A recently resurfaced photo of Jay-Z with a 16-year-old Beyoncé has sparked renewed scrutiny over when the A-list couple’s relationship began.
The rapper, 12 years older than his Grammy Award-winning wife, was 28 at the time the photo was taken on the set of Destiny’s Child’s ‘No, No, No’ music video in 1998.
What Did Beyoncé Say About Their Friendship?
While there’s no suggestion that anything romantic happened between the pair at the time, the image seemingly disputes Beyoncé’s past remarks about their friendship. In a 2013 interview with Oprah, Beyoncé said: “We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates.” She added that they were on the phone for a year and a half before their romantic relationship began.
Another Photo Emerges
Another photo making the rounds shows Jay-Z at the Prime Time 21 nightclub in North Dallas on January 31, 1998 – where Destiny’s Child performed live for the first time in the city. In a 2007 interview with Charlie Rose, Jay-Z revealed that he and Beyoncé had met 10 years prior, saying: “However long she’s been recording, that’s when I met her … I met her 10 years ago.”
Jay-Z’s First Impression of Beyoncé
Jay-Z added that his first impression of Beyoncé was that she was a “fantastic talent.” Interest in the couple’s early relationship comes after Jay-Z was hit with a civil lawsuit over the weekend, accusing him and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl after the MTV Video Music Awards on September 7, 2000.
Jay-Z Denies Allegations
Jay-Z vehemently denied the allegations, calling them a “heinous … blackmail attempt” and saying that anyone who commits such a crime against a minor should be locked away. He went on to express concern about the impact the allegations may have on his family, including his wife and three children.
The Couple’s Relationship Timeline
So, when did Jay-Z and Beyoncé really start dating? The couple, who have been married since 2008, share three children and have been one of the most private celebrity couples in the industry. While we may never know the exact timeline of their relationship, one thing is clear – they’re still going strong after all these years.