Jay-Z won a “Billie Jean in his prime” payout in his decade-long paternity case after a court awarded him $120K over Rymir Satterthwaite, who claimed to be the rapper’s son.
According to AllHipHop, a California federal judge ordered Satterthwaite’s godmother to pay Jay-Z $119,235.45 for his legal fees. The six-figure judgment comes after allegations of fathering Satterthwaite dragged out across several years and states, even reaching the New Jersey Supreme Court.
“For The Thousandth Time, The Kid Ain’t Mine”: Jay-Z’s Decade-Long Paternity Battle
Satterthwaite’s late mother, Wanda Satterthwaite, claimed in a 2015 affidavit that their encounter took place in 1992 when the rapper still went by the name “Roc.” She stated that she was 16 when they hooked up at his aunt’s Brooklyn home and the condom “broke.” Satterthwaite repeatedly tried to compel DNA testing to prove paternity, claiming he was after closure, not coins.
When Wanda passed away in 2019 from heart failure, his godmother Lillie Coley spearheaded the legal battle. Coley helped file the New Jersey paternity action, but when the court dismissed blocked them from pursuing the matter again in the state, she filed another lawsuit in California’s federal court. The 2025 complaint alleged neglect on Jay-Z’s behalf and collusion with state officials to pressure Coley and Satterthwaite into silence financially.
Coley claimed in court documents that a lein from the case resulted in a $25,000 loss when she sold her home. She also accused the New Jersey Attorney General of asserting “demonstrably and provably false” interpretations of past court rulings in bankruptcy court proceedings and harming her federal case.
As BOSSIP previously reported, Judge Garnett dismissed the California lawsuit against Jay-Z with prejudice in 2025, permanently shutting down Coley’s ability to amend and refile.
“The Court has carefully examined the Motion and determined it is suitable for adjudication without oral argument. The Motion is GRANTED, and the Complaint is DISMISSED without leave to amend,” the decision stated.
Satterthwaite’s former guardian also filed for a temporary restraining order to pause the “Hard Knock Life” rapper from pursuing sanctions “as a form of retaliation.” The court denied Coley’s request, allowing Jay-Z to reportedly secure the $120,000 award under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, which applies to lawsuits that inappropriately undermine protected speech or legal action.
Rymir Is Still Here, Speaks Out About Latest Legal Loss Against Jay-Z
Since the start of 2026, Satterthwaite has been on a posting spree to deny the validity of the sanctions or application of the anti-SLAPP statute.
This is the second time the paternity case seemed definitively closed. Yet Jay-Z’s self-proclaimed lookalike isn’t letting up anytime soon, despite the courts consistently siding with the rap legend.
