What Tina Knowles Has Said About Son-in-Law Jay-Z Over the Years

Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z, have had their ups and downs over the years, but Tina Knowles has stood by her son-in-law through it all.

While Beyoncé documented Jay-Z’s (real name Shawn Carter) infidelity on her 2016 album, Lemonade, and her sister, Solange Knowles, was infamously caught hitting and kicking the rapper in a Standard Hotel elevator after the 2014 Met Gala, Tina has always spoken highly of Jay-Z.

Some fans wondered whether Tina had turned on the music mogul when she seemingly liked a December 2024 Instagram post about Jay-Z being accused of raping a 13-year-old girl with Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2000. However, she later claimed that her account had been hacked.

Keep scrolling for a look back at what Tina has said about Jay-Z over the years:

December 2015

Tina wished Jay-Z a happy birthday via Instagram.

“Happy birthday to my handsome, brilliant, loving son. The son I never had, but I have now,” she wrote. The post came seven years after Beyoncé and Jay-Z tied the knot in 2008. Tina designed Beyoncé’s dress for the private ceremony.

May 2016

During an interview with ABC 13, Tina reacted to Beyoncé’s album Lemonade, downplaying the record’s many mentions of infidelity.

“People make it all about the cheating and betrayal. And yes, that’s a part of it because that is something you have to heal from. If you really listen to the poetry, it is [a message] of hope and redemption and hopefully that can be healing for people,” she said. “It could be about anyone’s marriage. I think that everybody at one time or another has been betrayed and lied to and it’s about the pain — and it’s about the healing process — and it’s about how do you get past that and move on.”

Jay-Z admitted to cheating during a 2017 interview with The New York Times, noting that therapy had helped him understand the connection between his behavior and his childhood growing up in a housing project in Brooklyn.

“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,” he said. “In my case, like, it’s deep. And then all the things happen from there: infidelity.”

November 2016

While Tina never addressed Jay-Z and Solange’s infamous 2014 elevator brawl — which many believed was connected to Jay-Z’s infidelity — she did post a photo two years later of Jay-Z, Solange, and Solange’s son, Daniel Julez Smith Jr., in an elevator. She promptly deleted the photo, seemingly after realizing that the snap might remind people of the previous family drama.

Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Solange released a joint statement about the incident days after TMZ shared surveillance video of the elevator fight.

“As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it,” the trio told the Associated Press. “Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family.”

April 2017

Tina shared a throwback photo from Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s wedding to commemorate their anniversary.

“9 years already??? Congratulations to the Carters❤❤on their Anniversary 💐 (thats my arm fixing the dress lol),” she captioned the snap.

That same month, Tina told People that Jay-Z and Beyoncé were “incredible parents.” At the time, the couple’s daughter Blue was 5, and Beyoncé was pregnant with twins Rumi and Sir, who were born in June 2017.

February 2021

Tina praised her son-in-law via Instagram for his work producing the Super Bowl Halftime Show, specifically Super Bowl LV, which featured The Weeknd as the headliner.

“This is a love letter to my son-in-law Shawn Carter. The reason why I was led to write this was because recently at the Super Bowl we witnessed the national anthem America the Beautiful and the halftime entertainment all being super talented Black people,” she wrote.” I could not help but remember when J took on being in charge of the Entertainment at the Super Bowl, and saying that things would never change unless we had someone on the inside that could make decisions. Someone at the top. I read all the horrible things people said calling him a sellout and hating on him big time. But he kept it moving because every person who has affected change has been criticized and dogged by their peers.”

Tina continued, “You are a bad ass brother and I hope that you continue to pave the way for others like you have in the past!! And I have seen such extreme kindness and generosity so many times that people don’t even know anything about! You are a true man who has admitted publicly when you’ve made mistakes in a very brave and classy way ! You have in turn influenced the Culture of Young Black Men. You are a Bad Ass brother. I love you so much!!❤️”

February 2022

In the Discovery+ docuseries Profiled: The Black Man, Tina recalled defending Jay-Z after a stranger made a rude comment about him.

“I can remember getting on a plane and an older white woman saying, ‘Oh, your son[-in-law] is a gangster rapper, right? How did you let him marry your daughter?’” Tina recounted. “And I said, ‘Yes, you assume, but you really should go and do some research on it because, no, he’s a CEO of a record label.’ And I was like, ‘He’s a very good person. He gives, he helps people.’”

April 2022

“Happy Anniversary to one of my inspirations for a couple,” Tina captioned an Instagram video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z. “They work hard, laugh hard, and love Harder ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏽🙏🏽 14 years.”

June 2024

Tina wished Jay-Z and Kelly Rowland’s husband, Tim Weatherspoon, a happy Father’s Day via Instagram. (Beyoncé’s Destiny’s Child bandmate moved in with the Knowles family as a kid, and Tina has often referred to Rowland as her third daughter.)

“To my two son in-laws . Two of the best dads to do it . I am so blessed to see you both in action with my grandbabies❤️❤️🙏🏽 Happy Father’s Day @timspoon and Jay❤️,” Tina captioned a photo of Jay-Z and Weatherspoon.

December 2024

Tina raised eyebrows when she seemingly liked a social media post about news of the lawsuit accusing Jay-Z and Diddy of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000. The post in question read, “Jay-Z, Diddy named in a lawsuit alleging rape of girl, 13.”

One day later, Tina shared a screenshot of a notes app statement.

“I was Hacked! 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!” the statement read. Tina added in the caption, “Please stop playing with me !!!! ‘No weapon formed against my family shall prosper.’”

Jay-Z denied the “heinous” rape allegations in a statement shared with Us Weekly.

“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 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.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).