Money, Motivation and Store

Damon Anthony Dash (born May 3, 1971) is an American entrepreneur and record executive.[4] Dash is best known as co-founder of Roc-A-Fella along with Jay-Z and Kareem Burke.[5] Early life Born in New York City, Dash swept the floors of a local barbershop and sold newspapers in order to buy sneakers and shirts as a teenager. Dash "learned to hustle", in his own words, from the example of his mother, who died of an asthma attack when he was 15.[6] The same year, Dash was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.[7] "Before I was diagnosed... I went about a month or two just going to the bathroom non-stop and losing weight," Dash recalled. "Magic Johnson had just been diagnosed with AIDS, so that's what I thought I had. I was scared to even go to the doctor. I thought I was going to die."[7] Career Dash served as Jay-Z's manager and business partner at Roc-A-Fella Records, and in 1999, he organized a tour for Jay-Z which made $19 million.[8] Their relationship soured as a result of two subsequent events. The first was when Roc-A-Fella Records was purchased by Def Jam Recordings (which had previously only owned half of the company) in 2004, after which Jay-Z agreed to take a job as Def Jam's president. Then, in late 2005, Jay-Z bought Dash out of his stake in Rocawear.[9] In April 2014, it was announced that Dash is involved with Blind Debit, a fingerprint payment application being developed by Dez White.[10] Dash founded DD172, a media collective which encompasses: America Nu, a magazine; VNGRD79, a web design firm; BluRoc Records, a record label division.[11] It also includes an art gallery.[12] Personal life Dash met R&B singer Aaliyah in New York City in the summer of 2000 through his accountant,[13][14] and dated her until her death on August 25, 2001, in a plane crash in The Bahamas.[15] Though they were not formally engaged, in interviews given after Aaliyah's death, Dash stated that the couple had planned to marry.[16] In 2005, Dash married fashion designer Rachel Roy, whom he had dated prior to his relationship with Aaliyah. They met when she was working as an intern at Rocawear. Together they have two daughters, Ava Dash (born December 7, 1999) and Tallulah Dash (born May 14, 2008).[17] Following their divorce in 2009, they had a bitter custody battle.[18] Dash has a son, Dame "Boogie" Dash (born November 28, 1991), with former girlfriend Linda Williams.[17] Boogie stars in the reality television show Growing Up Hip Hop.[19] He also has another son, Lucky, born in 2004 with Cindy Morales.[17][20] Dash and his fiancée Raquel Horn have a son, Dusko Dash, born on November 14, 2020.[21] Legal issues In 2012, rapper Curren$y sued Dash for $1.5 million for releasing his music without permission.[22] Dash's attorney released a statement that Dash released the music on fair grounds.[23] In 2014, Dash was ordered to pay Linda Williams, the mother of his son Boogie, $50,000 for causing her to be prosecuted on harassment charges in 2009.[24] In April 2015, Dash's ex-wife, Rachel Roy, accused him of domestic abuse and filed for a restraining order.[18] Roy was awarded sole custody of their daughters. The court granted Roy and her daughters with a three-year restraining order against Dash.[25] Days later, Dash filed a $2.5 million claim against Roy in asserted damage for allegedly mishandling their joint fashion business, Royale Etenia.[26] In 2018, Dash settled a suit he filed against director Lee Daniels requesting $5 million to recoup a $2 million investment with interest.[27] Lee had received financial support from Dash early in his career, and reportedly failed to repay him despite his subsequent success.[28] In November 2019, Dash was arrested for failing to pay more than $400,000 in child support. Dash was in New York City for an unrelated Federal Court appearance when he was arrested for two warrants. The first warrant was issued in April 2015 in the Supreme Court in New York County case of Cindy Morales; he owed $62,553 since 2012.[29] The second warrant was issued in March 2019 in the Bronx Family Court case of Rachel Roy. He was ordered to pay her $341,991 and $25,000 for attorney fees in 2015.[30][29] Dash reportedly paid more than $1 million to be released

Damon Anthony Dash (born May 3, 1971) is an American entrepreneur and record executive.[4] Dash is best known as co-founder of Roc-A-Fella along with Jay-Z and Kareem Burke.[5] Early life Born in New York City, Dash swept the floors of a local barbershop and sold newspapers in order to buy sneakers and shirts as a teenager. Dash "learned to hustle", in his own words, from the example of his mother, who died of an asthma attack when he was 15.[6] The same year, Dash was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.[7] "Before I was diagnosed... I went about a month or two just going to the bathroom non-stop and losing weight," Dash recalled. "Magic Johnson had just been diagnosed with AIDS, so that's what I thought I had. I was scared to even go to the doctor. I thought I was going to die."[7] Career Dash served as Jay-Z's manager and business partner at Roc-A-Fella Records, and in 1999, he organized a tour for Jay-Z which made $19 million.[8] Their relationship soured as a result of two subsequent events. The first was when Roc-A-Fella Records was purchased by Def Jam Recordings (which had previously only owned half of the company) in 2004, after which Jay-Z agreed to take a job as Def Jam's president. Then, in late 2005, Jay-Z bought Dash out of his stake in Rocawear.[9] In April 2014, it was announced that Dash is involved with Blind Debit, a fingerprint payment application being developed by Dez White.