A California judge has dismissed music mogul Shawn Carter's "Jay-Z" defamation and extortion lawsuit against prominent Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, marking a win for Buzbee in a legal fight that has played out over more than a year.

Lawyers for the rapper had accused Tony Buzbee of making false assault claims. Another federal suit Jay-Z has filed against Mr. Buzbee and his client continues.

He further clarified that “selling silence for money in the civil context is not extortion; it is a settlement with a non-disclosure element.” Regarding the defamation claims, the judge found that four of the counts were based on statements that only vaguely referenced other celebrities Buzbee might be targeting,