Inside Jay Z and Beyonce’s ‘year-long split’ and truth about alleged Rihanna affair
Jay Z and Beyoncé have been a couple for more than two decades, but their relationship has been plagued by numerous rumors – including that the couple split in 2005
Beyoncé and Jay Z, one of the most iconic couples in the music industry, have weathered numerous storms in their relationship, including rumors of a split.
The pair have presented a united front in light of recent allegations against Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter. He faces serious accusations in a civil lawsuit claiming he raped a 13-year-old after the 2000 MTV Music Video Awards ceremony, alongside Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. The 55-year-old musician has strongly denied these allegations.
Beyoncé and Jay Z first crossed paths at the dawn of the new millennium, and their 2003 duet Crazy in Love became an anthem of the decade. Fans were enamored with the superstar couple, who married in 2008. However, according to a biography on Beyoncé, their journey hasn’t been without its hurdles. The Carters reportedly separated for a year in 2005, as revealed in the 2015 biography Becoming Beyoncé by J Randy Taraborrelli.
He suggested that the split coincided with Jay’s scouting of Rihanna, sparking rumors of a supposed affair. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the time, Taraborrelli said: “Beyoncé didn’t know what to make of this, and it actually ended up breaking them up for a time. They spent maybe a year apart from each other because Beyoncé just wasn’t sure of what to make of the situation with Rihanna.”
In a candid chat with BBC’s Newsbeat, noted biographer Taraborrelli defended his bombshell claims – despite not speaking directly with Beyoncé for his book. Taraborrelli admitted, “Well, my job as a biographer is to take a look at all of the persistent rumours and see if it is possible to unpack them. We found the publicist who was working for one of Rihanna’s producers. His job was to promote Rihanna’s first single Pon de Replay.”
He went on to expose a manufactured scandal, saying, “In that capacity he began to float the untrue story that Rihanna and Jay were having an affair. This was not true. We interviewed him, and he confessed that he planted that story in an effort to promote Rihanna.”
Further shedding light on this web of deception, the former publicist Jonathan Hay confirmed Taraborrelli’s story, offering apologies to music power couple Jay Z and Beyoncé after spreading the falsehoods. Despite safeguarding the identity of those who provided insights, Taraborrelli notes his sources “have nothing to gain by talking to me and often they have a lot to lose”.
The author elaborated on his credibility, “This is my 18th book. I’ve had 14 bestsellers, so I and my research team, we really have a sort of gut for this work. I can tell when somebody is being honest. Everybody is interviewed and re-interviewed and then their stories are compared with other stories of people who were in the same situations. So we really do a lot of work to corroborate everything that we hear.”
Despite allegations of a split, neither Jay Z nor Beyonce have made any public remark. Recently seen embodying unity, Jay Z stepped out with his wife Beyoncé and daughter Blue Ivy Carter to grace the red carpet premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King. This family display came shortly after Jay Z shared the challenging moment of discussing the serious allegations he’s up against with his children.
In a strong-worded statement, Jay Z slammed the claims as “blackmail” and condemned claimant’s attorney Tony Buzbee, deeming him a “fraud.” He commented, “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one! ! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case. This lawyer, who I have done a bit of research on, seems to have a pattern of these type of theatrics! “.
He revealed the emotional toll of the situation: “My only heartbreak is for my family. 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.”
He lamented the premature loss of his kids’ innocence, expressing that “Children should not have to endure such at their young age” and condemning the “cruelty and greed of people.”
He further decried the baseless accusations leveled against him: “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. Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable.”
However, lawyer Tony Buzbee rebutted the claims on Tuesday, calling any suggestions of attempted blackmail ludicrous, and stated his intent to tackle the allegations in court. Buzbee asserted, “Let me be clear: We will not be bullied or intimidated by these shenanigans. And our clients won’t be silenced.”
Buzbee reinforced the seriousness of the charges further stating: “No one has made any threats. Jay Z’s assertions are bogus and laughable. Instead, our firm sent a standard demand letter seeking a mediation on behalf of a woman who alleges Jay-Z sexually assaulted her as a minor.”
“The letter was vetted and approved by our client, whose preference was to attempt resolution short of filing a lawsuit. This approach is common in these types of cases. What you are seeing played out now is a coordinated and desperate effort to focus the public’s attention on me personally to avoid attention on the allegations being made by my clients.”
The lawsuit was initially lodged in New York’s Southern District back in October against Diddy, who’s presently up against criminal charges including sex trafficking and racketeering, along with multiple sexual abuse claims. Following a refiled action on Sunday, December 8, Jay-Z became embroiled as a co-defendant relating to an alleged transgression at an MTV Awards post-event gala.
Under the veil of anonymity, “Jane Doe,” Jay-Z’s accuser, insists the purported misconduct occurred subsequent to the awards ceremony and amid Diddy’s company. Now aged 37, the alleged victim is demanding a jury trial and is vying for compensatory damages that cover “all physical injuries, emotional distress, psychological harm, anxiety, humiliation, physical and emotional pain and suffering, family and social disruption, and other harm”.
Diddy is currently locked up at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Centre, awaiting his trial scheduled for May 2025. Since the Bad Boy Record founder was initially taken into custody, over 120 alleged victims have reportedly come forward.
Despite this, Diddy insists he’s not guilty. His attorneys released a statement saying that it’s impossible to respond to every baseless claim in what has turned into an irresponsible media frenzy.
They stated: “Mr Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors. He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”
It’s one of the most-watched automotive competitions each year: Executives and leaders wait in angst to learn if their newest models, on which they spent billions of dollars in development and marketing, make the World Car Awards finalist list for the best new cars of the year. The list is the result of a survey taken among top automotive journalists from around the world who also serve as jurors for the awards, and it’s the run-up to the top awards, which will be announced on March 27th.
Then, there’s the handicapping: Will Hyundai sweep the awards for a third year in a row? Will one of the many eligible Chinese brands finally rise to the top as a finalist — or winner? Will an electric car take the World Performance Car award again this year, making it three of the last four?
The awards not only illustrate rising trends and marketplace changes, but also anticipate demand, desire and of course, sales.
After designating the finalists for World Car Awards, the body’s jurors will further weigh in as they vote on the winners in February. They consider driving dynamics, innovation, technology, performance, marketplace importance and value. (In full disclosure, I serve as a World Car Awards juror.)