[10] Dash founded DD172, a media collective which encompasses: America Nu, a magazine; VNGRD79, a web design firm; BluRoc Records, a record label division.[11] It also includes an art gallery.[12] Personal life Dash met R&B singer Aaliyah in New York City in the summer of 2000 through his accountant,[13][14] and dated her until her death on August 25, 2001, in a plane crash in The Bahamas.[15] Though they were not formally engaged, in interviews given after Aaliyah's death, Dash stated that the couple had planned to marry.[16] In 2005, Dash married fashion designer Rachel Roy, whom he had dated prior to his relationship with Aaliyah. They met when she was working as an intern at Rocawear. Together they have two daughters, Ava Dash (born December 7, 1999) and Tallulah Dash (born May 14, 2008).[17] Following their divorce in 2009, they had a bitter custody battle.[18] Dash has a son, Dame "Boogie" Dash (born November 28, 1991), with former girlfriend Linda Williams.[17] Boogie stars in the reality television show Growing Up Hip Hop.[19] He also has another son, Lucky, born in 2004 with Cindy Morales.[17][20] Dash and his fiancée Raquel Horn have a son, Dusko Dash, born on November 14, 2020.[21] Legal issues In 2012, rapper Curren$y sued Dash for $1.5 million for releasing his music without permission.[22] Dash's attorney released a statement that Dash released the music on fair grounds.[23] In 2014, Dash was ordered to pay Linda Williams, the mother of his son Boogie, $50,000 for causing her to be prosecuted on harassment charges in 2009.[24] In April 2015, Dash's ex-wife, Rachel Roy, accused him of domestic abuse and filed for a restraining order.[18] Roy was awarded sole custody of their daughters. The court granted Roy and her daughters with a three-year restraining order against Dash.[25] Days later, Dash filed a $2.5 million claim against Roy in asserted damage for allegedly mishandling their joint fashion business, Royale Etenia.[26] In 2018, Dash settled a suit he filed against director Lee Daniels requesting $5 million to recoup a $2 million investment with interest.[27] Lee had received financial support from Dash early in his career, and reportedly failed to repay him despite his subsequent success.[28] In November 2019, Dash was arrested for failing to pay more than $400,000 in child support. Dash was in New York City for an unrelated Federal Court appearance when he was arrested for two warrants. The first warrant was issued in April 2015 in the Supreme Court in New York County case of Cindy Morales; he owed $62,553 since 2012.[29] The second warrant was issued in March 2019 in the Bronx Family Court case of Rachel Roy. He was ordered to pay her $341,991 and $25,000 for attorney fees in 2015.[30][29] Dash reportedly paid more than $1 million to be released.

Damon Anthony Dash (born May 3, 1971) is an American entrepreneur and record executive.[4] Dash is best known as co-founder of Roc-A-Fella along with Jay-Z and Kareem Burke.[5] Early life Born in New York City, Dash swept the floors of a local barbershop and sold newspapers in order to buy sneakers and shirts as a teenager. Dash "learned to hustle", in his own words, from the example of his mother, who died of an asthma attack when he was 15.[6] The same year, Dash was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.[7] "Before I was diagnosed... I went about a month or two just going to the bathroom non-stop and losing weight," Dash recalled. "Magic Johnson had just been diagnosed with AIDS, so that's what I thought I had. I was scared to even go to the doctor. I thought I was going to die."[7] Career Dash served as Jay-Z's manager and business partner at Roc-A-Fella Records, and in 1999, he organized a tour for Jay-Z which made $19 million.[8] Their relationship soured as a result of two subsequent events. The first was when Roc-A-Fella Records was purchased by Def Jam Recordings (which had previously only owned half of the company) in 2004, after which Jay-Z agreed to take a job as Def Jam's president. Then, in late 2005, Jay-Z bought Dash out of his stake in Rocawear.[9] In April 2014, it was announced that Dash is involved with Blind Debit, a fingerprint payment application being developed by Dez White.[10] Dash founded DD172, a media collective which encompasses: America Nu, a magazine; VNGRD79, a web design firm; BluRoc Records, a record label division.[11] It also includes an art gallery.[12] Personal life Dash met R&B singer Aaliyah in New York City in the summer of 2000 through his accountant,[13][14] and dated her until her death on August 25, 2001, in a plane crash in The Bahamas.[15] Though they were not formally engaged, in interviews given after Aaliyah's death, Dash stated that the couple had planned to marry.[16] In 2005, Dash married fashion designer Rachel Roy, whom he had dated prior to his relationship with Aaliyah. They met when she was working as an intern at Rocawear. Together they have two daughters, Ava Dash (born December 7, 1999) and Tallulah Dash (born May 14, 2008).[17] Following their divorce in 2009, they had a bitter custody battle.[18] Dash has a son, Dame "Boogie" Dash (born November 28, 1991), with former girlfriend Linda Williams.[17] Boogie stars in the reality television show Growing Up Hip Hop.[19] He also has another son, Lucky, born in 2004 with Cindy Morales.[17][20] Dash and his fiancée Raquel Horn have a son, Dusko Dash, born on November 14, 2020 kid kids girl girls boy boys youth

