Rap artist Fat Joe, born Joseph Cartagena, has vehemently rejected the allegations levelled against him in a recent lawsuit filed by his former hype man, Terrance “T.A.” Dixon.
The lawsuit, which includes serious claims of pedophilia, forced labour and sex trafficking, has sparked uproar in the entertainment world, prompting Joe’s impassioned response on Instagram.
In a post shared on Wednesday, June 25, Joe addressed the scandal head-on, calling the allegations “disgusting lies” and labelling Dixon a “coward”.
According to the legal complaint submitted in the US District Court, Southern District of New York on June 19, Dixon has accused Joe of running a vast racketeering enterprise that involves the trafficking of underage girls and imposing abusive conditions on his employees.
Joe’s attorneys have denied the claims, asserting that they are fabricated to extort money from the rapper.
They have already initiated a counter-lawsuit against both Dixon and his lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, accusing them of attempting to shake down the artist for financial gain.
In his statement, Joe expressed his determination to fight back: “I’ve been tested the last few months – I’ve lost my big brother, my father, my mother and now I’m fighting against these disgusting lies. But please know I will not break and I will NEVER back down.”
Echoing sentiments of resilience, Joe continued, “I’ve never let anyone on the streets extort me, so how would I ever let a crooked attorney and a coward ex-hype man extort me?? I’m from the Bronx!”
His comments come amid escalating tensions, particularly after Blackburn was arrested on assault charges for allegedly running over a process server associated with Joe’s legal team last month.
Blackburn has pleaded not guilty, suggesting that the incident may have stemmed from a misunderstanding or an extortion attempt aimed at his client.
The allegations made by Dixon are especially troubling.
He claims to have endured coerced sexual acts, detailing a staggering account of being forced into over 4 000 sexual situations under duress, alongside threats that he would be left in foreign countries if he failed to comply.
These accusations have cast a dark cloud over Joe’s reputation and career.
As the lawsuit unfolds, Joe’s statement echoes beyond mere denial.
He explicitly challenged Blackburn in his statement, declaring, “Since you want the clout, we will finish you in court. The time of lawyers using their law license as a badge to extort people and destroy families with no evidence is over!! I’m not the one!! You’ve messed with the wrong one this time!”
