Carmen Bryan has sued rapper N.O.R.E. over an alleged sexual assault at a New York nightclub in 1999. Bryan filed the lawsuit in New York City on Wednesday. She accuses the rapper, whose real name is Victor Santiago, of forcing himself on her.
According to the lawsuit, the alleged incident happened while N.O.R.E. promoted his second album, Melvin Flynt – Da Hustler. Bryan claims Santiago approached her while visibly intoxicated. She says he ignored her pleas and sexually assaulted her in front of other clubgoers. The lawsuit says other people eventually pulled him away.
Bryan also claims Santiago followed her outside the club after the alleged assault. She says he repeatedly asked,
“Don’t you know who I am?”
The lawsuit adds that he later recognised her as Nas’ partner and apologised. Santiago allegedly told her,
“Carm, I didn’t know it was you.”
Bryan says he later apologised again at a family event. However, she argues that recognising her did not make the alleged assault acceptable.
For years, Bryan says she kept the alleged incident private because of sexism within the hip-hop industry. She claims she told Jay-Z about the incident, and he wanted to confront Santiago. Bryan says she stopped him because she feared the situation could become worse.
She later decided to sue after reading Cassie Ventura’s 2023 lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Bryan says the case brought back painful memories and affected her sleep and appetite. She is now seeking damages for emotional distress, mental anguish and other losses.
Santiago has not publicly responded to the allegations in the information provided.
