Jay-Z Says His Relationship With Beyonce Started ‘Cracking’ Because It Wasn’t Built on ‘100 Percent Truth’

Jay Z and Beyonce during the Oklahoma City
Thunder game against the Los Angeles Clippers
on November 21, 2013 at the Chesapeake
Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images
More confessions. Jay-Z got real about his
marriage to Beyoncé in a “footnotes” video for
his album’s title track, “4:44,” which was
released on Tidal on Tuesday, July 10.
Beyonce & Jay Z's Sexy Romance »
In the track, the 47-year-old rap legend
seemingly apologizes for cheating on the
superstar , with whom he shares 5-year-old
daughter Blue Ivy and newborn twins Rumi and
Sir. “'You did what with who?’ / What good is a
ménage a trois when you have a soulmate? /
‘You risked that for Blue?’” Jay-Z raps.
Blue Ivy's Hollywood Life »
In the addendum video, the Tidal founder and
several friends, including Chris Rock , Will
Smith , Kendrick Lamar, Aziz Ansari and
Mahershala Ali , discuss relationships with
women and family. Jay-Z talks about why his
relationship with Beyoncé, 35, reached a
breaking point. “This is my real life. I just ran
into this place and we built this big, beautiful
mansion of a relationship that wasn’t totally
built on the 100 percent truth, and it starts
cracking. Things start happening that the public
can see,” he says. “Then we had to get to a
point of, ‘OK, tear this down and let’s start from
the beginning.'"
Beyonce's Best Instagram Style »
He says that fighting for his marriage was
harder than his childhood growing up in
Brooklyn. “Remember we just talked about me:
I’m from Marcy Projects. I’ve been shot at. But
nothing is harder than this. By far. I’m telling
you, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he
continues. "Most humans, us, you know what I
mean? We’re not willing to put ourselves
through that. Most people give up.”
The “Marcy Me” rapper goes on to recall a
vacation where he begged Beyoncé to stay
longer. “I was on a boat, and I had the best
time,” Jay-Z says. “I was like, ‘Man, this is
great.’ Then she had to leave. I was, like,
crushed: ‘Man, I don’t even feel like this. What
is happening to my body right now?’ I was like,
‘Don’t go.’ I was like, 'Did I just say … ‘Don’t
leave?'"
The Grammy winner also confirms he played his
13th studio album for the “Single Ladies” singer
early in the recording process. "We just got a
place where, in order for this to work, this can’t
be fake. Not one ounce,” Jay-Z says. "I’m not
saying it wasn’t uncomfortable because
obviously it was.”
Want stories like these delivered straight to your
inbox? Sign up now for the Us Weekly
newsletter!

Tweet