Rihanna’s Ex-Publicist Apologizes for Starting Jay Z Rumor

Rihanna's former publicist Jonathan Hey is now apologizing for starting a rumor that might have led to Jay Z and Beyonce separating for a year. As previously reported, in a new unauthorized biography titled Becoming Beyonce , author J. Randy Taraborrelli claims Bey Z was close to calling it quits over rumors Hov was creepin' with Rihanna. Well that rumor was based entirely on a lie told by Ri Ri's then publicist, Hay now admits.

In a recent interview with the New York Daily News, Hey takes fault in the situation. “I apologized to [Rihanna] ... this whole thing is very awkward, he wrote. “I was blindsided by the news of Becoming Beyoncé coming out and it couldn’t come at a worse time for me. I’m currently releasing projects with my label Urban Hitchcock through Tidal, a company that is owned by Jay Z and Beyoncé … Hopefully this news hasn’t ruined that relationship for me," he added.

According to Hey, he started the rumor to help push a Rihanna record, but it backfired badly. “The PR stunt that I did was out of desperation to help break ‘Pon de Replay’,” he wrote in his statement. “It was reckless and I didn’t think it was going to work. I was just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what would stick. I didn’t think it would be this big story. But now, seeing Beyoncé on the cover of this book and knowing that people are profiting from speculations and opinions about her really turns my stomach. I’m ashamed that I’m even talking about this. I just want to put this rumor to rest once and for all.”

This rumor has been cited as what sparked the infamous Solange vs Jay Z celebrity elevator death match. This one white lie could have broken up urban music's favorite couple. Not cool. Not cool, at all.