Rapper Jay-Z has opened up about marital struggles with his wife, superstar Beyoncé in an interview with The New York Times.
Jay-Z admitted to cheating on Beyoncé during their marriage, attributing it in part to unresolved issues from his childhood.
"The hardest thing," he said in a remorseful tone, "is seeing pain on someone's face that you caused and then having to deal with yourself."
The interview revealed the couple's journey through therapy and reconciliation.
Jay-Z described a coping mechanism that led him astray, explaining, "You go into survival mode, and... you shut down all emotions."
He elaborated on how this impacted his relationship with Beyoncé, stating, "You shut down emotionally, so you can't connect. In my case... that's how things happened."
The infidelity caused significant strain on their marriage, with Jay-Z acknowledging that many couples wouldn't survive such a situation.
"You know, most people walk away, and, like, divorce rate is like 50% or something 'cause most people can't see themselves,” he admitted.
However, through dedication and therapy, they were able to overcome the challenges.
These struggles were reflected in their music. Jay-Z's album, "4:44," contained lyrics that alluded to his infidelity, such as, "Look, I apologize... Took for my child to be born to see through a woman's eyes."
The year prior, Beyoncé's album, "Lemonade," hinted at the situation with the now-famous line, "He only want me when I'm not there/He better call Becky with the good hair."
Originally, the couple planned to create a collaborative album, but ultimately decided to release individual projects.
"We were using our art almost like a therapy session," Jay-Z explained. He continued, "But her album came out as opposed to the joint album that we were working on."
Despite the challenges, Jay-Z and Beyoncé remain one of the most powerful couples in the entertainment industry.