You know Beyoncé. You know Jay-Z. And you know the iconic musical legacy they've created. But do you know anything about the celebrity duo's children? (Ahem, Destiny's Child, it seems you have some competition for the world's most famous trio!)
As a notoriously private couple, Beyoncé and Jay-Z have done their best to keep their private lives and their kids' childhoods away from public scrutiny. However, as their three kiddos grow up, it seems their talents are hard to keep out of the spotlight.
In a rare message posted to her website ahead of her new album release, Queen B posted a little tribute explaining that her kids served as major inspiration for the creative work. And in case you live under a rock, Renaissance comes out on July 29.
"I want to give a special thank you to Rumi, Sir and Blue for allowing me the space, creativity, and inspiration," she said on her website. I can’t wait to hear how they contributed to the three-act project that Queen B described as “a beautiful journey of exploration.”
While there's limited information on the young Carters, there are enough selfies and stories to turn you into a big fan of this next generation. Read on to find out everything there is to know about Jay-Z and Beyoncé's children.
How many children does Beyoncé have?
The 40-year-old "Halo" singer and 52-year-old "Empire State of Mind" rapper are proud parents of Blue Ivy, Rumi, and Sir Carter.
Here’s the most recent selfie fans have of the iconic trio, per Beyoncé’s website. So snuggly!
Beyoncé shared a rare photo of all three kids just before dropping her new album on Friday.
Their eldest, Blue Ivy, is more familiar to fans, whereas twins Rumi and Sir have been more sheltered from the limelight. The family of five lives in Bel Air, California.
Blue Ivy is already a musical star.
The couple's first child, Blue Ivy Carter, was born on January 7, 2012.
Aside from the recognition she receives from her parent's success, 10-year-old Blue Ivy has already achieved much of her own well-deserved fame and admiration.
Last November, she helped induct her father into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, alongside her mother and other famous celebs. She recited some censored lines of her father's rap lyrics in a pre-recorded video, giggling throughout. (Really gives Jay-Z the soft edge he was missing, if you ask me.)
But Blue has also received her very own honors. Did you know this 10-year-old has won a Grammy?!
Blue Ivy worked with Beyoncé on the song "Brown Skin Girl," a track that was created for the album The Lion King: The Gift, which received the award for Best Video at the 2021 Grammy Awards. At nine years old, she made history as the second youngest person to win a Grammy (the youngest was one of The Peasall Sisters who was only eight when they took home a Grammy in 2002).
Blue Ivy's work on "Brown Skin Girl" also earned her an MTV VMA award, beating out other artists like Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga. She is the youngest person to achieve this award. Ever.
She also earned a BET award in early 2020 for the outstanding duo/group prize due to her contributions to "Brown Skin Girl."
Aside from crushing it on the music scene, Blue Ivy also narrated a children's audio book, People reported. It's called Hair Love and was written by Matthew A. Cherry.
Rapper Jay Z and singer Beyonce with daughter Blue Ivy Carter onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California
Where does Blue Ivy's name come from?
Apparently, the color blue is very special to Jay-Z.
"My favorite hue is Jay-Z blue," is one of the lyrics on his track "Go Crazy," per HuffPost. And there's some speculation out there that "Ivy" comes from the Roman numerals for the number four, or IV. Beyoncé is a big fan of the number four: her birthday is on September 4, she got married on April 4, and even has an album titled "4." So that would make sense.
How old are Beyoncé's twins now?
The Carter twins, Rumi and Sir, recently turned five! They were born on June 13, 2017, after Beyoncé's "extremely difficult pregnancy" where she developed preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that can be fatal for mothers and babies, according to her 2019 Netflix documentary Homecoming.
"My body went through more than I knew it could," she said, noting the physical toll the pregnancy had on her even after the twins birth.
Beyonce showed off her new baby bump and made a plea for a more inclusive and representative world as she and Adele each took home Grammys, setting the scene for a clash for the final top two awards.
Who were Rumi and Sir named after?
Though everyone in the family has unique names, Rumi and Sir definitely stand out. Jay-Z explained the story behind his twins' names on his streaming service, Tidal.
"Rumi is our favorite poet, so it was for our daughter," he explained in an interview, referencing his and Beyoncé's literary favorites. The 13th Century Persian poet Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi is still famous today for his beautiful poems about love and his lyrical verses, ABC News Reports.
Beyoncé dressing up with her twins for Halloween
Sir, on the other hand, is a little more self explanatory. "Sir was like, man, come out the gate. He carries himself like that. He just came out, like, Sir," the father of three said. He noted that he and his wife didn't select the name till after he was born and witnessed his natural character. Sounds like his dad
What a beautiful family! I can't wait to see what the young Carters get up to next. And I'll be listening closely to that album when it drops...
