How Beyonce and Jay Z became the world's top power couple
Beyoncé Knowles was born in 1981 to Mathew, a successful Xerox salesman, and Tina, a hair stylist. She grew up in a comfortable four-bedroom house in Houston, Texas, which she calls "my foundation."
Jay Z grew up quite differently. Born Shawn Carter in 1969, he was raised by a single mother in the projects of Brooklyn. His mother Gloria told CBS she never suspected he would be a superstar.
Source: CBS News
Beyoncé started singing and performing at a young age. When she was seven, she won a talent competition by performing John Lennon's "Imagine."
Source: The Independent, Business Insider
Gloria worried about her son early and often — the neighborhood was rough, and Jay Z quickly got involved in drug dealing and violence. When he was 12, he shot his older brother in the shoulder for stealing from him.
Source: CBS News
In 1990, Beyoncé and five friends, including Kelly Rowland and LaTavia Roberson, formed a music group called Girls Tyme, which gained recognition on the national talent-search game show "Star Search." Girls Tyme became the foundation for Destiny's Child.
Source: Business Insider
Like Beyoncé, Jay Z had been involved in music since he was a kid. He was known throughout the neighborhood for his rap skills, and he sold CDs out of his car. He cofounded Roc-A-Fella records in 1995 after struggling to gain traction with a major label, launching one of the most remarkable entrepreneurial careers in entertainment history.
Source: CBS News
Destiny's Child debuted on the “Men in Black” soundtrack with the song "Killing Time" and sold over one million copies of their self-titled album in 1997. The group shifted members over the years, but they remained the world's top-selling female vocal group until 2005, selling more than 60 million records.
Source: Business Insider
Known as "Jazzy" in Brooklyn, he eventually shortened his name to Jay-Z (now unhyphenated). Jay Z released his studio debut album "Reasonable Doubt" through Roc-A-Fella in 1996. It only reached 23 on Billboard, but the record was filled with songs that eventually became hit singles, including "Dead Presidents" and "Feelin' It."
Source: AllMusic
Beyoncé and Jay Z met in the late '90s — when they were 18 and 29, respectively — and quietly started dating not long after. The duo collaborated musically early on in the relationship with the 2002 single "'03 Bonnie and Clyde" as well as "Crazy in Love," the first solo single from Beyoncé's 2003 album "Dangerously in Love."
Source: Vulture, Daily Mail, Billboard
"Dangerously in Love" established Beyoncé as a successful solo artist, and it also won her five Grammys.
Source: Business Insider
Meanwhile, Jay Z began expanding his business ambitions beyond rap records. In 2003, he opened the 40/40 Club in New York, an upscale sports bar and lounge. He sold clothing company Rocawear — which he founded in 1999 — to Iconix Brand Group in 2007 for $204 million in cash. At the time of the sale, Rocawear had annual sales of over $700 million.
Source: The New York Times, 40/40 Club
Beyoncé started landing roles in Hollywood, appearing alongside Mike Meyers in "Austin Powers in Goldmember" (2002), Steve Martin in "The Pink Panther" (2006), and Jennifer Hudson and Jamie Foxx in "Dreamgirls" (2006).
Source: IMDb
The couple finally married in 2008 in a top secret wedding. They didn't release any footage of the event until six years later.
Source: Daily Mail, Vulture
In 2008, Jay Z continued to expand his empire, founding entertainment company Roc Nation, which manages artists like Rihanna, Shakira, and Meek Mill. He added a sports management company to his portfolio in 2013 with Roc Nation Sports, which boasts clients like Seattle Mariners slugger Robinson Cano, Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, and the Dallas Cowboys' Dez Bryant.
Source: The New York Times, Nets Daily
The duo's musical partnership culminated with their "On the Run" tour in 2014, which grossed more than $100 million in ticket sales. Beyoncé and Jay Z reportedly made $4 million for every "On the Run" performance. The tour was also turned into an HBO concert event, which received an Emmy nomination for outstanding special class program this year.
The couple has a powerful inner circle as well: They're reportedly close with President Obama and the first family, having hosted a fundraiser performance for the president's re-election campaign. Beyoncé sang the national anthem at the inauguration.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Forbes
Prince William and Duchess Kate also run with Beyoncé and Jay Z; the four met up at a Nets game last year.
Source: CBS News
Bey and Jay also got to visit Cuba in 2013 before the US had eased travel restrictions, stirring up controversy amid rumors that the couple's trip wasn't cleared by the US government. A report released in August 2014 revealed that their trip was completely kosher.
Source: The Washington Post, CNN
Beyoncé announced during her performance at the 2011 Video Music Awards that she was pregnant with the couple's first child. Their daughter, Blue Ivy, is already following in her mom and dad's footsteps: She served as the inspiration for Jay Z's hit 2012 song "Glory," and she's appeared in two music videos alongside Beyoncé.
Though they're not immune to the occasional misstep — Jay Z's music streaming service Tidal has encountered some turbulence since launching in spring — the couple continues to rake in accolades. Beyoncé won three more Grammys this year and is now the most nominated woman in Grammy Awards history, with 53 nominations and 20 wins. Jay Z recently purchased high-end champagne purveyor Armand de Brignac and in August announced a new exclusive bottle that sells for $760.
Source: Business Insider, Grammy.com, Bloomberg
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