Drake and other celebrities in one big collaboration. Aubrey Drake Graham (/ɔːˈbriː/ aw-BREE; born October 24, 1986), known professionally as Drake, is a Canadian rapper and singer. An influential figure in contemporary popular music, Drake has been credited with popularizing singing and R&B sensibilities in hip hop artists. Gaining recognition by starring as Jimmy Brooks in the CTV teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–08), he pursued a recording career in 2006, releasing his debut mixtape Room for Improvement in February of that year. He followed up with the mixtapes Comeback Season (2007) and So Far Gone (2009) before signing with Young Money Entertainment.[4] Each of Drake's albums have topped the US Billboard 200 and Canadian Albums Chart; his first three, Thank Me Later (2010), Take Care (2011) and Nothing Was the Same (2013) were met with critical and commercial success, propelling him to the forefront of hip hop.[5] His fourth album, Views (2016), saw exploration of dancehall and stood atop the Billboard 200 for 13 non-consecutive weeks—making it the first album by a male artist to do so in over a decade—and featured the international hit singles "Hotline Bling" and "One Dance" (featuring WizKid and Kyla); the latter has been credited with helping the popularization of the dancehall and Afrobeats genres in contemporary pop music.[6][7] In 2018, Drake released the double album Scorpion, which contained the US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "God's Plan", "Nice for What", and "In My Feelings".[8] Drake's sixth album, Certified Lover Boy (2021), achieved nine top 10 hits on the Hot 100, briefly setting the record for most US top-ten hits from one album, with its lead single "Way 2 Sexy" (featuring Future and Young Thug) reaching number one.[9] In 2022, Drake released the house-inspired album Honestly, Nevermind and the collaborative album, Her Loss, with 21 Savage. His eighth album, For All the Dogs (2023) yielded the number-one singles "Slime You Out" (featuring SZA) and "First Person Shooter" (featuring J. Cole), with which he tied Michael Jackson for the most number-one singles by a male solo artist.[10] Known for frequent accompanying releases to his albums, Drake achieved critical and commercial success with the mixtapes If You're Reading This It's Too Late (2015) and More Life (2017). As an entrepreneur, Drake founded the OVO Sound record label with longtime collaborator 40 in 2012. In 2013, Drake became the "global ambassador" of the Toronto Raptors, joining their executive committee and later obtaining naming rights to their practice facility OVO Athletic Centre. In 2016, he began collaborating with Brent Hocking on the bourbon whiskey Virginia Black.[11] Drake heads the OVO fashion label and the Nocta collaboration with Nike, and founded the production company DreamCrew and the fragrance house Better World. In 2018, Drake was reportedly responsible for 5 percent (CAD$440 million) of Toronto's CAD$8.8 billion annual tourism income.[12] In 2022, he obtained partial ownership of Italian soccer club A.C. Milan. Among the world's best-selling music artists, with over 170 million records sold, Drake is ranked as the highest-certified digital singles artist in the United States by the RIAA.[13] He has won five Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, a record 34 Billboard Music Awards, two Brit Awards, and three Juno Awards. Drake has achieved 13 number-one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (14 counting "Sicko Mode") and holds further Hot 100 records, including the most top 10 singles (76), and the most charted songs (321),[14] From 2018 to 2023, he held the record for the most simultaneously charted songs in one week (27), the most Hot 100 debuts in one week (22);[15] and held the most continuous time on the Hot 100 (431 weeks).[a] He additionally has the most number-one singles on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Rap Songs, and Rhythmic Airplay charts. Early life For high school, Drake attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (left) and Vaughan Road Academy (right). Aubrey Drake Graham[16] was born on October 24, 1986, in Toronto, Ontario. His father, Dennis Graham, is an African-American drummer from Memphis who once performed with musician Jerry Lee Lewis.[17][18] His mother, Sandra "Sandi" Graham (née Sher), is a Canadian Ashkenazi Jew, who worked as an English teacher and florist.[19][20][21][22][23] Graham performed at Club Bluenote in Toronto, where he met Sandra, who was in attendance.[18] Drake is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, the former derived from Graham.[24][25][26] In his youth, he attended a Jewish day school and became a bar mitzvah.[27][28] Drake's parents divorced when he was five years old. After the divorce, he and his mother remained in Toronto; his father returned to Memphis, where he was incarcerated for a number of years on drug-related charges.[29] Graham's limited finances and legal issues caused him to remain in the U.S. until Drake's early adulthood. Prior to his arrest, Graham would travel to Toronto and bring Drake to Memphis every summer.[30][31][32] Graham claimed in an interview that Drake's assertions of him being an absent father were embellishments used to sell music,[33] which Drake vehemently denies.[34] Drake was raised in two neighbourhoods. He lived on Weston Road in Toronto's working-class west end until grade six and attended Weston Memorial Junior Public School until grade four, playing minor hockey with the Weston Red Wings.[31][35] Drake was a promising right winger, reaching the Upper Canada College hockey camp, but left at the behest of his mother following a vicious cross-check to his neck during a game by an opposing player.