Jay-Z: Beyonce and I "Offended" People When We Wed
Credit: Rob Howard/O Magazine
Jay-Z says not everyone was thrilled when he wed Beyonce.
In October's O: The Oprah Magazine, he tells Oprah Winfrey they managed to keep their April 2008 wedding a secret thanks to "late planning."
He said there were "very few" close friends and family at the ceremony at his penthouse apartment in NYC's Tribeca neighborhood. The newlyweds later threw a lavish party that included Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles, her father/manager Mathew, her sister Solange, her Destiny's Child mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams and pal Gwyneth Paltrow.
"The sad part is that we offended some," he said of not inviting a lot of friends. "But people who love you understand. Because at the end of the day, it’s your day."
See intimate celeb wedding photos
The Brooklyn-born rapper, 39, also opened up about his rough childhood - including dealing drugs at 13.
He said the gig "was natural" for teens in his neighborhood, adding that there weren't any black teachers, lawyers or other professionals living around him.
"If anyone did become something like that, they moved out," he said. "They never came back to share the wisdom of how they made it. If anyone made it, you never knew it. That's why I’ve always said that if I become successful, I'd come back here, grab somebody, and show him how it can be done."
See celebs who went from rags to riches
Looking back, Jay-Z is still thankful he is here today. When he was younger, he once dodged three bullets.
"That was divine intervention. Divine intervention, and nobody knew how to shoot," he said of the incident. "....No one really practices shooting a TEC-9 machine gun, right? And when you’re a kid with little bony arms—no wonder nobody could aim."
















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32YOU GUYS, STOP BEING HATER. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THEM , SHUT UP. WHO CARES IF YOU DONT LIKE THEM. IT IS JUST ANNOYING THAT I READ IT. GET SOME HELP. THESE "STARS" DONT PAY YOUR BILLS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT SO GET OVER IT AND GET A LIFE. GEE WIZZ
Oprah had Jay Z the thug on her show to ask him why he use the N word. It's was a great show I personally can't stand Jay Z he turns my stomach, beyonce is a stupid woman.
Jay Z /Beyonce, Whitney /Bobby Brown, Bee/Nippy two stupid women......Jay Z is jealous of Bee just listen to "Crazy in love" he calls her a whore........
I am amazed of how much people envy others success. lISTEN UP DUMB ASSES...........HE WAS 13 YRS OLD..........SERIOUSLY, HOW MANY OF YOU THINK THAT A 13 YR OLD IS CAPABLE OF GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN OF THE ONLY THING THAT EXIST IN HIS/HER WORLD. I AM A THERAPIST IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND TRUST ME WHEN I SAY, 80% OF THE CHILDREN I TREAT ARE A DIRECT PRODUCT OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT. DO WE SAY THEY ARE MAKING EXCUSES WHEN THEY SAY THEY HAD NO ONE TO TELL THEM NO IT WASN'T RIGHT BUT INSTEAD ENCOURAGE THEM. NO NO NO WE ANSOLUTELY DO NOT. INSTEAD, WE TRY TO EMPOWER THAT CHILD TO SEE THERE IS ANOTHER WAY. WE HELP THEM FACE THE CONSEQUENCES THAY WILL COME WITH THE LIFE STYLE. AND GUESS WHAT. WE HAVE HAD MANY PARENTS WHO CAME INTO THE SCHOOL OR CALL FULL OF ANGER THAT WE ARE CORRUPTING THEIR CHILD. BASICALLY THE KID WHO SAY NO TO THE ADULT THAT IS MOLDING THEIR LIFE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION BECOMES THE OUTCAST IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD/FRINEDS. JAY-Z WAS 13 YRS OLD. THAT MEANS HE DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE IN HELL BUT GUESS WHAT. LETS PRAISE HIM OF FINDING ANOTHER CONSTRUCTIVE WAY TO CHANNEL THAT TALENT HE HAD INSIDE OF HIM AND NOW IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST INFLUENTIAL BLACK MAN THEIR IS WHO HAS GONE BACK AND HELP MANY OTHER. IN THIS COUNTRY YOU DAMN IF YOU DO AND YOU DAMN IF YOU DON'T. TO ATTACK A 13 YR OLD WHETHER YOU LIVED IN THE SAME KIND OF ENVIRONMENT OR NO IS JUST SIMPLY PLAIN STUUUUPID...........WAKE UP
Jay-z is making a poor excuse for selling drugs as a youth and I feel as though he is setting a bad example by saying his explanation "there weren't any black teachers, lawyers or other professionals living around him" and that's why he sold drugs. My brother and I grew up in the toughest projects in New York (Queensbridge) during the late 1970's and 1980's during the height of the crack epidemic where both of our parents were crack addicts and no one in our neighborhood was a teacher or doctor or lawyer, but none of us turned to selling drugs instead we remained focus on school both went to St. John's University and I am a pharmacist and my brother is an accountant. In my opinion he is saying to today's youth who lived in neighborhood's similar to ours that it is okay to sell drugs since you do not have a proper role model. He should really be ashamed of his self.
