cartagena controlled Dixon through psychological manipulation, intimidation and persistent threats, the lawsuit states. It alleges that Roc Nation either knew or should have known about the rapper's behavior but took no action. Roc Nation, which is named as a defendant, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. The 157-page document, which comes with a 'trigger warning' at the top, also details allegations of sexual abuse. It alleges that Cartagena routinely brought women back to his hotel rooms and forced Dixon to engage in sexual acts with them, sometimes in front of members of the rapper's inner circle. According to the suit, Cartagena 'frequently arranged and orchestrated these encounters, intentionally creating scenarios designed to reinforce Plaintiff's complete submission.' It accuses Cartagena of remaining in the room to watch, record and 'provide explicit direction and commands.' Dixon did not want to participate in the acts, the lawsuit states, but did so 'solely out of fear of immediate retaliation.' During one alleged incident, Dixon refused, and Cartagena canceled his flight home, leaving Dixon stranded with no money, the suit says. Dixon said that over a 16-year period, he estimates that he was 'coerced into more than 4,000 sexual acts to maintain his standing within the enterprise.' The lawsuit also alleges that Dixon personally witnessed Cartagena engage in sexual relations with 15 and 16-year-old girls. Cartagena's lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, said Dixon's lawsuit is a 'blatant act of retaliation' and a 'desperate attempt to deflect attention' from a civil lawsuit the rapper filed in April accusing Dixon and his attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, of extortion, slander and defamation. That lawsuit from Cartagena says that things ended amicably with Dixon in 2019 and it wasn't until years later that Dixon alleged that he had been underpaid while working with the rapper. The suit says that Cartagena compensated Dixon 'handsomely' for assisting him on tour and denies Dixon's allegations that the rapper had sexual relations with minors. It further accuses Dixon and Blackburn of trying to extort Cartagena for money. 'We didn't just sue a disgruntled former employee trying to revive a false claim from 15 years ago — we sued the lawyer behind it all,' Tacopina said in a statement. 'The allegations against Mr. Cartagena are complete fabrications — lies intended to damage his reputation and force a settlement through public pressure. Mr. Cartagena will not be intimidated,' he said. 'We have taken legal action to expose this fraudulent campaign and hold everyone involved accountable.' In response, Blackburn said Friday that Cartagena 'is desperate and grasping for straws.' 'We met with law enforcement, let's wait and see who they believe,' he said. The lawsuit says Dixon suffered severe emotional injuries, including chronic anxiety, debilitating fear and symptoms consistent with PTSD. He remains in trauma-informed therapy, the suit says.


Metro
9 hours ago
- Metro
Fat Joe sued for $20,000,000 over claims of underage sex with minors
Reports from America say that Fat Joe has been sued for a whopping $20million (£14.8m) over claims of unpaid wages and underage sex with minors. The New York rapper, 54, whose real name is Joe Cartagena, rose to fame in the mid-to-late 90s as a solo performer and as a member of the Terror Squad. He landed his biggest UK chart hits in 2002 and 2005 when he teamed up with Ashanti for What's Luv? and with Jennifer Lopez for Hold You Down – both top 10 singles. Now, his former hypeman and stage partner of 16 years, Terrence Dixon – better known by his stage name T. A. – has filed a lawsuit against Cartagena in federal court. Dixon is alleging that Cartagena engaged in 'coercive labor exploitation, financial fraud, sexual manipulation, violent intimidation, and psychological coercion' – claims that Cartagena denies. Further reports (via Variety) indicate that the lawsuit also accuses the Feelin So Good rapper 'deliberately suppressed, silenced and erased Dixon's substantial creative, artistic, and commercial contributions'. The complaint, which is 157 pages long, has been filed in the US District Court, Southern District of New York, and contains a trigger warning in its contents. Dixon accompanied Cartagena on stages across the world for 16 years, often working up and energising the crowd before and during sets. During this time, he alleges, the Lean Back rapper forced him 'into humiliating situations, including sex acts performed under duress and surveillance, accompanied by threats of abandonment.' Cartagena is represented in the case by celebrity attorney Joe Tacopina, who has represented, among others, US President Donald Trump and rapper ASAP Rocky. 'The lawsuit filed by Tyrone Blackburn and Terrance Dixon is a blatant act of retaliation,' a statement from Cartegana's representatives began. '[It's] a desperate attempt to deflect attention from the civil suit we filed first, which exposed their coordinated scheme to extort Mr. Cartagena through lies, threats, and manufactured allegations.' The latest development follows Cartagena's filing of his own lawsuit against Dixon in April of this year, in which he claimed that his former hypeman had slandered him on social media. Claims are made in Dixon's suit that he was personally coerced 'into more than 4,000 sexual acts to maintain his standing' within Cartagena's musical enterprise. The most shocking claim made is that the hypeman 'personally witnessed [Cartagena] engage in sexual relations with children who were 15 and 16 years old.' Three Jane Does – a 16-year-old girl from New York, a 15-year-old girl from outside the USA, and another 15-year-old girl – are listed in the document. More Trending Dixon alleges that Cartagena 'contemplated leaving his wife' after 'falling in love' with the third girl, who it's claimed he met with just before she turned 16. The response from Cartagena's legal team continued: 'The allegations against Mr. Cartagena are complete fabrications – lies intended to damage his reputation and force a settlement through public pressure.' Dixon is credited as a musician and lyricist on several of Fat Joe's songs that were released around the late 2000s and early 2010s, specifically on the album Jealous Ones Still Envy 2. The hypeman – also known as Population One in the music industry – is said to be represented for the lawsuit by Tyrone Blackburn, who is currently lead counsel in the high-profile Sean 'Diddy' Combs case. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Lizzo reveals the secret to her major weight loss MORE: Netflix star Sara Burack, 40, killed in hit-and-run as police hunt driver MORE: Madonna slammed for controversial behaviour during Broadway musical


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