There are few love stories in Hollywood as epic as Beyonce and Jay-Z. The power couple first met in 2000 while traveling on the same plane to MTV Spring Break in Mexico, and hit it off immediately. Beyonce was just 18 years old at the time, and coming into major fame as a member of Destiny’s Child. Jay-Z was already one of the most famous rappers in the world. And the rest was history. Nearly 20 years of romance, marriage, children — and some problems — followed. And in 2020, their love has never been stronger. Take a look back to how it all began, and where they are now.
“Crazy in Love” and the early days
Though Beyonce and Jay-Z met in 2000, their relationship didn’t begin until mid-2001, she revealed to Oprah Winfrey in 2013. As their romance blossomed, the couple began collaborating professionally, as well. Bey guested on Jay’z 2002 track “03 Bonnie and Clyde”, and the following year, he dropped an iconic verse on her breakout solo hit, “Crazy in Love”. The song’s lyrics and music video made it very clear that they were were head over heels for each other
A Loving Marriage & Beautiful First Child
Bey and Jay secretly married on April 4, 2008 — a nod to the many “4” references in their work. The news didn’t break until August of that year, when they were already enjoying months of wedded bliss. Jay explained in an interview with Vibe that month why they decided to keep intimate details of their relationship private: “You’ll go insane in this type of business. You have to have something that’s sacred to you and the people around you.” Three years later, Beyonce dropped a bombshell at the August 2011 MTV Video Music Awards: she was pregnant with their first child!
Bey debuted her baby bump on the red carpet at the awards show, and confirmed the pregnancy during her performance of “Love on Top”. Unbuttoning her blazer to unleash her bump, she told the audience, “I want you to stand up on your feet. I want you to feel the love that’s growing inside me.” Daughter Blue Ivy Carter is now 7 years old, and the apple of her parents’ eye. She’s looking more like Bey by the day, and has inherited their musical talents.
Cheating Rumors & The “Lemonade” Era
Rumors spread in 2014 that Jay had cheated on Beyonce after CCTV footage of her sister, Solange, slapping her brother-in-law in an elevator at the Met Gala made the rounds. The couple declined to comment… until Beyonce released her bombshell visual album Lemonade in 2016. The album contained multiple, blatant references to Jay cheating on her and the damage it did to their relationship. Lemonade became a rallying cry for all women who had been cheated on.
After the album’s wild release, the couple stressed that they had worked through their issues and were still together, stronger. Jay released an album the following year, 4:44, in which he apologized to his wife. Beyonce opened up about the situation in a 2018 essay for Vogue. “There are many shades on every journey. Nothing is black or white. I’ve been through hell and back, and I’m grateful for every scar. I have experienced betrayals and heartbreaks in many forms,” she wrote.
A Reconciliation & Twins
Months after Lemonade rocked fans’ worlds, Beyonce announced that she and Jay-Z were expecting not one, but two new additions to their family: twins! The singer revealed her pregnancy with an ethereal, Mother Nature-inspired photoshoot posted to Instagram. Their daughter and son, Rumi Carter and Sir Carter, were born in June 2017. Beyonce and Jay-Z have remained very private about their twins, now three years old, rarely posting photos. All three kids were featured on Beyonce’s Disney+ visual album, Black Is King, in July 2020, however. In fact, the film was dedicated to Sir.
Their Happily Ever After
Despite their major highs and lows, Beyonce and Jay-Z are absolutely dedicated to each other. Their collaborations have continued as their careers flourish, most recently with the joint album The Carters. During quarantine, the family of five has been seen enjoying themselves in the Hamptons frequently. All these years later, they’re still crazy in love.