Notorious B.I.G.’s Son Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Music Producer Over Diddy Allegations

Christopher “CJ” Wallace, son of late rap icon Notorious B.I.G., has filed a defamation lawsuit against music producer Jonathan Hay over claims that Wallace participated in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ “freak-off” parties and was sexually involved with the embattled music mogul.

The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, November 12, alleges that Hay “acted with actual malice, knowing the statements were false” when he made the accusations during an online interview. Wallace, 29, is seeking punitive and compensatory damages to be determined by a jury.

According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE magazine, Hay claimed that Wallace and his business partner Willie Mack set him up “to be sexually assaulted by Combs at Wallace’s house,” and further alleged that Wallace had witnessed a sexual assault at his residence. The producer also made statements suggesting Wallace had engaged in sexual relations with Diddy and participated in what have become infamously known as “freak-offs” in connection with Diddy’s ongoing legal troubles.

Wallace’s legal team emphasized in the filing that Hay published “false, unprivileged statements of fact” to third parties with malicious intent. The lawsuit details that Wallace “has suffered general and special damages, including loss of professional opportunities, humiliation, and mental anguish” as a result of these allegations.

The legal dispute appears to have roots in a soured business relationship. According to the complaint, the allegations emerged after a failed musical collaboration between Wallace, Mack, and Hay on a “Ready to Dance” remix project in 2020. While one song was released from the project, Wallace and Mack allegedly decided against releasing additional tracks “due to low audience interest in the single, Hay’s erratic behavior, and creative differences.”

The decision reportedly upset Hay, who began accusing Mack of “inappropriate and abusive behavior” in 2021. However, the lawsuit states that at that time, Hay made “no allegation that Wallace had engaged in any type of misconduct or been involved in a supposed assault on Hay by” Diddy.

It wasn’t until 2024, according to the filing, that Hay escalated his claims by alleging that Mack and Wallace were in a relationship and that Wallace had either witnessed or participated in Diddy’s “freak-offs” – allegations that both Wallace and Diddy’s legal team have categorically denied.

“Hay fabricated salacious claims that Wallace engaged in sexual relationships with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and Wallace’s co-producer, Willie Mack, attended Combs’s alleged ‘freak-off’ parties, and conspired to lure Hay to a location where Combs purportedly assaulted him, among other false statements,” the lawsuit states.

Wallace, who was only a child when his father was murdered in 1997, has built his own career in the entertainment industry while managing his father’s legacy. The false accusations come at a particularly sensitive time, as allegations surrounding Diddy’s conduct have dominated headlines for months.

The case emerges amid Combs’ ongoing legal troubles. The 56-year-old music mogul is currently incarcerated after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison, with his release date recently adjusted from May 8, 2028, to June 4, 2028.

The lawsuit highlights the ripple effects of the Diddy scandal throughout the hip-hop industry, as various artists and industry figures have faced scrutiny over their past associations with the disgraced producer. For Wallace, whose father’s legacy remains a towering presence in hip-hop culture, the false allegations represent not only a personal affront but potentially damaging career implications in an industry where reputation carries significant weight.

Both Wallace and Mack have emphatically denied all allegations made by Hay, with this lawsuit representing their formal legal response to what they characterize as malicious falsehoods.