When it comes to the dangers of social media use, Jay-Z knows better than anyone considering the rapper and entertainment mogul has been the subject of a number of scandals that have been heavily discussed on social media. Oftentimes, the best way to handle it is refraining from joining in or trying to combat the chaos. It seems like his mother-in-law, Tina Knowles, doesn’t always follow that course of action herself, despite Jay-Z’s frequent reminders about the harm social media can cause.
Tina Knowles recently was a guest on the Vogue podcast, The Run-Through, where she revealed that sometimes the noise and hateful comments on social media towards her family gets to her. Her daughter, Beyoncé, has been in a high-profile relationship with Jay-Z for decades, and they have often been the subject of media scrutiny and rumors. While her family has advised her to stay off of social media and ignore negative rhetoric, Knowles admitted that she often has the urge to defend and protect her family on the internet. She said (via People):
I'm a protector of my kids, and I just feel like that's my job. And, you know, my kids are always like, ‘Mama, just ignore that.’ But it gets to the point where I'm just like, ‘I'm sorry. This is enough. It's enough.’ You know? Because imagine being a mother and somebody's lying on your kid. It's hard to watch. … I know that (the phone) doesn't understand what I'm saying, and it's got crazy stuff. And my son-in-law, Jay will say, ‘Listen, if you're gonna read somebody, at least spell your words right. Don't misspell your words, Ma. You can't do that. Take your time and go over and spellcheck your stuff!’ … I don’t have time for that.
This advice was probably given due to the numerous times Knowles has come to her family’s defense in the past. She defended Beyoncé on social media when people claimed the pop star was trying to lighten her skin on the red carpet. She also recently called out people on Instagram who had anything negative to say about her daughter’s Christmas Day Halftime performance that streamed on Netflix. Clearly, Knowles is fiercely supportive, and doesn’t take lightly to people coming after the people she loves.
Even though Knowles is there to fiercely fight for her family, the media scrutiny and social media comments likely won’t let up anytime soon. Jay-Z has come under fire recently due to alleged involvement with P Diddy and illegal activities that occurred during parties at his residence. Jay-Z has denied any wrongdoing, however this hasn’t stopped social media from reacting strongly to the allegations. Also, his involvement with other controversial artists like Kanye West continue to receive criticism, and his marriage to Beyoncé and allegations of infidelity continue to plague his public image.
Nevertheless, Jay-Z and Beyoncé continue to stand by each other and the family they have built together. It seems like Bey’s mother is also loyal to her son-and-law, and probably wants to publicly defend him even more than she already has. The instinct to protect your family is understandable, but sometimes adding to the social media chatter causes more harm than good. Maybe it’s best for Tina Knowles to take Jay-Z’s advice on this one, especially considering current circumstances.
Even in the midst of controversy, Jay-Z and Beyoncé show a united front personally and professionally. You can see him in Beyoncé’s directorial feat, Homecoming, which is currently streaming now with a Netflix subscription. For more information on other projects streaming on the platform, make sure to check out our feature on the best films available on Netflix now.
