Beyoncé Was “Cautious” Telling Ellen DeGeneres About Jay-Z 12 Years Before The Host Was Canceled
Beyoncé didn’t trust Ellen DeGeneres even before the host was canceled.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z‘s (The Carters) marriage has faced a lot of public scrutiny after the latter cheated on the Renaissance artist – whose childhood home recently burned down on Christmas Day. In 2018, the rapper addressed his infidelity in an interview, which seemingly redeemed his image.
It must be the timing as it came, two years after his wife released her revenge-exposé album, Lemonade. But even before news of Jay’s affair broke out, Beyoncé was already uncomfortable discussing her marital life, which caused Oprah Winfrey to stop their intimate interview.
Back in 2008, the year Bey and Jay tied the knot, the former was also “cautious” talking to Ellen DeGeneres about being a newlywed. Some believe it was related to the “toxic” allegations against the host that got her canceled in 2020.
Beyoncé Was “Cautious” Opening Up About Jay-Z On The Ellen Show
In November 2008, a newlywed Beyoncé went on The Ellen Show to promote her film, Cadillac Records where she played Etta James. Two minutes into the interview, the host couldn’t help but bring up the singer’s nuptials. “You got married. And you did that without anybody [finding out]…” Queen Bey tried to dodge the marriage questions by saying, “Thank you.”
But DeGeneres was persistent. “Yeah we were talking earlier. It feels different to be married,” she told her guest. “It really does, and it feels good, doesn’t it?” Still trying to avoid the subject, the Diva songstress briefly replied, “It feels great.” The host went on to ask how long Bey dated Jay-Z before tying the knot.
“So, seven years, and was it something that y’all talked about, or are you just all of a sudden decided, ‘Let’s do it?'” DeGeneres asked. The 29-time Grammy winner masterfully drew the discussion away from her personal life by giving this diplomatic answer: “I mean, it’s different for everyone.I was really young.”
“I’m only 27,” she continued.” So I was really young, and you know, I feel like it’s important for women and men to have their goals and their own life before they can complete someone else. So, you know, we took our time.” DeGeneres didn’t seem to sense the tone and insisted that Jay-Z wanted to “lock up” the pop star.
“He must have been pushing on getting married to lock you up, though,” the host alleged. “He must have been saying, come on. I know you’re young, but let’s just do it. He must have been, like, really pushing to, you know, come on. I mean, not that he’s not a great guy.”
Bey successfully changed the subject when she awkwardly responded: “He’s [Jay-Z] a cool guy. He’s cool. He’s patient.” It was obvious that she was uncomfortable with DeGeneres’ questions. “Also beyonce is so cautious with this woman,” someone wrote in the comments. “You can see she’s expecting Ellen to say something out of pocket so she’s barely opening up.”
Beyoncé & Jay-Z Kept Their Wedding A Secret Before Her “Cautious” Interview With Ellen DeGeneres
In April 2008, the Carters had a secret wedding that they only confirmed four months later. “It was a very emotional wedding – lots of crying – and really very spiritual,” a People insider said of the ceremony that was held at Jay’s Manhattan penthouse. Bey later informed her fans that they didn’t rush into the wedding.
“There was no rush – no one expected me to run off and get married,” she told Seventeen. “I really don’t believe that you will love the same thing when you’re 20 as you do at 30. So that was my rule: Before the age of 25, I would never get married.”
Beyoncé explained: “I feel like you have to get to know yourself, know what you want, spend some time by yourself, and be proud of who you are before you can share that with someone else.”
In August 2008, Jay-Z non-confirmingly confirmed their secret wedding, saying that they preferred to keep it private. “That’s ridiculous for me to confirm,” he said at that time. “I don’t have … I’m gonna say, I think that was a ridiculous question. I just think it’s really a part of your life that you gotta keep to yourself … You have to, or you’ll go insane in this type of business.”
He added that “you have to have something that’s sacred to you and the people around you … I shared so much of my life, my childhood, and my family, the death of my nephew with the world. I should have something to hold on to. You need something for your sanity to say, ‘Okay, I could chill out, and this is it.'”
It’s hard not to be curious about the Carters’ life, especially when they’ve amassed a combined net worth of $3 billion through various public ventures. Here are their biggest joint sources of income:
Jay-Z Confessed To Cheating On Beyoncé Not Long Before Ellen DeGeneres Was Canceled
In May 2014, rumors sparked that Jay-Z had cheated on Beyoncé, after elevator footage showed the latter’s sister, Solange in a physical altercation with the Roc Nation founder. In April 2016, the Single Ladies performer released Lemonade where she sings about her husband’s affair with “Becky with the good hair,” referenced in her track, Sorry.
In January 2018, Jay-Z sat down with CNN’s Van Jones to address his infidelity. “The best apology is changed behavior,” he said back then. Two months later, he and Bey announced they were touring together for On the Run II. Given their secrecy about the details of their relationship, the Carters managed to make people forget about their issues.
Two years later, fans finally realized why Beyoncé was reluctant to open up about her marriage to DeGeneres. In July 2020, Buzzfeed News published a bombshell article in which former Ellen Show staffers alleged the host of running a “toxic” workplace. Accusers claimed that they experienced racial insensitivity, sexual harassment and bullying under DeGeneres’ management.
