The age difference between Jay-Z and Bey has people wondering if this is a case of grooming.

If it feels like Beyoncé and Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) have been together forever, it’s because, well, they practically have. Beyoncé, who turned 43 in September 2024, has been with Jay-Z since she was 19, marking a 24-year relationship.

Born on Sept. 4, 1981, it’s wild to think that before Beyoncé’s solo music career really took off (Destiny’s Child was already making waves), she was already dating the man who would become her husband and the father of her children.

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While their relationship blossomed into marriage and kids, making them the picture-perfect Hollywood couple, the recent news of a civil lawsuit against Jay-Z — who called the legal action “idiotic” in a statement to NBC News — has brought their age gap into the spotlight. So, what’s the deal? How much older is Jay-Z than Beyoncé?

Jay-Z is 12 years older than Beyoncé. He was born on Dec. 4, 1969, and is 55 years old. As previously mentioned, Beyoncé was born in September 1981. A 12-year age gap might not raise many eyebrows today. After all, people in their thirties and forties often date outside their age range. But considering Beyoncé was just 18 when they met and 19 when they started dating, it’s hard not to wonder if there’s more to their relationship than what we see on the surface.