Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Complete Relationship Timeline
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Beyoncé and Jay-Z are arguably America's favorite celebrity power couple of the modern era—and their romance, despite all its publicized trials and tribulations, continues to evolve and flourish.
While always committed to their privacy, the singer and rapper have remained one of the most recognized A-lister couples since the early aughts, and have carved out legendary milestones as a duo that have gone down in pop culture history—their joint musical projects included.
Throughout their two-decade-plus romance, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have frequently paid tribute to one another through song—and some tracks have even gone on to win Grammys (never forget Beyoncé's very first musical tribute to Jay-Z, "Crazy in Love"). As fate would have it, the two are now tied as the most Grammy-nominated figures in history.
Ahead, look back at the pair's love story—from their historic joint performances, to their public tributes to one another and glimpses of their private family life.
November 27, 2022: They go on a rare date night.
The two are captured on a date night at celebrity hot spot Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, California, in a rare informal public appearance.
July 29, 2022: Beyoncé drops Renaissance.
The singer dedicates her seventh studio album, Renaissance, to husband Jay-Z.
Throughout the album, she continues to reference her husband—as well as his highly publicized infidelity. She even alludes to the elevator fight between him and sister Solange in "Cozy," while seemingly defending her in the lyrics.
"She's a god, she's a hero / She survived all she been through / Confident, damn, she lethal / Might I suggest you don't fuck with my sis / 'Cause she comfortable," Beyoncé sings.
April 4, 2022: Beyoncé's mom commemorates the couple's 14th anniversary.
Tina Knowles-Lawson shares a sweet tribute for the couple with a video montage on Instagram.
"Happy Anniversary to one of my inspirations for a couple!" she writes in the caption. "They work hard, laugh hard, and love Harder ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽 14 years."
March 30, 2019: Jay-Z dedicates an award to Beyoncé.
The pair attend the 2019 NAACP Image Awards for a joint victory night, where they both take home honors: Beyoncé is honored as Entertainer of the Year, while Jay-Z is given the President's Award. During his acceptance speech, Jay-Z dedicates the award to all the strong women in his life, those of whom, of course, include wife Beyoncé.
February 20, 2019: They shade the United Kingdom at the Brit Awards.
The two remotely accept their award for Best International Group—and in so doing, iconically pose in front of a framed photo of Duchess Meghan, quietly (yet loudly all the same) demonstrating their support for the American-born royal at the height of the British royal drama and xenophobia.
June 16, 2018: They release a joint album, Everything Is Love.
The two dedicate their first joint album to their love. They later win a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
June 6, 2018: They kick off their On the Run II Tour.
Following their successful first tour launch in Miami on June 2014, the two embark on their second On the Run Tour in Cardiff, England, where the couple perform 37 tracks in a two-hour performance, and appear to have also renewed their vows.
In a clip captured from the tour opener, the two appear onstage with their children in all-white attire, as they sing their hit 2009 duet, "Young Forever," while the message "THIS IS REAL LOVE" appears across the screen behind them. "LOVE IS UNIVERSAL" and "LOVE NEVER CHANGES" are additional messages that appear throughout the performance.
During a tour break the following month, the two are captured relaxing on a yacht in Italy.
November 29, 2017: Jay-Z opens up about his infidelity.
In a conversation with The New York Times Style Magazine, the rapper elaborates on how he and Bey ultimately reached a reconciliation after his infidelity.
"You know, most people walk away, and like divorce rate is like 50 percent or something 'cause most people can't see themselves," he says, adding that therapy has helped him through the pain. "The hardest thing is seeing pain on someone's face that you caused, and then have to deal with yourself," he continues. "Most people don't want to do that. You don't want to look inside yourself. And so you walk away."
June 13, 2017: They welcome twins.
The two welcome baby twins Sir and Rumi Carter. To make space for their growing family, the stars settle into a new Bel-Air mansion later in August.