[36] He moved to one of the city's affluent neighbourhoods, Forest Hill, in 2000.[37][38] When asked about the move, Drake replied, "[We had] a half of a house we could live in. The other people had the top half, we had the bottom half. I lived in the basement, my mom lived on the first floor. It was not big, it was not luxurious. It was what we could afford."[39] Demonstrating an affinity for the arts, at age 10, Drake appeared in a comedic sketch which aired during the 1997 NHL Awards, featuring a riff of Martin Brodeur and Ron Hextall and their record as being the only goalies to have scored multiple goals.[40] He attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute for high school,[41] and attended Vaughan Road Academy in Toronto's multicultural Oakwood–Vaughan neighbourhood; Drake described Vaughan Road Academy as "not by any means the easiest school to go to."[31] During his teenage years, Drake worked at a now-closed Toronto furniture factory owned by his maternal grandfather, Reuben Sher.[42] Drake said he was bullied at school for his racial and religious background,[43] and upon determining that his class schedule was detrimental to his burgeoning acting career, he dropped out of school.[44] Drake received his high school diploma in October 2012.[45] Career 2001–2009: Career beginnings Degrassi: The Next Generation At the age of 15, Drake, eager to begin his career as an actor, was introduced to a high school friend's father, an acting agent. The agent found Drake a role on the Canadian teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation, the fourth installment of the television franchise Degrassi and a continuation of the 1980s series Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. In Degrassi: The Next Generation, Drake portrayed Jimmy Brooks,[46] a basketball star who became physically disabled after he was shot by a classmate. Drake reportedly disliked this character arc because of its apparent tokenism (his was one of the only black characters in the series), and believed it could negatively influence his standing as a rapper. Madeleine Robinson, the executive director of the Californian non-profit organization Wheelchair 4 Kids, praised the storyline and Drake's performance, noting "he instilled confidence and representation" to disabled youth.[47] When asked about his early acting career, Drake replied, "My mother was very sick. We were very poor, like broke. The only money I had coming in was [from] Canadian TV."[31] According to showrunners Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn, Drake regularly arrived late on set after spending nights recording music. To prevent this, Schuyler claimed Drake struck an agreement with the set's security guards to gain entry to the set after recording to be allowed to sleep in a dressing room.[48] Early mixtapes and So Far Gone Main article: So Far Gone (mixtape) Lil Wayne, the founder of Young Money Entertainment, signed Drake to the label in 2009.[49] Being musically inspired by Jay-Z and Clipse, Drake self-released his debut mixtape, Room for Improvement, in 2006. The mixtape featured Trey Songz and Lupe Fiasco and included production from Boi-1da and Frank Dukes. When asked about the mixtape, Drake described the project as "pretty straightforward, radio friendly, [and] not much content to it." Room for Improvement was released for sale only and sold roughly 6,000 copies,[46] for which Drake received $304.04 in royalties.[50] He performed his first concert on August 19, 2006, at the Kool Haus nightclub as an opening act for Ice Cube, performing for half an hour and earning $100.[51] In 2007, Drake released his second mixtape Comeback Season. Released from his recently founded October's Very Own label, it spawned the single "Replacement Girl" featuring Trey Songz. The song made Drake become the first unsigned Canadian rapper to have his music video on BET, with "Replacement Girl" featured on their "New Joint of the Day" segment in April 2007.[52] The song saw Drake sample "Man of the Year" by Brisco, Flo Rida and Lil Wayne, retaining Lil Wayne's verse, and adjoined his own to the song's earlier half. This caused Jas Prince to gift Lil Wayne the song, which prompted the rapper to invite Drake to Houston to join his Tha Carter III tour.[53] Throughout the duration of the tour, Drake and Lil Wayne recorded multiple songs together, including "Ransom", "Forever", and a remix to "Brand New".[53] In 2009, Drake released his third mixtape So Far Gone. It was made available for free download through his OVO blog website, and featured Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Omarion, Lloyd, and Bun B. It received over 2,000 downloads in the first 2 hours of release, finding mainstream commercial success from the singles "Best I Ever Had" and "Successful", both gaining Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with the former also peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.[54] This prompted the mixtape's re-release as an EP, featuring four songs from the original, as well as the additions of the songs "I'm Goin' In" and "Fear". It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, and won the Rap Recording of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards.[55] Due to the success of the mixtape,[56] Drake was the subject of a bidding war from various labels, often reported as "one of the biggest bidding wars ever".[57] Despite this, Drake was rumoured to have secured a recording contract with Young Money Entertainment on June 29, 2009.