Jay-Z reacts to backlash over daughter Blue Ivy on Beyoncé’s tour run

Jay-Z is setting the record straight about his daughter Blue Ivy Carter, pushing back on claims that her rise as a backup dancer was effortless.

During his latest media talk, the rapper opened up about the 14-year-old’s dedication while performing alongside her mother, Beyoncé, on the Renaissance and Cowboy Carter tours.

In a rare sit-down with GQ, he reflected on her early performances, saying, “On the first tour there was a lot of conversation around her first performance, and she worked really hard to get to that point, but she still wasn’t going for it. She still was going through the motions.”

He continued, “And then she just started fighting back. I saw her fight maybe for the first time in her life – like, not everything is just given to her and everything is easy. She fought for it.”

The music icon also shared that he remained mindful of her presence on stage, adding, “She's almost on every number. I had to take her off some, like, ‘Man, you can’t be on that stage when [Beyonce's] singing "Six-inch heels…"; are you crazy?’”

Beyond dance, he praised her natural musical ability, saying, “But she has perfect pitch. If she hears a song, she’ll be like, ‘Play it again,’ and then she’ll teach herself. That’s just talent, she doesn’t work at that.”

Moreover, Jay-Z emphasized her effort, noting, “She worked at this, and it makes me proud that she fought for something that she really wanted to do.”