Signs Beyoncé And Jay-Z's Relationship Won't Last

When it comes to famous celebrity couples, one that always comes to mind is Beyoncé and Jay-Z. The two "Drunk in Love" artists have been in the industry since the '90s, and they began dating in the early aughts. Since then, they have grown to become not only successful separately, but also a very influential couple, and one that often works together.

However, over the past more-than-two decades, we have seen on numerous occasions that their relationship is far from perfect. From infidelity to rumors of divorce, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have had very rocky phases. Exclusively for Glam, multi-award-winning international wellness and relationship coach Teresha Young shares her professional insight into why the celebrity couple's relationship is far from perfect. While none of these reasons has to cause a split between the two A-listers, they are definitely making their relationship a lot more complicated.

While the 12-year age gap between Beyoncé and Jay-Z might raise eyebrows, it is the fact that she was 19 and he was 31 when they started dating that many might consider a red flag. At the time, he was a successful rapper while she was having her breakthrough with Destiny's Child. "There's a big difference in life experience, industry know-how, even just the way you see the world at those ages," Teresha Young tells us exclusively.

According to Bey, the two didn't immediately jump into the relationship. "We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates," she revealed on Oprah's OWN network. "We were on the phone for a year and a half, and that foundation is so important for a relationship. Just to have someone who you just like is so important, and someone [who] is honest." While it isn't unheard of that a relationship with a gap like this one succeeded, one can't help but wonder how much this age gap has affected their marriage, since Beyoncé was still in her late teens when it started.

When Beyoncé and Jay-Z entered their relationship, the power dynamics between them were definitely different from what they are today. "Jay-Z was already an established icon, a true mogul, whereas Beyoncé was just stepping into her solo career after Destiny's Child," Teresha Young shares exclusively with Glam. "That kind of gap can create all sorts of power dynamics, often in ways that aren't obvious at first. It can affect everything from how you communicate, to the kind of boundaries you set, or even what you're willing to tolerate in a relationship."

While Beyoncé's career flourished ever since — and today she's at least as famous and influential as he is, if not even more — the expert explains that the dynamics a couple has early on usually affect the relationship for a long time. "Experiences like that can absolutely fuel growth and resilience, and they can also leave traces in how someone navigates relationships going forward," Young explains. "Sometimes, you don't even realize how those early dynamics set the tone for what comes next and what patterns may not be helpful or healthy in the long term." Of course, there are some myths about power imbalances in age-gap relationships, but there is no denying that the effects of any imbalance tend to last long after balance has been achieved.

In a 2017 interview with The New York Times, Jay-Z admitted that he is no stranger to shutting down and avoiding conflict, which prevented him from connecting to his wife. Our expert clarifies that this type of behavior is a major red flag. " ... he'd respond to conflict by shutting down emotionally or just avoiding the issue altogether," Teresha Young explains to us in an exclusive chat. "When one person pulls away instead of dealing with the tough stuff, it can slowly chip away at trust and intimacy. Even though they seem to have done the work to move past it, if those old patterns still linger, it may shape how they communicate and handle bumps in the road today." In fact, this conflict style is one that is known to hurt a relationship, potentially even leading to its end. 

However, while this is definitely a major issue, it does seem as if the rapper has been working on it. In fact, Jay-Z revealed that he had been going to therapy, and that helped him understand his behavior much more. "I grew so much from the experience," the rapper admitted in his interview. "But I think the most important thing I got is that everything is connected. Every emotion is connected and it comes from somewhere."

While there's no denying that Beyoncé and Jay-Z love each other, the fact that their relationship is such a big part of their fame can take a toll on them. "Another possible red flag that jumps out is the way Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 'power couple' image has become its own massive brand," Teresha Young explains exclusively to us. "When your relationship is such a big part of your public persona, alongside running a multimillion-dollar empire, there's this constant pressure to keep things looking perfect." For those who haven't been following their careers, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have collaborated numerous times, and in 2018, they even released their debut album "Everything Is Love" as the duo the Carters.