[58] This was later confirmed following a planned lawsuit from Young Money, in conjunction with Drake, against an unauthorized fake album titled The Girls Love Drake released on iTunes.[59][vague] Drake joined the rest of the label's roster on the America's Most Wanted Tour in July 2009.[60] However, during a performance of "Best I Ever Had" in Camden, New Jersey, Drake fell on stage and tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.[61] He underwent surgery later that year. 2010–2012: Musical breakthrough with Thank Me Later and Take Care Main articles: Thank Me Later and Take Care (album) Drake at Bumbershoot in 2010 Drake planned to release his debut album, Thank Me Later, in late 2008, but the album's release date was postponed, first to March 2010,[62] and then to May 25, 2010.[63] Young Money and Universal Motown had released a statement that the album had again been pushed back three weeks for a June 15, 2010, release.[62][64] On March 9, 2010, Drake released the lead single "Over",[65] which peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as topping the Rap Songs chart. It received a nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards.[66] His second single, "Find Your Love", became a bigger success. It peaked at number five on the Hot 100, and was certified 3× Multi-Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[67] The music video for the single was shot in Kingston, Jamaica, and was criticized by Jamaica's minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett. Bartlett condemned the portrayal of the island in the video, saying, "care has to be taken by all, including our creative artists, in [showcasing] images of our destination and people. Gun culture, while not unique to Jamaica, is not enhancing [the island's image]."[68] The third single and fourth singles, "Miss Me" and "Fancy" respectively,[69] attained moderate commercial success; however, the latter garnered Drake his second nomination at the 53rd Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.[70] On April 29, it was reportedly announced that Drake had finished Thank Me Later during a show in Kansas City, Missouri.[71] Thank Me Later was released on June 15, 2010,[72] debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 with sales of over 447,000 copies in its first week.[73] Upon the album's release, 25,000 fans gathered at New York City's South Street Seaport for a free concert hosted by Drake and Hanson, which was later cancelled by the police after a near-riot ensued due to overflowing crowds.[74] The album became the top selling debut album for any artist in 2010 and had the highest sales week for any debut album in the 2010s[75] and featured Lil Wayne, Kanye West,[76] and Jay Z.[77] It was announced that Drake would have a prominent role in the military science fiction video game Gears of War 3. He was scheduled to play the role of Jace Stratton, but scheduling conflicts with his upcoming Away from Home Tour[78] prevented him from accepting the role.[79] He began the tour on September 20, 2010, in Miami, Florida, performing at 78 shows over four different legs.[80] It concluded in Las Vegas in November 2010.[81] Due to the success of the Away from Home Tour, Drake hosted the first OVO Festival in 2010. It became a regular event during the summer, with the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto playing host to the festival on its annual cycle. Drake had an eco-friendly college tour to support the album, beginning with Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. It concluded in Plymouth, New Hampshire, on May 8, and he performed at The Bamboozle on May 1.[78][82] Beginning his second effort in fall 2010,[83] Drake announced his intentions to allow Noah "40" Shebib to handle most of the production and record a more cohesive sound than on Thank Me Later, which featured disparate production duties by Shebib and others.[84] In November 2010, Drake revealed the title of his next studio album will be Take Care.[83] In comparison to his debut album, Drake revealed to Y.C Radio 1 that Thank Me Later was a rushed album, stating, "I didn't get to take the time that I wanted to on that record. I rushed a lot of the songs and sonically I didn't get to sit with the record and say, 'I should change this verse.' Once it was done, it was done. That's why my new album is called Take Care, because I get to take my time this go-round."[85] Drake sought to expand on the low-tempo, sensuous, and dark sonic esthetic of Thank Me Later.[86][87] Primarily a hip hop album, Drake also attempted to incorporate R&B and pop to create a languid, grandiose sound.[88] Drake performing with Bun B in 2011 In January 2011, Drake was in negotiations to join Eva Green and Susan Sarandon as a member of the cast in Nicholas Jarecki's Arbitrage,[89] before ultimately deciding against starring in the movie to focus on the album. "Dreams Money Can Buy"[90] and "Marvins Room"[86] were released on Drake's October's Very Own Blog, on May 20 and June 9, respectively. Acting as promotional singles for Take Care, the former was eventually unincluded on the album's final track listing, while "Marvins Room" gained 3× Multi-Platinum certification by the RIAA,[91] as well as peaking at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100,[92] and reaching the top 10 of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[93] coupled with extensive play on contemporary urban radio.[94] Drake would soon release the song's music video on June 28.[95] "Headlines" was released on August 9 as the lead single for Take Care. It was met with positive critical and commercial response, reaching number thirteen on the Hot 100, as well as becoming his tenth single to reach the summit of the Billboard Hot Rap Songs, making Drake the artist with the most number-one singles on the chart, with 12.