Tina Lawson Recalls White Woman Asking Why She Let Beyoncé Marry A "Gangster Rapper"

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Tina Lawson, Jay-Z
Ms. Tina detailed the interaction, saying she corrected the woman and let her know that Jay-Z is a businessman.

She has been a fierce protector of her family and as her tree has grown, Tina Knowles-Lawson has gone to bat for Jay-Z. The Rap icon emerged from the projects and now, he not only sits at game-changing tables but he owns them. Jay-Z's reach has been studied, applauded, and envied, but no matter how much he accomplishes, there are certain people who can only see him through one lens.

In a segment of the Discovery+ docuseries Profiled: The Black Man, Knowles-Lawson recalled an incident where she was confronted by a woman who questioned why she would allow Beyoncé to marry a "gangster rapper."


"I can remember getting on a plane and an older white woman saying, 'Oh, your son is a gangster rapper, right? How did you let him marry your daughter?'" Lawson recalled. "And it was just shocking to me and I said, 'No, actually, my son is a CEO.' She didn't think of him as a CEO or even a talented celebrity that was a great businessman... At that time, I remember thinking, I can't be mad at her because that is what the media portrays."

Later, Knowles elaborated on the story when she caught up with PEOPLE.

"I was very happy to educate her," Knowles-Lawson said. At that time, Jay-Z was CEO of Def Jam. "She apologized at the end, and she said, 'I'm sorry. I just hear that.' And I said, 'Yes, you assume, but you really should go and do some research on it because, no, he's a CEO of a record label.' And I was like, 'He's a very good person. He gives, he helps people.'"


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About The Author
Erika Marie
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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