Jay-Z Was Urged by FBI to Delete Emails Over Hacking Concerns

Last month, Jay was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with the resulting ceremony featuring a special video appearance by President Barack Obama.

FBI says Jay Z is having some email issues
Getty

Image via Getty/Kevin Kane

FBI says Jay Z is having some email issues

Jay-Z was urged by federal officials to delete his emails over hacking concerns, a source told Complex on Wednesday.

According to the source in question, the FBI reached out to Jay-Z at some point to inform him there was an “imminent hack” on his email account. As a precaution, the agency advised the Roc-A-Fella co-founder to delete his emails, per the source. Additional details regarding the hacking concerns weren’t immediately available. 

This comes amid coverage of a lawsuit filed against the artist and business leader by Parlux Fragrances. As previously reported, Jay made a court appearance in October in connection with the breach of contract lawsuit, arguing—per Rolling Stone—that he “did a lot” for the launch of a signature scent. In 2020, a judge ruled that Jay-Z had “destroyed evidence” by erasing emails.

During his second day testifying in the case, Jay criticized Parlux over its promo methods, at one point mentioning “crappy” work he says the brand did. Parlux, meanwhile, has argued that the 23-time Grammy winner didn’t hold up his end of the contractual promo agreements. 

“I’ve always had problems with the quality of lazy work that was coming from Parlux,” he told a brand lawyer, per the New York Daily News.

Last month, Jay was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during a ceremony that boasted tribute messages from Dave Chappelle and former POTUS Barack Obama, among others.

“Today, Jay-Z is one of the most renowned artists in history and an embodiment of the American dream, a dream he has helped make real for other young people like him,” Obama said in a video that played at the ceremony.

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