[96] It was eventually certified 4× Multi-Platinum in the United States and Platinum in Canada.[97] The music video for the single was released on October 2, and foresaw Drake performing the song during the second intermission of the 59th National Hockey League All-Star Game in January 2012.[98] "Make Me Proud" was released as the album's second single on October 16.[99] It was the final single to be released prior to the launch of the album, and debuted at number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100.[92] The song reached number nine the following week, tying the record for the largest jump on the Billboard Hot 100 for a male artist, with 88.[100] "Make Me Proud" soon became Drake's fourth consecutive single to receive Platinum certification by the RIAA.[101] Prior to the album's release, Drake planned to record a collaborative album with Lil Wayne; however, it was ultimately scrapped due to the success of Watch the Throne.[102][103][104] He also began collaborations with Rick Ross for a mixtape titled Y.O.L.O., but the duo decided against the project in favor of increased concern for their respective studio albums.[105][106] Although in 2021, Ross stated that a joint album is still possible as they've casually discussed it.[107] Drake during a performance in Toronto in 2011 Take Care was released on November 15, 2011, and received generally positive reviews from music critics.[108] John McDonnell of NME dubbed it "an affecting masterpiece" and commended its "delicate, mellifluous sound and unashamedly candid, emotive lyrics."[109] Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal found Drake's "technical abilities" to be improved and stated, "Just as his thematic concerns have become richer, so has the music backing them up."[110] Andy Hutchins of The Village Voice called it "a carefully crafted bundle of contradictory sentiments from a conflicted rapper who explores his own neuroses in as compelling a manner as anyone not named Kanye West."[111] Chicago Tribune writer Greg Kot complimented the depth of Drake's "moral psychodramas" and stated, "the best of it affirms that Drake is shaping a pop persona with staying power."[112] It also won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, and achieved great commercial success, eventually being certified six times platinum by the RIAA in 2019, with sales for the album marking 2.6 million in the U.S.[113] The album's third and fourth singles, "The Motto" and Take Care", were released on November 29, 2011[114] and February 21, 2012, respectively.[115] Each song was subject to commercial success, while also having large societal impacts, with "The Motto" credited for popularizing the phrase "YOLO" in the United States.[116][117] The music video for "Take Care" saw widespread acclaim, with MTV stating, "None of his contemporaries – not even the ever-obtuse Kanye [West] – make videos like this, mostly because no one else can get away with it."[118] The video received four nominations at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Male Video, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Video of the Year.[119] The song was also featured on the channel's "Pop Songs You Must Hear" list of 2011.[120] "HYFR" was the final single to be released from the album, and became certified 2× Multi-Platinum.[121][122] It also won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Hip-Hop Video in 2012,[28][123] and the channel ranked him number two on their "Hottest MCs in the Game" list.[124] On August 5, 2012, Drake released "Enough Said", performed by American recording artist Aaliyah featuring additional vocals provided by himself.[125] Originally recorded prior to the singer's death in a plane crash in 2001, Drake later finished the track with producer "40". "Enough Said" was released by Blackground Records through their SoundCloud account on August 5, 2012.[126] It was sent to US urban and rhythmic radio stations on August 21.[127] The song charted at number 55 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. In promotion of his second album, Drake embarked on the worldwide Club Paradise Tour. It became the most successful hip hop tour of 2012, grossing over $42 million.[128] He then returned to acting, starring in Ice Age: Continental Drift as Ethan.[129] 2013–2015: Nothing Was the Same and If You're Reading This It's Too Late Main articles: Nothing Was the Same and If You're Reading This It's Too Late During the European leg of the Club Paradise Tour, Drake spoke in an interview stating that he had begun working on his third studio album. Revealing his intentions to remain with 40 as the album's executive producer, Drake spoke fondly about Jamie xx, hoping to include and expand the British producer's influence over his next album.[130] Drake had also revealed that the album would stylistically differ from Take Care, departing from the ambient production and despondent lyrics prevalent previously.[131] In January 2013, Drake announced that he would release the first single off his third album at the end of the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.[132][133] Despite an initial delay, it was released in the wake of his win for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the event, and it foresaw Drake announcing Nothing Was the Same as the title of his third album.