Jay Z Drops Charges In $20 Million Extortion Case

Solange isn't the only person Jay Z's tired of fighting -- outside court anyway -- TMZ has learned, the rapper's camp is no longer pursuing criminal extortion charges over $20 million worth of Jay Z songs ... and the Beverly Hills PD has closed its investigation as a result.

His former producer Chauncey Mahan was detained by police last month after Jay's people accused him of stealing the master recordings for several big Hova songs back in 2002 -- and then trying to hold them ransom ... for a $100,000 "storage fee."

LAPD confiscated the recordings pending the result of a criminal investigation, but law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Jay Z's camp has decided NOT to pursue extortion charges. As a result, BHPD will no longer be investigating. Case closed.

But the tale of the tapes isn't over -- the LAPD -- which took possession of the tapes a few weeks ago -- will continue to hold on to the recordings until a civil judge tells them to do otherwise.

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