Beyoncé & Jay-Z’s Relationship Timeline In Photos

Beyoncé was 18 years old when she was first introduced to Jay-Z, but the pair didn’t become an item straightaway. As the singer explained to Oprah Winfrey on OWN, “We were friends first for a year-and-a-half before we went on any dates. That foundation is so important for a relationship.” They seem pretty friendly in this 2000 snap, flanked by Beyoncé’s Destiny’s Child bandmates. An early date? Probably not!

After being featured on Vanity Fair’s magazine cover towards the end of 2001 Jay-Z and Beyoncé dropped a collaborative track nearly 12 months later: “’03 Bonnie & Clyde.” Then, the following month, the famous duo were invited to appear on the TRL show on MTV in November 2002. Could anyone else make denim look this cool? The folks in the crowd were certainly impressed!

As 2002 was drawing to a close, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were pictured together again, this time just before Christmas. The couple both attended that year’s Z100’s Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden. Judging by the loving gaze they shared here, we wouldn’t be shocked if the pair spent most of the festive period in each other’s orbit. The only thing missing from this shot is a bit of mistletoe!

The NBA All-Star game is one of the biggest highlights in America’s sporting calendar. But it wouldn’t be that surprising to hear that a lot of the focus during the 2003 match-up was on the sidelines. Yes, as you can see from this photo, Jay-Z and Beyoncé were in attendance. And they seemed to be having a ball — figuratively and literally! We wonder which team they were pulling for?

Nope, this picture of Beyoncé and Jay-Z wasn’t taken at a comedy club. It was actually snapped during 2003’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. Oh to have been a fly on the wall here! Once again, the music superstars seemed to be incredibly close, but at that point no one really knew the true extent of their relationship: nothing had been made public.

While the public didn’t know for sure that Jay-Z and Beyoncé were an item, rumors really started to ratchet up in the summer of 2003. By that stage, the duo had worked together on yet another track, “Crazy in Love,” further highlighting their creative chemistry. Then, as shown in this snap here, they wowed audiences with a sizzling performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. No wonder people were speculating...

Folks continued to speculate about the true nature of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s relationship, yet those questions were all but answered in 2004. Yep, they appeared on the red carpet together for the first time at that year’s MTV Video Music Awards. And a few months later, Beyoncé provided further proof that their love was no longer a secret. She was more than happy to smile for this snap with Jay-Z in the back of a car.

The year 2006 was a very satisfying one for fans of Jay-Z and Beyoncé as a couple. In total, they collaborated on three different tracks during that period — two from Beyoncé’s album B’Day and one from Jay-Z’s Kingdom Come. Evidently, the stars seemed to love working together in the studio, as well as performing as a unit onstage. This shot came from 2006’s BET Awards.

As 2007 was coming to a close, Jay-Z showed his business acumen outside the music industry once again. In the December of that year, he broadened his 40/40 Club chain by opening a new site in Las Vegas, Nevada. The picture here came from that event, as the rapper soaked up the atmosphere alongside Beyoncé. Looks like it was a fun night!

When this photo was taken in 2008 Beyoncé and Jay-Z had already been married for around five months. But people were still coming to terms with the news at that time, as the celeb wedding had been held in secret. Neither star spoke about it in the immediate aftermath, with Jay-Z ultimately coming clean during an interview in Vibe magazine’s September issue.

Beyoncé had a lot to be cheerful about at the Grammy Awards in 2010. Why’s that? Well, not only was her relationship with Jay-Z as strong as ever, but she also took home a record six gongs that night. No other female performer had won that many at one time before. No wonder she was beaming in this particular snap, then!

When Jay-Z and Beyoncé shared this adorable fist-bump at a basketball game in February 2012 their personal lives were in a very exciting place. You see, the month before this photo was taken, the music superstars had become parents for the first time. Blue Ivy Carter had been delivered on January 7 with a long list of celebs posting their best wishes online.

Away from the glitz and glamor of the red carpet, Beyoncé and Jay-Z seemed to be just like any other loving couple. And this picture here is a great example of that. It was taken at a book launch in May 2012 in New York, with the rapper cradling his wife’s face in his hand. It’s such a cute shot!

The 2014 MTV Video Music Awards proved to be especially memorable for Beyoncé and her family. That night, Jay-Z and Blue handed the Video Vanguard Award to the singer, whose smile was an absolute picture. With tears in her eyes, Beyoncé said, “Thank you. I have nothing to say, but I’m thrilled with so much gratitude. I just thank God for this moment. I love y’all so much.”

While Jay-Z and Beyoncé were all smiles in May 2014 at this Brooklyn Nets game, some troubling stories began to emerge regarding their marriage that summer. One insider informed People magazine, “Word around the industry has been that things are rocky at home. If they split, no one would be surprised.” Yet a pal of Jay-Z’s fired back, claiming, “They’re soulmates and perfect for each other.”

