Besties, we’ve been getting tons of requests to do a red flag video on Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s relationship. With so much history between them, there’s no way we can cover every single red flag, so we won’t be talking about the rumors of Jay’s alleged relationships with other artists, their song lyrics about their marriage, or the rumors of Jay having children before he met Beyoncé. We’ll save those for another time.
After diving deep into our investigation, we’ve found some mind-blowing information about the Carters. If digging into other people’s business isn’t your thing, this might not be the video for you. But for the rest of you, don’t forget to grab a snack at rrgsnacks.com, our online concession stand. Enjoy 40% off your entire order during our Black Friday sale and stock up on cookies and cream popcorn, barbecue bacon jerky, and green apple licorice.
Let’s start by looking into their childhoods. Studies show that difficult childhood experiences can affect adult relationships. Growing up in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé saw her parents’ relationship go through multiple breakups and reconciliations. Her mom, Tina, said Beyoncé’s dad, Matthew, was obsessed with making Beyoncé a star. He quit his corporate job, and Tina became the breadwinner by working long hours at her hair salon. But financial strain wasn’t their only problem. In the book “Becoming Beyoncé” (linked in the description), it’s alleged that Matthew was involved with drugs and had affairs. During one separation, they sold their family home, and Tina moved into an apartment with Beyoncé and her sister, Solange. David Lee Brewer Jr., who says he was Beyoncé’s childhood vocal coach, wrote “Beyoncé Raising Genius” (linked in the description). He claims that Matthew and Tina’s relationship was more of a business deal and that both were unfaithful. He even alleges that Tina had an affair with her now-husband, Richard Lawson, while still married to Matthew. Around the time Destiny’s Child signed with Columbia Records, Tina and Matthew got back together, but Tina filed for divorce in 2009 after Matthew fathered two children with other women. Their divorce was finalized in 2011.
How does all of this relate to Beyoncé? Even if parents do their best to hide the dysfunction in their relationships, children can still sense the tension, anger, and resentment in the household. Dr. Rebecca Burgin told Brides.com that our early years shape how we see, give, and receive love, and influence what we tolerate in our adult relationships. Jay-Z grew up as one of four children in Brooklyn, New York. After his dad’s brother passed away, his father turned to alcohol and substance abuse, eventually leaving the family when Jay was around 11 or 12. Jay told GQ, “My dad was such a good dad that when he left, he left a huge scar. He was my superhero.” This abandonment made Jay more closed off, making it difficult for him to form relationships.
In 2000, 18-year-old Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child performed at MTV’s Spring Break Festival in Cancun. Jay-Z, then 30, was also there. In the song “713” from their joint album, Jay-Z mentions that they ended up sitting next to each other on the plane ride home. But they didn’t speak again for a while. Why? Because Beyoncé was dating someone else: her childhood sweetheart, Lyndall Locke, whom she started dating around 1993. In an interview, Beyoncé’s Uncle Larry revealed that she initially wasn’t interested in Jay because she wasn’t attracted to him. But over time, she fell in love with his mind. Jay, Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, Maxwell, and other entertainers posed for the cover of Vanity Fair’s music issue in 2001. Jay later told the magazine that during the photo shoot, they were “just beginning to try to date each other.” When asked about the word “try,” he explained, “You got to dazzle, whine, and dine.” Their first date was at Nobu, but Jay made the mistake of bringing a friend along. They went on to create music together, including their 2002 duet, “03 Bonnie and Clyde.”
In a video released with his album 4:44, Jay admitted that he wasn’t completely honest when their relationship began. But was he the only one? There might have been some overlap between the end of Beyoncé’s relationship with Lyndall and the start of her relationship with Jay. She reportedly broke up with Lyndall in 2003 after 10 years of dating. When Lyndall confronted her about the rumors with Jay, she denied them, saying, “He’s not even my type.” While Beyoncé was head over heels in love, Jay was still playing it cool. In an April 2003 interview with Playboy, he referred to Beyoncé as just a friend. When asked if he was as close to her as he was to rapper Memphis Bleak, Jay said no, adding, “Memphis has been with me since 1994. Between Beyoncé and him, Beyoncé’s got to go.”
Jay reunited with his father just before his passing in 2003. This loss reportedly opened him up to giving and receiving love. A friend told Rolling Stone, “I’ve never seen him like this. He cares about her, gives great advice, and they adore each other.” Despite appearing at several Red Carpet events together, they dodged questions about their relationship. Beyoncé later told Essence magazine that they made a joint decision to keep their private life private. She said, “I know that Jay and I inspire people, and I appreciate that, but this is the only way I’ve been able to stay sane. So why would I start talking now?” Keeping silent controls your brand.