[134] The album's second single, "Hold On, We're Going Home", was released in August 2013, becoming the most successful single off the album, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[135] and being certified 6× Multi-Platinum by the RIAA in 2018[136] Drake sought inspiration from the 1980s television series Miami Vice during the composition of the song's music video, incorporating the dramatic elements seen in the show en route to winning his second MTV Video Music Award in 2014 for the video.[137][138][139] Drake appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing the album's third single, "Too Much", alongside featured artist Sampha.[140] Nothing Was the Same was released on September 24, 2013, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200, with 658,000 copies sold in its first week of release.[141] The album debuted atop the charts in Canada, Denmark, Australia and the United Kingdom. The album also enjoyed generally favourable reviews by contemporary music critics, commending the musical shift in terms of the tone and subject matter, comparing it to the distinct change showcased in Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak.[142] The album was also reported to have sold over 1,720,000 copies in the United States, and was further promoted by the "Would You like a Tour?" throughout late 2013 to early 2014.[143] It became the 22nd-most successful tour of the year, grossing an estimated $46 million.[144] Drake then returned to acting in January 2014, hosting Saturday Night Live, as well as serving as the musical guest. His versatility, acting ability and comedic timing were all praised by critics, describing it as what "kept him afloat during the tough and murky SNL waters".[145][146][147] Drake also performed in Dubai, being one of the only artists ever to perform in the city.[148] In late 2014, Drake announced that he began recording sessions for his fourth studio album.[149] In 2014, Drake performed in Spanish as a featured artist on the Romeo Santos song "Odio". He also appeared on a remix of "Tuesday" by ILoveMakonnen, which peaked at number one on Billboard's Rhythmic chart and number twelve on the "Hot 100", and released "0 to 100 / The Catch Up" as a non-album single. The latter went double platinum in the United States. On February 12, 2015, Drake released If You're Reading This It's Too Late onto iTunes with no prior announcement. Despite debate on whether it was an album[150] or a mixtape,[151] its commercial stance quantifies it as his fourth retail project with Cash Money Records, a scheme that was rumoured to allow Drake to leave the label.[152][153] However, he eventually remained with Cash Money, and If You're Reading This It's Too Late sold over 1 million units in 2015, making Drake the first artist with a platinum project in 2015, as well as his fourth overall.[113] 2015–2017: What a Time to Be Alive, Views, and More Life Main articles: What a Time to Be Alive, Views (album), and More Life On July 31, 2015, Drake released four singles: "Back to Back", "Charged Up", "Hotline Bling", and "Right Hand". On September 20, 2015, Drake released a collaborative mixtape with Future,[154][155] which was recorded in Atlanta in just under a week.[156] What a Time to Be Alive debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making Drake the first hip hop artist to have two projects reach number one in the same year since 2004.[157] It was later certified 2× multi platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales, streaming and track-sales equivalent of over 2 million units.[158] Drake also appeared on the cover of The Fader for their 100th issue.[159] Drake announced in January 2016 that his fourth studio album would be launched during the spring, releasing the promotional single "Summer Sixteen" later that month. The album was originally titled Views from the 6, but was later shortened to Views.[160] "Summer Sixteen" debuted at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, and proved controversial, with Drake comparing his standing in hip hop to more tenured artists. This move divided many contemporary music critics, describing his self-comparison as "goodly brash" or "conventionally disrespectful."[161][162][163] It was also interpreted as a diss track towards Tory Lanez, who was unhappy at Drake for popularizing the term "The Six" when referencing Toronto.[164][165] Drake soon released the album's lead singles, "Pop Style" and the dancehall-infused "One Dance", on April 5. Both debuted within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100;[166] however, the latter proved more commercially successful, with "One Dance" becoming Drake's first number-one single in Canada and the US as a leading artist.[167][168] The single also became Drake's first number one single as a lead artist in the United Kingdom, and peaked at number one in Germany, France, Australia, Brazil, Sweden, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands.[169][170] During an episode for OVO Sound Radio, Drake confirmed the album's release date of April 29, and followed it up with various promotional videos.[171] On October 15, "One Dance" became Spotify's most-streamed song ever, amassing over 882 million plays as of October 2016.[172] it also became the first song in history to hit 1 billion streams on spotify on December 16, 2016[173] Drake performing at the Summer Sixteen Tour in Toronto in 2016 Views was previewed in London before its premiere on Beats 1 a day later. It was released as an Apple Music and iTunes exclusive on April 29 before being made available to various other platforms later that week.