"We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes," Beyoncé writes in her pregnancy announcement on Instagram, signing the message, "The Carters."
Later in the month, the rapper also drops his 13th studio album, 4:44, where he explicitly admits to his infidelity for the first time.
"I apologize, our love was one for the ages and I contained us," he raps on his "4:44" track. "And if my children knew, I don't even know what I would do / If they ain't look at me the same / I would prolly die with all the shame."
April 4, 2017: They commemorate their ninth anniversary.
Beyoncé shares a heartfelt tribute to the rapper on Instagram with a video montage commemorating nine years of marriage (as well as 10 years of romance).
Later in the month, the two jet off to Bora Bora for a romantic getaway ahead of the birth of their twins.
October 7, 2016: They return to the stage.
The two perform together for the first time since the Met Gala incident during the final leg of Beyoncé's Formation World Tour. Beyoncé invites Jay-Z to the stage with her and tells the audience to "give it up for [her] man" before going in for a kiss, seemingly confirming a reconciliation.
April 23, 2016: Beyoncé releases Lemonade.
The singer releases her sixth studio album, Lemonade, which brutally picks apart the rapper's cheating scandal, fueling ongoing rumors of a consequential split. (Though Beyoncé never confirms this subject matter herself, lyrics such as, "If you try this shit again you gon' lose your wife," in "Don't Hurt Yourself" and, "You can taste the dishonesty / It's on your breath as you pass it off so cavalier," in "Pray You Catch Me" seem to reference the adultery.)
Rumors of a rift between them further escalate the following month when Beyoncé appears solo at the Met Gala, as well as on August 28, when she performs without Jay-Z at the MTV VMAs.
Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles Lawson, undermines all the rumors at the time, telling People, "[The album] could be about anyone's marriage. I think that everybody at one time or another has been betrayed and lied to and it's about the pain and it's about the healing process and it's about, 'How do you get past that and move on.'"
May 5, 2014: Met Gala altercation spurs cheating rumors.
Per leaked video footage that soon goes viral, Beyoncé's sister, Solange, physically attacks Jay-Z inside an elevator at the Met Gala. The infamous altercation is rumored to have occurred in response to the rapper's cheating.
Days later, the trio release a statement to address the public fight, though fail to explain why it happened.
"There has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it. Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family. The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behavior throughout that evening are simply false. At the end of the day families have problems and we're no different. We love each other and above all we are family. We've put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same."
Divorce rumors circulate following the incident.
"Word around the industry has been that things are rocky at home," a music source who has worked with Jay-Z tells People at the time. Though, another friend of Jay-Z's insists, "They are a great couple. They are soulmates and perfect for each other."
A year later, Solange, as well as Beyoncé and Jay-Z, are seen once again at the Met Gala, though they are not photographed together.
February 15, 2013: Beyoncé gushes over Jay-Z in an interview.
Speaking with Oprah Winfrey in Oprah's Next Chapter, the singer expresses her gratitude for Jay-Z and all that he's done to support her throughout their relationship.
"I would not be the woman I am if I did not go home to that man," she says.
"You know we were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any date on the phone for a year and a half," she adds. "And that foundation is so important in a relationship. And just to have someone that you just like is so important and someone that is honest."
The following day, the pair also release their HBO documentary, Life Is but a Dream, offering a further glimpse into their life via clips of video diaries, performances, and exclusive confessionals.
January 7, 2012: They welcome their first child.
The couple welcome their first child, Blue Ivy Carter. Bey shares the first photos of Blue the following month on her Tumblr account.
"We welcome you to share in our joy," the singer writes on the post.
August 28, 2011: Beyoncé debuts her first baby bump.
After months of pregnancy rumors, the singer finally confirms the news at the 2011 MTV VMA Awards, where she cradles her baby bump in a bright orange gown.
Later that evening, Beyoncé publicly addresses the pregnancy during her performance of "Love on Top," telling the audience, "I want you to stand up on your feet. I want you to feel the love that's growing inside me."
