Jay-Z Testifies In NYC Court About Failed Perfume Deal With Parlux Fragrances

Jay-Z ain’t passed the bar but he knows a little bit.

The Brooklyn-born rap mogul got testy on the stand Friday with an attorney for a perfume brand suing him for breach of contract.

“I’m not a lawyer,” Jay-Z, 51, repeated numerous times on cross examination.

The company, Parlux Fragrances, says the rapper, who real name is Shawn Carter, failed to make the requisite appearances to promote a celebrity perfume called Gold Jay Z.

When asked numerous times by the lawyer, Anthony Viola, if he knew when he signed the contract with Parlux that he would have personal obligations to promote the perfume, Jay-Z reminded Viola, just as he says in the hit song “99 Problems,” that he is not a member of the bar.

“I did not read the contract,” Jay-Z said, adding that his lawyers probably explained the deal to him.

Jurors giggled and smiled knowingly at each other behind their masks as the “Empire State of Mind” rapper entered the courtroom, wearing a black blazer, a white crew neck shirt and a black mask.

After Viola asked Carter if he showed up at a Good Morning America appearance to promote the perfume, the rapper tried to turn the questioning around.

“I had a year to complete these (appearances), correct? I don’t know if you answered my question,” Jay-Z said. “I had a year to complete these right?”

Jay-Z kept trying to question the lawyer, leading the judge to give the Jigga Man a brief instruction in the law.

“For now, Mr. Viola gets to ask the questions. He doesn’t have to answer any questions (from Jay-Z) he doesn’t want to,” said the judge.

In the lawsuit, Parlux accuses the “Black Album” rapper of failing to fulfill his end of the contract, which required six promotional appearances for the fragrance launched in October 2013.

The debut of the perfume was very successful, Parlux said in its suit, but celebrity promotion is key to keeping a signature scent profitable.

“In the fragrance industry, it is virtually impossible to sustain the success of a celebrity fragrance” without both celebrity appearances, the lawsuit filed in 2016 says.

Jay-Z shot back, countersuing Parlux over $2.7 million he says they failed to pay him in the deal.

During cross examination, Viola showed Jay-Z portions of his 2013 daily schedule. The schedules always included a brief weather report as well as all the times for NBA and NFL games of the day, in case Jay-Z wanted to tune in.

In a single week in November 2013, Jay-Z had separate meetings with the Mets and Yankees front offices as well as an Oklahoma City meeting with NBA superstar Kevin Durant.

The case started Monday with jury selection and will continue into next week.

[via New York Daily News]