Because they are capable of being so successful when working together, our expert warns that any potential issues they may have privately could be neglected in order to keep their image intact. "However, all that glitters is not gold, because that can sometimes mean brushing real issues under the rug or delaying the tough conversations, true emotional processing, and healing," Young adds. "It's easy to get caught up in the story you're telling the world, even if what's happening behind the scenes is a lot messier and more complicated."

In 2016, Beyoncé released her sixth studio album "Lemonade," and with it, Jay-Z's infidelity became public knowledge. Songs like "Pray You Catch Me," "Sorry," "Hold Up," and "Don't Hurt Yourself" paint a clear picture of what the singer has gone through, and while the pop diva seems to have forgiven her partner, our expert shares that the infidelity is most likely still haunting them. "Both he and Beyoncé have spoken about going to therapy and working through their marital issues," Teresha Young tells us exclusively. "At the same time, we don't really know what accountability looked like for them, or how they actually healed and moved forward as a couple."

Circling back to how the two have nourished their power-couple image over the years, Young explains, "Sometimes when things get smoothed over in the public eye, it leaves us wondering if everything was genuinely resolved, or whether one of them was simply expected to forgive and forget. Especially after something as big as cheating, it's natural to question whether the repair was truly mutual, purely for public image, or if there might still be some unresolved issues lingering behind closed doors." While a relationship can come back from infidelity, there are phases one has to go through in order for that to happen, and the Carters may not be there yet. 

Apart from the fact that their relationship was damaged thanks to Jay-Z's infidelity, the fact that Beyoncé turned her experience into public art can potentially keep the two from moving on, according to our expert. "When real-life heartbreak turns into a blockbuster album, it can get complicated," Teresha Young notes exclusively to Glam. "Whilst many admire the vulnerability and artistry of Beyoncé's album 'Lemonade,' when that kind of pain is packaged as art, you can't help but ask yourself if it truly gets worked through in private."

"Lemonade" was a major success for the singer, garnering her two Grammy wins — best music video and best urban contemporary album — as well as nominations for record of the year, song of the year, and album of the year. Today, the concept album serves as an example of how all-encompassing the art from can be; however, publishing it may have hurt Beyoncé's relationship even more. "Suddenly, Jay-Z's infidelity isn't just an inside story; it's part of their public brand, woven right into their success," Young explains. "That kind of public processing can blur the line between authentic healing and just putting on a brave face for the cameras."

Dealing with a partner's overbearing family can definitely put a strain on the lovers, especially if the individuals are very close to their siblings or parents. In this case, Beyoncé's sister and mother appear to have had issues with Jay-Z, although they seem to have worked things out since then. In 2014, an incident occurred in an elevator at a Met Gala afterparty during which Bey's sister Solange Knowles yelled at and even physically attacked Jay-Z. A source for People commented on the incident. "Toward the end of the night, Jay said something inappropriate to Beyoncé and Solange, and [Solange] snapped. When they got in the elevator, it escalated quickly the way family tensions can. It got exceptionally heated the way family moments can," they revealed. "Solange is super protective of Beyoncé."

In 2025, Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles liked an Instagram post detailing the civil lawsuit alleging assault of an underage girl against Jay-Z and his friend, rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs. Soon after, Tina clarified that her social media profile had been hacked. "I was Hacked ! As you all know I do not play about my family," Beyonce's mother wrote on Instagram. "So if you see something uncharacteristic of me . Just know that it is not me !" However, the rumors of Jay-Z not getting along with his wife's family still endure more than a decade after the elevator incident.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

In 2012, Beyoncé and Jay-Z welcomed their first child, daughter Blue Ivy Carter. While Blue has grown into one of the celebrity kids who have the potential to be fashion icons, she might also be the reason her parents stayed together after a reportedly turbulent period of their relationship marked by Jay-Z's infidelity.