January 20, 2009: They perform at President Barack Obama's first inauguration.
In their first of many Obama-hosted presidential events they end up attending together as a couple, Beyoncé and Jay-Z sing "America the Beautiful" at President Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony at the White House. They also perform the Etta James classic "At Last" for the president and First Lady Michelle Obama's first dance at the inaugural ball.
November 20, 2008: Beyoncé opens up about marriage.
The singer opens up about what her marriage to Jay-Z has taught her.
"I guess probably that we're all human," she tells Seventeen magazine. "I don't care if you're picture-perfect on every magazine cover, and you're the most handsome, successful, coolest guy—you still get sad, and you still get your feelings hurt, and you still get confused and vulnerable and nervous and scared. You have to find a person you can make it through the tough times with."
April 4, 2008: They get married.
The two get married in a top-secret, intimate wedding soirée held in the rapper's Manhattan penthouse.
"It was a very emotional wedding—lots of crying—and really very spiritual," an insider later tells People.
Later, in August, Jay-Z responds to questions about the wedding in an interview for Vibe.
"That's ridiculous for me to confirm," he says. "I don't have … I'm gonna say, I think that was a ridiculous question. I just think it's really a part of your life that you gotta keep to yourself. … You have to, or you'll go insane in this type of business. You have to have something that's sacred to you and the people around you. … I shared so much of my life, my childhood, and my family, the death of my nephew with the world. I should have something to hold on to. You need something for your sanity to say, 'Okay, I could chill out, and this is it.'"
Bey also talks marriage in an interview with Seventeen.
"There was no rush—no one expected me to run off and get married," she tells the magazine. "I really don't believe that you will love the same thing when you're 20 as you do at 30. So that was my rule: Before the age of 25, I would never get married. I feel like you have to get to know yourself, know what you want, spend some time by yourself, and be proud of who you are before you can share that with someone else."
Eventually, the two do confirm the nuptials, when Beyoncé features footage from the wedding in her "All Night" music video in November 2016.
August 29, 2004: They make their red-carpet debut.
The singer and rapper make their first red-carpet appearance as a couple at the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami, where both take home Moonmen.
May 14, 2003: Beyoncé debuts Jay-Z on her track.
Beyoncé drops her first song dedicated to Jay-Z, "Crazy in Love," from her debut solo studio album, Dangerously in Love. The track goes on to win best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration the following year at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards.
The two are not yet public with their relationship at this time, but the dedicated tracks fuel ongoing rumors of a relationship.
During a 2013 conversation with the singer, years later, Oprah Winfrey made a point to remind Bey how she had advised the singer to maintain privacy surrounding her fling with the rapper during their first chat.
"I remember the first time you were on the Oprah show, I told you, 'Don't go around telling people who you're dating,'" Winfrey recalled.
October 10, 2002: Jay-Z debuts Beyoncé on his track.
The rapper releases his first song dedicated to the singer, "03 Bonnie & Clyde," from his seventh studio album, The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse. The singer additionally makes an appearance in the music video, which they filmed together in Mexico.
November 2001: They confirm their relationship on Vanity Fair.
The pair officially confirm their romance with a couple's shoot for Vanity Fair, where they spill more details on their relationship and how they met.
"We were just beginning to try to date each other," the rapper tells the magazine, adding, "Well, you know, you've got to try first. You got to dazzle. … wine and dine. … She's a charming Southern girl, you know, she's not impressed. … But I would have definitely had to be this cool."
Circa 1999–2000: They court each other.
The singer and rapper first meet at the MTV Spring Break Festival in Cancún, Mexico, sometime between September 1999 and August 2000, when the singer was just a teenager.
"I was 18 when we first met, 19 when we first started dating," she recalled to Seventeen in 2008.
"We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates," the singer also told Oprah Winfrey in 2013.
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