Who Is Tony Buzbee? What to Know About Lawyer Behind Jay-Z and Diddy Lawsuit

Over the weekend, Jay-Z was named in a civil lawsuit alongside Diddy, spurring a fiery response from Jay himself in which the attorney behind the case was called a “fraud” and a “deplorable human.”

The name of the lawyer in question, Tony Buzbee, has made frequent appearances in the news cycle amid the numerous legal issues involving Diddy over the past year.

Below, we take a cursory look at Buzbee’s history, as well as what’s been said in light of Jay’s reaction to the new suit.

Who is Tony Buzbee?

The Texas-based lawyer, according to his bio on the official site for his Buzbee Law Firm, is a “former Recon Marine officer” and “the son of a butcher and high school cafeteria worker.” He’s listed as having studied law at the University of Houston Law Center and is licensed in Texas and New York. He has also ventured into politics, at one point running for mayor in Houston.

In a 2023 interview on the Killer Cross Examination podcast, Buzbee, 56, gave a quick rundown of his path toward launching his own practice, noting that he first spent a year with Houston’s Susman Godfrey firm.

“I worked with those guys, who are still my friends, for a year and then started my own law firm in a strip center,” he said. “That was about 25 year ago and now I’m on the 75th floor of Chase Tower here. We have the whole floor and I think we have 20 lawyers, and you know, we’re just having a good time.”

In November, it was reported that Buzbee had been named in a lawsuit filed by an alleged former client. According to TMZ, the alleged former client accused Buzbee, who called the claims “ridiculously crazy,” of assault and malpractice. Also in November, an anonymous celebrity was reported to have sued Buzbee, alleging extortion. Buzbee later called the suit “laughable.”

What has he done?

Listed past or former clients for the Buzbee Law Firm include former Texas governor Rick Perry, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and the late “Margaritaville” songwriter Jimmy Buffett. As for notable cases against public figures, Buzbee’s name has been a frequent presence amid the aforementioned wave of legal actions against Diddy. In 2021, Buzbee represented over 125 clients in a case involving the fatal crowd-crush incident at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival.

What has he said about the Jay allegation?

In a tweeted statement shared on Dec. 8, Buzbee alleged that Jay had previously filed a “frivolous case under a pseudonym,” further accusing him of trying to “bully and harass” him and his client.

“His conduct has had the opposite impact,” Buzbee said on X. “She is emboldened. I’m very proud of her resolve. As far as the allegations in the complaint filed, we will let the filing speak for itself and will litigate the facts in court, not in the media.”

What did Jay say about him?

Also on Sunday, Jay shared his own statement through the official Roc Nation account on X. In it, he alleged that Buzbee had previously made “a blackmail attempt.” He called the allegations themselves “heinous in nature,” arguing that they should be given the criminal treatment instead of going the civil route.

“Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?” the statement reads. “These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case. This lawyer, who I have done a bit of research on, seems to have a pattern of these type of theatrics.”