Jay-Z is opening up about his daughter Blue Ivy Carter and her standout performances on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour—offering rare insight into her work ethic amid ongoing nepotism criticism.
Taking a trip down memory lane, Blue Ivy made a major impression during the Cowboy Carter era (including the 2023 and 2025 tour runs), where she appeared as a lead dancer and featured performer. Throughout the shows, she wore several custom, high-fashion looks styled by Shiona Turini and others, blending Western-inspired elements—like fringe and rhinestones—with nods to Beyoncé’s past iconic styles.
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Jay-Z Says Blue Ivy Worked Hard To Perform Next To Beyonce During Cowboy Carter Tour
One standout moment came during “America Has a Problem,” when the mother-daughter duo twinned in newspaper-print ensembles. Blue’s version featured wide-leg pants, a strappy corset top, and matching opera gloves, cementing her presence as both a performer and a fashion standout.
Still, her appearances quickly sparked debate online, with some critics attributing her role onstage to privilege as Beyoncé’s daughter. But the rapper, who has been in a few controversies lately, is setting the record straight, emphasizing that Blue earned her place.
“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 recalled during a new interview with GQ.
“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 proud dad also revealed he was mindful of what moments were appropriate for her onstage.
“She's almost on every number. I had to take her off some, like, ‘Man, you can’t be on that stage when [Beyoncé's] singing "Six-inch heels…"; are you crazy?’” he added.
Jay-Z Opens Up About Fatherhood
Watching her evolution has been especially meaningful. Jay-Z described her growth as “amazing,” and shared that his daugher's talents extend far beyond dancing.
He revealed that Blue is “a crazy pianist,” though she prefers to stay self-taught. “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,” he said.
When it comes to performing, however, he made it clear her success didn’t come easy. “She worked at this, and it makes me proud that she fought for something that she really wanted to do. I don’t think we’re going to be able to get her off that stage now.”
Jay-Z shares three children with Beyoncé—Blue Ivy, born in 2012, and twins Rumi and Sir, born in 2017—and he also reflected on how fatherhood has reshaped his priorities.
“It gives everything meaning, everything. I’ll go cross-country, do what I have to do, and I’m back on the plane that night,” he said, adding, “I love taking them to school. I love picking them up.”