some of you are pretty harsh. just leave them alone. i'm not a fan or anything, but i do have respect for them. and to the 6th person underneath my comment, shes known for her dancing, and "ass shaking" but that's not the only thing thats keeping her in the spot light. Have you ever thought it might be her talent? she IS up for 9 moonmen this year. And they might have done a small wedding because doing big ones take time, and during that time people would find out. No one knew they were getting married till wedding decorations were spotted entering their apartment. Besides, even if she was pregnant why would it matter to you? They were dating for 6 years before their wedding so it probably wouldn't be a huge deal if she was pregnant. They were together for that long for a reason...
Am I the only one that thinks Oprah is a complete hypicrite she preaches about how bad rappers and rap music is to women but interviews Jay Z! Come on has she heard his lyrics.It is hard for me to believe in any cause Oprah stands for when she does these things. I am also so tired of Jay Z he is so arrogant and full of himself not to mention a 40 year old rapper- please go away gracefully and let the young performers take the stage
congratulations for 2 of the most powerful forces joining together who cares what folks say or think -you moguls have each other you already know to make 'haters'your motivators.What God has joined together let NO MAN put asunder!!!Keep clocking those $$$$$ tell those folks dont hate the player learn the game LOL
Who cares about the elderly anyway.....what a snooze.
seriously....who cares!!!
there are so many beautiful and fine ladies out there, that do not have to get recongize for shaking their butt all the time. they give beyonce too much attention for nothing. she is onle known to the men for shaking it like old school to get them to pay attention. hally berry do not need to shake anything, she is natural. who cares if peopl got offended for not being invited to their wedding. they are so stupid anyway, i'm sure they did not miss much, since she thought she was pregnant and had to have a quickie wedding.
There are a couple of you clowns need a life. STOP the HATE for real. The man got a dime of a wife; who cares what you think about how their child may look. Hell you are an adult and are probably ugly still. Choke yaself clown! Do ya thing JIGGA An Army of One KTRANE
beyonce + j z = ugly child
beyonce diet are you kidding who wants fat thighs like her
I thought Oprah didn't like Rappers, like when she criticized Ludacris a few yrs back saying she would never have a Rapper on her show because of what they stand for and how they portray women as Sex Objects in their Music Videos. Have her views on Rappers changed? or is she only interested because Jay-Z married Beyonce?
I actually like this couple. Unlike many others, they don't exploit their relationship to promote their work yet they are both very successful individuals!
The people that were offended sound pretty selfish. It's their wedding day, it's all about them...not everyone else!
Their offspring is gonna be U-G-L-Y , God awful U-G-L-Y if it looks like jz!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Personally, I think Jay-Z robbed Beyonce of a beatuiful castle wedding! Don't like him! Love Beyonce!!
I prey that one day Happiness will find me, You guys be blessed with more love and lots of babies. you are Truly more then just the picture we see and words that are said about you GOD be with