In 2017, a source for People revealed that if it hadn't been for baby Blue, one of the industry's most influential power couples might have parted ways. "If it wasn't for Blue Ivy, they might not be together," the source revealed. "It took them years to get to the point where they are now. It was very rough for them to stay married," they said. "It took Beyoncé a long time to trust again. She was struggling to move on and forgive. But keeping her family together was very important." While the two undeniably went through a difficult time, it seems having a daughter helped them fight for their relationship. And today, Blue Ivy Carter's style transformation, from Beyoncé's mini-me to a budding fashionista, is simply astonishing.

With a career as successful as Beyoncé's, it doesn't come as a surprise that the pop diva has put incredible amounts of work into her art. From award-winning albums to sold-out tours, every part of her career has been perfectly thought out, and nothing has been left to chance. However, focusing most of your energy on work and doing that continuously for long periods of time is not only unhealthy for one's mental state, but it is also bound to take a toll on one's relationships. Beyoncé herself admitted that being a workaholic is something that she had to work on fixing. "There was a time when I was pushing myself to meet unrealistic deadlines, while not taking the time to enjoy the benefits of why I was working so hard," she told GQ in 2024. "There aren't many of us from the late '90s who were taught to focus on mental health. Back then, I had little boundaries, and said yes to everything ... And now I work smarter."

While Bey always seemed passionate about her projects, the star admitted that she now focuses only on work that she truly cares about — always ensuring her family remains her priority. "I don't waste my time on something unless I'm deeply passionate about it. If I don't wake up thinking about it and I'm not going to sleep dreaming about it, it's not for me," the "Halo" singer revealed. "I build my work schedule around my family. I try to only tour when my kids are out of school ... So, when you don't see me on red carpets, and when I disappear until I have art to share, that's why."

A big reason why many believe that Beyoncé and Jay-Z's relationship won't last forever is the fact that there have been divorce rumors in the past. Of course, with everything they went through, this is not surprising. In 2014, Page Six reported that the two musicians were on the brink of parting ways. "They are trying to figure out a way to split without divorcing. This is a huge concert tour and they've already gotten most of the money from the promoters up front," the outlet's source revealed, referring to their 2014 "On The Run" tour. Additionally, the source pointed out that the two aren't hiding that they're having major problems. "There are no rings, if you haven't noticed," they pointed out. Of course, the two have managed to avoid separation since then, but that doesn't change the fact that their relationship will forever be tarnished by these predictions, and they may still come to fruition in the future.

In fact, in his 2017 interview with The New York Times, Jay-Z himself admitted that divorce is a common outcome of marital troubles. "You know, most people walk away, and like divorce rate is like 50% or something 'cause most people can't see themselves," he admitted. "The hardest thing is seeing pain on someone's face that you caused, and then have to deal with yourself. So, you know, most people don't want to do that. You don't want to look inside yourself. And so you walk away."

Considering that Jay-Z wasn't always loyal to her, it's not surprising that Beyoncé struggles with jealousy. In 2018, comedian Tiffany Haddish revealed that she witnessed Bey's jealousy at a party. "I was talking to Jay-Z for a little bit, and there was another actress that was there who was also talking to Jay-Z," the stand-up comedian explained (via TV One). "[The actor] touched Jay-Z's chest and Beyoncé came walking up like ... 'B***h.' But, she didn't say that. But her demeanor, her body from the way she walked up on them said, 'Get your hands off my man's chest.'"

While it hasn't been revealed who the actor was, it's clear that Beyoncé doesn't want any women around her husband. While there is plenty of debate on whether it is ever healthy to have jealousy in a relationship, it's safe to say that Beyoncé's reaction not only showcases lack of trust in her husband but it can also negatively impact their relationship.

Now, if you care for more celebrity relationship drama, be sure to also check out all the red flags in Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos' relationship from our dating coaches!