Beyoncé and Jay-Z's relationship evolved?
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born on 4th September, 1981, in Houston, Texas. Her precocious talent was acknowledged at any early age at performing arts schools and in singing and dancing competitions she entered as a child. She found fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of R&B girl group, Destiny’s Child.
1969: Shawn Corey Carter
Shawn Corey Carter was born in Brooklyn, New York, on 4th December, 1969. His love of rap music began when his mother bought him a boom box because she was sick of him keeping the house up late at night as he honed his natural sense of rhythm. It served as the catalyst for his rap career as Jay-Z. In 1996, he established his own record label and released his first album, Reasonable Doubt. His first big hit came in 1998 with Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem).
Beyoncé’s First Love
Though Beyoncé’s on-stage alter-ego Sasha Fierce has made super-sexy her hallmark, Beyoncé has alluded to a reasonably tame dating history. “When I was 12, 13, I had my first boyfriend, and he was my boyfriend till I was 17. At that age, that was a long time. I’ve always been very loyal and a little more mature,” she revealed.
Jay-Z's First Loves
Jay-Z, on the other hand, has racked up a long list of reputed romantic dalliances. His first significant girlfriend was Blu Cantrell, an American R&B singer and songwriter, though he has also been linked to singer Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim and the late Aaliyah, amongst others.
2002: Started Dating
Beyoncé and Jay-Z first met when they collaborated on the track, Bonnie & Clyde, in 2002, which stormed the charts and reached the top ten in the US billboards. “I was 18 when we first met, 19 when we started dating. There was no rush. No one expected me to run off and get married,” Bey said later.
2003: Going Public
Although the pair were initially reluctant to acknowledge their relationship publicly, in order to maintain their privacy, by 2003 their romance was well known, and they were frequently spotted out together at basketball matches and on the front row of New York Fashion Week.
2003: Crazy In Love Collaboration
The couple collaborated again in 2003, on Beyoncé’s hit-track Crazy In Love. The song went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all-time, and the pair performed numerous renditions, proving they made a perfect couple off and on stage.
2004: First Red Carpet Appearance
In 2004, the couple made their first red-carpet appearance together at the MTV Video Music Awards. Seven years later, they chose the same event to announce the news of Beyoncé’s pregnancy.
2006: Beyoncé Hints At Future Wedding
In January 2006, Beyoncé hinted about the possibility of a wedding in the not-so-distant future. "I never pictured myself as a bride," she said, "but after my sister's wedding, I did start thinking about what kind of wedding I'd want. I don't think I want a big one."
2007: Engaged
After five years of dating, the music megastars got engaged in 2007. However, both parties remained tight-lipped over the proposal, refusing to acknowledge how or even if, it happened (although the massive rock on her wedding finger was a bit of a giveaway). All Bey would say on the matter was, “We've been together a long time. We always knew it [the engagement] would happen.”
2008: Just Married!
On 4th April 2008, Jay-Z and Beyoncé stuck to their word and married in a small, secret ceremony in New York. A source at the time told the press: “Jay wanted it to be a really private affair - close friends and family.” The bride wore a dress designed by her mother, Tina, and instead of wedding rings, the couple opted for matching tattoos of the Roman numeral four on their ring fingers as a permanent mark of their commitment to one another.
2010: Beyoncé’s Career Break
In 2010, Bey decided to take some time out in order to just “be a wife and travel with (my husband)... I did it for my sanity, my life, my relationships, my nephew, my husband, my sister and my friendships.” She also hinted at her plans to start a family, commenting, “I can decide I want to have kids. I can be the mother I want to be and dedicate myself to my family.”
2011: Baby News
Beyoncé proved that actions speak louder than words when she broke the news of her pregnancy at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2011, by revealing her baby bump for the first time on the red carpet. She said: “I didn’t want a crazy picture or gossip story to break the news, so I decided to say nothing and proudly show my baby bump.”
2011: Double Dating
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and movie megastar wife Gwyneth Paltrow opened up about their friendship with the couple. Chris said: “Yes, it is hilarious [our friendship]. What's the common denominator? Well, underneath he probably feels a bit like me and I probably feel a bit like him.” Gwyneth added that the two men ‘balanced’ each other: “Chris and I are like Jay and Beyoncé; two paranoid ironists and two calm grounded people.”
2012: Blue Ivy Carter Born
On 7th January, 2012, the couple announced the birth of their first child, a daughter they named Blue Ivy Carter. In their official statement, they confirmed: "Her birth was emotional and extremely peaceful, we are in heaven. We are thankful to everyone for all your prayers, well wishes, love and support.” A few days later, Jay-Z posted a track on his blog entitled Glory, which chronicled the story of Blue Ivy’s birth.
2012: Renewing Their Vows
The couple celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in front of a star-studded collection of friends and family, which reportedly included Oprah Winfrey, in early 2012. A few days later, Jay-Z was spotted leaving jewellers Jacob. And Co. sporting a blinging new gold ring on his ring finger.
2012: Birthday Celebrations
In celebration of Beyoncé’s 31st birthday, the couple - along with baby Blue - took to the water in their yacht, which Jay-Z lovingly decked out in balloons and streamers, to celebrate in style.
2012: The World’s Highest Paid Celeb Couple
It was announced in August 2012 that the couple had overtaken Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady to claim first place on Forbes’ 2012 World’s Highest Paid Celebrity Couples list, with joint earnings of $78 million. Their whopping combined salary was partly accredited to Beyoncé’s endorsement deals and sales of her album 4, which earned something around the $40 million mark, and partly to Jay-Z’s Watch The Throne album with Kanye West.
The Future
Sources say that the couple won’t waste anytime growing their family: "They see no reason to wait. It took them a while to conceive Blue Ivy, so they don't want to waste another second. Beyoncé and Jay-Z adore being parents, and they're as hands-on as they possibly can be. Beyoncé has found a passion other than music, and it's being a mom," the insider added. The singer herself confirmed to E! News: “I definitely want to have more children!” she said.
