Why Beyoncé Stayed With Jay-Z Despite the Cheating Scandal

Jay-Z and Beyoncé have been a true power couple in the industry since long before the concept even existed. Hailed as one of the greatest couples in Hollywood, the couple has had their fair share of troubles and low points. They have been successful in their individual music careers, reveling in the spotlight for years.

However, there was one scandal that changed the way people looked at their relationship. And in the midst of the same, fans wondered what made the couple hold on to each other despite what they went through. Here’s everything we know.

Jay-Z Cheated on Beyoncé in 2014

Rumors started swirling in the industry that the once-perfect couple of Hollywood is not so flawless anymore. Beyoncé and Jay-Z were feeling rifts in their relationship as Jay-Z reportedly cheated on Beyoncé in 2014. It all started when security footage from an elevator emerged, showing Beyoncé’s sister Solange jumping to attack Jay-Z.

This led to fans wondering what Jay-Z could have done to deserve this. Then sources told news outlets that the couple is perhaps planning for a divorce. With time, the news started settling down despite fans posing numerous theories of the person Jay-Z must have cheated with. The rapper has been accused of cheating not once, but multiple times, the first instance coming to light soon after Beyoncé gave birth to their first child.

In 2017, Jay-Z finally addressed the rumors and confessed that he did cheat on his wife. In an interview with The New York Times, he shared,

The hardest thing is seeing pain on someone’s face that you caused, and then have to deal with yourself… You have to survive. So you go into survival mode, and when you go into survival mode what happen? You shut down all emotions. So even with women, you gonna shut down emotionally, so you can’t connect. In my case, like it’s, it’s deep. And then all the things happen from there: infidelity…

He goes on to talk about working on their album together before which,

Beyoncé released her solo album. Working in the same industry can often get tough with all the competition and “who’s better” debate. Perhaps that added a facet of jealousy that eventually broke the sacred bond between the married couple.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z Used Music to Address the Rumors

Jay-Z mentioned in the same interview that the couple used music as their therapy sessions. Whether it was while making music together or while working on their separate thoughts, they used music to express what they couldn’t reveal in words. Beyoncé used her album Lemonade to bring the divorce rumors to the forefront with the lyrics in her song Hold Up,

Something don’t feel right because it ain’t right, especially coming up after midnight / I smell your secrets and I’m not too perfect to ever feel this worthless / How did it come down to this, going through your call list? / I don’t wanna lose my pride but I’ma fck me up a btch.

Numerous songs from the album alluded to the rumored cheating that threatened to unravel their perfect life. The song Don’t Hurt Yourself contained, “This is your final warning / You know I give you life / If you try this shit again you gon’ lose your wife.”

Jay-Z was also hurt by the scandal and used music to say what he wished to say otherwise. In his song, he confessed to cheating and also expressed regret, he rapped,

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.

Regardless of what transpired, the couple has stayed together through the years. Multiple cheating scandals, speculations, and baseless rumors have tried to rip them apart, but Beyoncé and Jay-Z refuse to let go.

What made Beyoncé stay with Jay-Z?

As the rapper shared previously, their recording sessions became therapy for them as the issues came out in the open. What Beyoncé and Jay-Z couldn’t say in reality, they said it through music. The songs became so emotional that they had a hard time listening to them again because they brought back so many memories.

It’s believed that in those conversations and music sessions, the couple found their way back to each other. Despite the cheating, they were a couple who promised to stay together no matter what. Beyoncé did deal with the negativity in her own way, to come to terms with the reality and make peace with her husband. She credits Jay-Z for a lot of things as she shared with Oprah in 2013,

I would not be the woman I am if I did not go home to that man. It just gives me such a foundation. (He’s helped) on so many levels.

Known for her long and glorious hair, Beyoncé decided to chop it off and rock a pixie cut amidst the scandal and the rumors. She shared,

I remember the day I decided to just cut all my hair off. I didn’t have a particular style in mind. It wasn’t an aesthetic choice, but it was a very big emotional transformation and metamorphosis that I was going through.

While sources claimed Beyoncé and Jay-Z underwent counseling sessions and therapy to truly talk things out and remain together, it is widely believed that Beyoncé stayed with the rapper for the sake of their daughter.

The couple went on to have twins subsequently, vowing to work it all out for their kids and to remain a family despite any hurricane that came their way. Jay-Z also mentioned in the NY Times interview how every song got them to talk about their issues and resolve them. He revealed.

Even like the studio sessions, you know, we were having four-hour conversations after playing one song. I learned so much about people that was around me, just my friends, I learned things about them that I didn’t know, in a 20-year relationship, just from this one song. So I knew it would have that sort of impact beyond myself. It’s my responsibility as an artist to go to these places.

Through thick and thin, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have managed to survive it all and come out stronger in the end.