If you thought JAY-Z and Diddy were the ultimate hip-hop brotherhood of billionaires, think again. The two moguls do not exactly see eye to eye, according to Joe Tacopina, the high-profile lawyer who recently defended A$AP Rocky, and that’s a factor in his declining to represent Diddy as he faces his current legal woes.
Tacopina, who works closely with Roc Nation and has deep ties to JAY-Z, recently explained why he declined to represent Diddy to The Breakfast Club. His decision, he made clear, wasn’t only about the case but also about his loyalty to the Roc Nation family, namely the JAY-Z and the Roc Nation CEO, Desiree Perez.
“I represent Roc Nation and a lot of people in Roc,” Tacopina said. “I’m very close with Jay and Desiree Perez… That’s family to me.”
His words not only asserted his loyalty to Hov’s inner circle but also reminded him that Diddy and JAY-Z aren’t precisely BFFs right now.
Although fans have typically viewed JAY-Z and Diddy as tight since they both started in hip-hop and became billionaires, Tacopina made it a point to clarify.
“I don’t think they have much in common with P. Diddy,” he said, dismissing any notion that their previous public appearances together made them real friends. “P. Diddy, OK, everybody was in pictures with P. Diddy at one point or another because they went to a party. But when the rubber hit the road many moons ago, you know they didn’t exactly see eye to eye.”
Tacopina wasn’t shy about criticisms of how Diddy’s legal team has responded to his federal indictment on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, either. He said their approach has been sloppy and harmful, especially in public statements.
“Well, you know, I wouldn’t go out in the press and make proclamations that are quickly disproven, then you tend to lose credibility,” he said.
He referred to the strange dust-up over an alleged bulk purchase of baby lotion, which Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, sought to dismiss because they were purchased at a local Costco. That claim was soon knocked down as Costco revealed they’ve never sold baby lotion.
“No one goes into Walgreens and buys 1,000 bottles of baby lotion,” Tacopina said. “Then Costco comes out and says, ‘No, we’ve never owned baby lotion in our life.’ Jesus. Costco warehouses have never sold baby lotion. So boom, now it feels like somebody is lying, right?”
On the other hand, Tacopina’s perspective demonstrates that the two of hip-hop’s wealthiest moguls aren’t as close as the public might’ve assumed. They may have crossed paths at an event or two, but JAY-Z has otherwise kept his distance.
Diddy’s legal drama has just begun, and Tacopina’s remarks continue to fuel an even juicier saga surrounding the Bad Boy founder. It’s unclear whether JAY-Z will publicly speak on their dynamic; this isn’t the friendship in rap that most people thought it was.
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