Stephen A. Smith launched into a passionate defense of his friend Jay-Z after the rapper was accused of raping a girl when she was just 13. A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000, amended the lawsuit Sunday to claim that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Smith, who claims to have known Jay-Z for 25 years, insists there is “no way in hell” he can believe the musician is guilty of such an offense. “I can't believe for one second that he would ever be associated with an allegation like this,” he said. “Rape? First of all, I wouldn't believe that. Secondly, a 13-year-old? No.” Smith continued: “Anybody who's been around Jay-Z and knows him, has seen him come to the defense of the most helpless among us - the children.”