Rapper Fat Joe hits back with defamation lawsuit against ex-hypeman

The rapper calls Terrance “T.A.” Dixon's allegations a “deceptive and desperate scam.”

Rapper Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Cartagena, has filed a defamation lawsuit against his former hypeman, Terrance “T.A.” Dixon.

The lawsuit stems from Dixon's claims that the "Make It Rain" rapper is a "pedophile."​

According to Joe, Dixon began making these false accusations because he believed he was owed money.​

The lawsuit accuses Dixon of "countless posts on social media containing a torrent of wholly fabricated, grotesque, and scandalous allegations accusing Cartagena of unspeakable acts such as pedophilia, statutory rape and sexual assault."​

Dixon worked for Joe between 2006 and 2019.

However, the hypeman allegedly believes that Joe was responsible for blocking him from getting his own record deal.​

Joe has also named Dixon’s attorney, the controversial Tyrone Blackburn, in the lawsuit, accusing them both of defamation.​

The Terror Squad legend claims Dixon and Blackburn approached him earlier this year seeking payment for "ghostwriting and uncredited vocalist" work.​

Earlier this month, the duo allegedly threatened to file a complaint accusing Joe of sex trafficking, rape, fraud and false labor.​

Joe also cites emails purportedly sent by Blackburn threatening to report him to Homeland Security.

There are also numerous Instagram posts from Dixon insinuating that Joe liked underage girls and was a pedophile.​

In response to the suit, Blackburn said in a statement that Joe’s filing was "a baseless lawsuit in an effort to soften the blow of what’s to come. It won’t work. Fat Joe has a lot of explaining to do."​

Joey Crack also released a statement saying: "These allegations are completely false and part of a criminal conspiracy orchestrated between a disgruntled former hype man and his attorney. These two individuals have been scheming together to extort me with their elaborate and ludicrous demands changing by the day.​

"The relentless threats, harassment, and defamation I’ve endured as they peddle salacious lies are utterly deplorable. I’m taking legal action to expose their misconduct and I’m fully confident that the facts will reveal this is nothing more than a deceptive and desperate scam."​

Joe is being represented by noted attorney, Joe Tacopina, who said in his own statement: "The allegations against Mr. Cartagena are completely false and part of a criminal extortion scheme orchestrated by an attorney who a federal judge recently condemned for abusing the court system to harass and pressure defendants."​

Joe Tacopina is a prominent criminal defense lawyer, who successfully leading rapper A$AP Rocky to a non-guilty verdict in his felony shooting trial.