Posing on the red carpet at the LA premiere of their daughter Blue Ivy’s first big film and cheering her on from the sidelines, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were simply two proud parents supporting their girl.
Yet just a day earlier, Beyoncé, 43, and 55-year-old Jay-Z’s marriage was put under immense pressure after disturbing rape allegations were aimed at the rapper, which he has vehemently denied.
The couple put on a united front at the premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King, in which daughter Blue, 12, voices the major part of Kiara, Simba’s daughter, and Bey voices Nala. But an insider says behind the scenes, the serious claims are hanging over their marriage like a dark cloud.
“Beyoncé’s main priority is protecting their three kids – they can’t see their mum and dad falling apart,” an insider tells Woman’s Day.
“It’s a double blow for this all to come out the week before Blue’s big debut, but as far as the Carters are concerned, this is just someone trying to extort money from them again.”
THE ‘HEINOUS’ ALLEGATIONS
Jay-Z was publicly dragged into his close friend Diddy’s civil lawsuit last week when the unnamed female plaintiff accused him of also sexually assaulting her at an afterparty for the VMA Awards in 2000. She was just 13 at the time.
The 99 Problems rapper has been good friends with Diddy for two decades but has stayed silent as Diddy remains in jail, facing two dozen lawsuits and trial on a string of sex-trafficking charges.
“This has been hanging over their head since Diddy’s arrest,” a source tells Daily Mail of Jay and Bey. “It has been causing a strain on their marriage.”
Jay-Z has firmly denied the “heinous” allegations, filing to dismiss the lawsuit – claiming he was being blackmailed.
In a statement, he said his “only heartbreak” was how wife Beyoncé and their kids, Blue Ivy and twins Rumi and Sir, seven, would be impacted by the controversy.
“My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people,” Jay-Z said.
“I [mourn] yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at their young age. It is unfair to have to try to understand inexplicable degrees of malice meant to destroy families and human spirit.”
Not surprisingly, the accusations have turned the unwanted spotlight onto Jay and Beyonce’s 24-year relationship, with many looking back at their history for any questionable behaviour over the years. The 12-year age gap between Jay and Bey quickly came under scrutiny, more so for the fact that she was said to be just 16 when they met.
FACING IT AS A FAMILY
Beyoncé’s mum Tina Knowles threw her support behind the family at the premiere, after fans noticed she had strangely “liked” a social media post about Jay-Z’s rape lawsuit. But Tina insisted she had been “hacked”, writing on Instagram, “As you all know I do not play about my family. So if you see something uncharacteristic of me. Just know that is not me.”
As she publicly shows her support for Jay, Bey has reportedly recruited a crisis expert “who is advising them on how to handle this”.
“Beyoncé believes that the best way is to face this is head-on,” a source told Daily Mail. “[She] will do anything to keep her family together but is also concerned that more women will come forward with lies.”
Being one-half of music’s biggest power couples, the claims against Jay-Z could already be affecting his popstar wife’s business. Beyoncé is due to play a huge Christmas Day show at an NFL game, but that commitment – and a tour in 2025 – could now be up in the air.
“Beyoncé has Act III of her three-act album saga to announce as well as a huge stadium tour,” a source tells The Sun of the singer’s big plans.
THE ‘FAKE’ PREGNANCY
No sooner had Bey confirmed her first pregnancy with a very public reveal on stage at the 2011 VMAs, she became the subject of rumours that she was faking her bump!
The firestorm started when Bey did a chat with Aussie show Sunday Night, and her bump appeared to “fold” as she sat down. She said of the surrogacy claims, “It was just crazy.”
THAT ELEVATOR BRAWL
The nasty brawl between Beyonce’s sister Solange Knowles and Jay after the Met Gala in 2014 will go down as one of the juiciest celeb fights in history.
Fans were shocked to see footage of Solange lunging at Jay, while Beyonce watched on. The in-laws later said they’d smoothed over any issues, but many took the fight as Solange retaliating after rumours Jay had cheated on Bey…
JAY’S INFIDELITY
Following claims that Jay had secretly fathered a love child years earlier and also stepped out on Beyoncé during their marriage, the diva finally let it all out in 2016 track Sorry – sending everyone into a frenzy over the identity of Jay’s so-called mistress, “Becky with the good hair”.
Designer Rachel Roy and singer Rita Ora both had to deny they were Becky, but the following year, Jay admitted he had cheated on Bey.