So, what did her parents think about her dating someone 12 years older? Despite Jay leaving the streets behind and making positive changes, it seemed Beyoncé’s dad, Matthew, was skeptical. During a November 2006 interview with NPR, Matthew was asked, “What did you really think about Jay-Z as the guy for your daughter?” His answer was, “What went through my mind was, next question.”
The London Mirror also quoted Matthew as saying he didn’t care for Jay at all. He added, “No, I’m not close to him. He is not somebody I like to spend time with.” Was Papa Bear jealous that his baby girl was growing up and had another man in her life? Or did he see the red flags waving all over the place?
Beyoncé describes herself as a non-traditional woman, so when they decided to get married, she didn’t even want an engagement ring. She told Essence magazine that people put too much emphasis on the ring, and it’s just silly to her because it’s a material object. However, she was spotted wearing a $5 million emerald-cut diamond ring. She and Jay also got matching tattoos of the Roman numeral 4 on their ring fingers since the number four is significant to them. She didn’t even care about having a huge wedding since she had walked down so many red carpets with cameras flashing in her face; it diminished her need to be the center of attention on her wedding day. But still, they planned their special day in secrecy and set a date for April 4th, 2008.
Months before their wedding, Jay was reportedly in Miami to film a commercial when he met Olivia McFaller, an up-and-coming rapper. During an interview with Radar Online, Olivia said she was on set at the commercial and hanging out with her sister when Jay moved his chair next to hers. They chatted for a bit, and then he left. Olivia said one of Jay’s bodyguards approached her and said Jay wanted her number so he could call her when he was back in town. For the most part, Jay hit me on some, “I will reach you when I’m in town.” He wanted you to be his girl Friday. “You want me to be a girl when you’re in one house?” Olivia said she thought it was immature for him to ask for her number through his bodyguard, and she also didn’t want to be disrespectful toward Beyoncé, so she refused to give him her number. They reportedly ran into each other again at Nobu in Miami. She said she was with her group of friends, and Jay was with his group of friends, which included Beyoncé’s sister, Solange. Olivia said they both left their tables and met up in a private corridor, where they finally exchanged numbers. Olivia told Radar Online Solange walked right past and kind of peeped the whole thing, stared me down like, “You see me, right?” Nothing came from the entire situation, and Olivia tried to capitalize on the scandal by releasing a song called “Sorry, Mrs. Carter.” As for her rap career, well, it never really popped off, and Olivia faded to black.
The Untold Story: Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Marriage Drama
On April 4th, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z exchanged vows in a private ceremony at Jay’s Tribeca penthouse. But just two years later, rumors of infidelity cast a shadow over their relationship. According to Hollywood Street King (HSK), Jay-Z had been involved with a woman named Kathy White even before marrying Beyoncé. Kathy, a publicist with connections to industry insiders like TV personality Claudia Jordan, was often seen in online photos circulating the web.
HSK’s investigation dug up a photo from 2009 showing Jay-Z at a Las Vegas nightclub with several people, including Diddy. Kathy was also at the table. Curiously, this photo has since vanished from the internet. An insider claimed Jay-Z bought Kathy a $2,500 pair of Louis Vuitton shoes for their night out and asked her to bring friends to avoid drawing attention.
The story got even juicier when sources linked Kathy and Jay-Z’s affair through her friend Jason Lee, who might be the same Jason Lee behind Hollywood Unlocked. Despite the serious nature of these allegations, Jay-Z’s team never demanded HSK remove the posts, which are still available online today.
As the internet buzzed with the scandal, Kathy White deleted her social media accounts, and the story died down for a while. Meanwhile, Jay-Z became increasingly involved in Beyoncé’s career, reportedly sidelining her father. An insider told Celebuzz, “Beyoncé is amazing, but she’d be a little lower on the totem pole if it weren’t for hooking up with Jay.” This shift in control led Beyoncé to fire her father as her manager in 2011 amid theft accusations and start her own management company, Parkwood Entertainment.
In a tragic twist, just four days after Beyoncé announced her first pregnancy at the 2011 MTV VMA Awards, Kathy White, the woman rumored to be Jay-Z’s mistress, passed away at 29 from an alleged brain aneurysm.