The negative rumors surrounding Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s relationship couldn’t have come at a more awkward time for the couple. You see, they were heading off on a huge tour in 2014. But as stories of a potential break-up continued to do the rounds, the music icons shared a loving kiss while performing in France that September. Was that their way of trying to shut the speculation down?

Regardless of all the drama they faced that summer, Jay-Z and Beyoncé also shared one of the most heartwarming celebrity moments of 2014. During their entrance at the Met Gala, the singer lost a ring. Fortunately, her famous hubby was able to grab it off the red carpet and then place it back on her hand. The whole thing resembled a public proposal, with Jay-Z playing up to the cameras!

If a kiss wasn’t enough to dissuade the doubters, then this passionate embrace might’ve helped out, too! Yes, Jay-Z held Beyoncé in his arms during that same performance in France from September 2014. Their love was clear for all to see, although some still questioned it a couple of months later. Beyoncé dropped a new track at that point, titled “Ring Off.” Folks thought that it was about her marriage, but that wasn’t accurate. The song was based on her mom and dad’s divorce.

Following a troublesome few months, Beyoncé and Jay-Z appeared to be closer than ever at a Tom Ford fashion show in February 2015. It was a showcase of his autumn and winter collection. Decked out in some gorgeous black outfits, the couple posed for this lovely shot backstage. They wouldn’t have looked out of place walking down the runway themselves, right?

Even though the “mock proposal” from 2014’s Met Gala was touching, Jay-Z and Beyoncé were involved in a pretty controversial moment from that year’s event as well. Following the afterparty, Beyoncé’s sister was said to have assaulted the rapper inside an elevator. It caused massive waves at the time, and could’ve overshadowed their return to the Met Gala in 2015. But the star’s stunning dress here got people talking for the right reasons.

The year 2016 proved to be a real roller coaster for fans of Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Throughout that 12 months, she attended several events by herself, casting doubt on the marriage again. But as Beyoncé played the last show of her Formation World Tour in October, she brought a special guest on to the stage. Yep, it was Jay-Z! “Give it up for my man,” she cried, as the pair turned in a belting performance.

Some five years after the birth of Blue, Beyoncé made a huge announcement on her Instagram page in February 2017. She wrote, “We would like to share our love and happiness. We’ve been blessed two times over. We’re incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two.” They were expecting twins! And Beyoncé proudly displayed her baby bump at the Grammys a few days later.

While Jay-Z and Beyoncé were no strangers to the NBA All-Star game, 2017 was a little bit different. Not only was the musician pregnant, but she and her husband had brought Blue along to the sporting event as well. It was a cool family outing, as highlighted by this courtside shot. The trio couldn’t have been more engrossed in the action!

Off the back of 2014’s successful On The Run tour, Beyoncé and Jay-Z embarked on a follow-up in June 2018. It started in Cardiff, Wales, before moving up to Scotland. And that’s where this photo came from, with the couple sharing a kiss in front of a fitting message. Just a few days later, they shocked fans by dropping a surprise collab record, titled Everything Is Love.

Showing no signs of slowing down after their summer tour, Jay-Z and Beyoncé traveled to South Africa in December 2018 for a special gig. Together, they performed at the Global Citizen Festival, which that year was marking the late Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday. Overall, worldwide businesses went on to pledge more than $7 billion to the causes championed by the event. The couple’s appearance no doubt helped there!

Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been regular fixtures at the Grammys for several years now. But could their daughter follow suit? As seen in this snap here, Blue joined her famous parents at the 2018 event, rocking a stylish white outfit. If she has a future in music, this might become a very familiar sight at awards shows going forward!

Jay-Z and Beyoncé turned heads once again when they popped up at the Roc Nation Brunch in February 2019. The pair looked great! And it kicked off a hugely successful few weeks for them. Their album Everything Is Love won a Grammy, before they both earned separate honors at the NAACP Image Awards in March. Quite the haul!

Known for her beaming smile, Beyoncé tried something a bit different at the 2020 Roc Nation Brunch. Yep, she busted out an eye-catching sneer that mirrored Jay-Z’s, even going face-to-face with her husband for this cute shot. Maybe the musician was still feeling frustrated after coming up short at the Golden Globes a few weeks before? Her song in 2019’s The Lion King had been nominated.

The Brooklyn Nets took on the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA playoffs. But you’d never know that looking at this picture here! Normally engrossed in the Nets’ efforts, Jay-Z and Beyoncé couldn’t take their eyes off each other while sitting in their courtside seats in June 2021. We hope someone told them that their team won that first game!

Going into the 2023 Grammy Awards, Beyoncé was nominated for nine gongs. And by the end of the night, she walked away with four of them. That bumped her career total to 32 wins, which is the highest of any artist at the Grammys. It’s no surprise that she’s smiling in this picture, then! As for Jay-Z, his pride was clear for all to see. That’s a look of love if ever there was one!