[174][175] Views would become Drake's most commercially successful album, sitting atop the Billboard 200 for thirteen nonconsecutive weeks, as well as simultaneously leading the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 for eight weeks. It also achieved sextuple-platinum status in the U.S., and earned over 1 million album-equivalent units in the first week of its release, as well as gaining over half-billion overall streams of the album.[176][177][178] Despite its success, critical opinion towards the album remained much divided, drawing criticism for being overlong and lacking in a cohesive theme, while also claiming Drake was not challenging himself artistically, as opposed to his contemporaries.[179] He later released a short film titled Please Forgive Me, starring Swedish twin models Elizabeth and Victoria Lejonhjärta who are frequent collaborators with him.[180] As of 2019, Views remains Drake's best-selling album in pure sales.[181] Drake returned to host Saturday Night Live on May 14, serving as the show's musical guest.[182] Later, Drake was named as a member of the Forbes Five, which ranks the wealthiest artists in hip-hop, placing fifth after Birdman, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, and Diddy respectively.[183] Drake and Future then announced the Summer Sixteen Tour to showcase their collective mixtape, as well as their respective studio albums. This marked Drake's third co-headlining tour, which began in Austin, Texas, on July 20.[184][185][186] On July 23, Drake announced that he was working on a new project, scheduled to be released in early 2017,[187] and was later named as the headline act for the 2016 iHeartRadio Music Festival.[188] The latter dates of the Summer Sixteen Tour were postponed, however, due to Drake suffering an ankle injury.[189] According to Pollstar, the Summer Sixteen Tour was revealed to be the highest grossing hip-hop tour of all time, with gross of $84.3 million across 56 dates between July and October 2016. This dethroned the previous record of $75.6 million through 63 dates for the Watch the Throne Tour.[190] During the 2016 OVO Festival, Kanye West confirmed that he and Drake had begun working on a collaborative album.[191] Soon after, the music video for "Child's Play" was released, depicting Drake and Tyra Banks playing a couple encountering relationship issues at the Cheesecake Factory in a reference to one of the song's lyrics.[192] On September 26, Please Forgive Me was released as an Apple Music exclusive. It ran a total of 25 minutes, and featured music from Views.[193] At the 2016 BET Hip-Hop Awards, Drake received the most nominations, with 10,[194] winning the awards for Album of the Year and Best Hip-Hop Video.[195][196] Drake later announced the Boy Meets World Tour on October 10, with twenty-six dates announced for the course of the tour in Europe.[197] Seven additional dates were added a day later due to overwhelming demand.[198] Drake at the premiere of The Carter Effect at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival Soon after, during an episode of OVO Sound Radio, Drake confirmed he would be releasing a project titled More Life in December. However, he later pushed the date back to the new year. The project was described as a "playlist of original music", rather than being classified as a traditional mixtape or solo album.[199] He was later revealed to be Spotify's most streamed artist for the second consecutive year in 2016, amassing a total 4.7 billion streams for all projects on the service, which is more than double the amount of streams he had in 2015.[200] Drake later secured his second and third Grammy Awards, winning for Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song at the 59th ceremony.[201] Despite multiple setbacks, Drake announced More Life would be released on March 18, 2017, via a series of multiple video commercials released through Instagram.[202] Upon release, More Life received mostly positive reviews, and debuted atop the Billboard 200, earning 505,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[203] It also set a streaming record, becoming the highest ever streamed album in 24 hours, with a total of 89.9 million streams on Apple Music alone. The album also garnered 61.3 million streams on Spotify, dethroning Ed Sheeran's ÷ as the highest opening on the service in a single day.[204] He later won 13 awards at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards in May, which saw him breaking the record for the most wins in a single show.[205] Billboard also reported Drake had been present on the Hot 100 chart for eight consecutive years, and has the most recorded entries by a solo artist.[206] He later declined to submit More Life for consideration at the 2018 Grammy Awards, stemming from his displeasure at "Hotline Bling" being "pigeonholed" into the rap category.[207] He then released the single "Signs" on June 24, as well as reuniting with Metro Boomin on a single with Offset.[208][209] The singles marked his first releases since More Life, with "Signs" was initially released as a collaboration between Drake and French fashion house Louis Vuitton, as part of the "Louis Vuitton Men's Spring-Summer 2018" fashion show.[210] Drake hosted the first annual NBA Awards on June 26, and starred in multiple commercials alongside his father in promotion of Virginia Black.[211][212] Drake also appeared in The Carter Effect documentary, honouring the basketball career of Vince Carter, who was the first superstar player to play for the Toronto Raptors since the franchise's inception in 1995.[213] The documentary also featured NBA players Chris Bosh, Tracy McGrady, Steve Nash, and LeBron James. 2018–2019: Scorpion and Care Package; return to television Main articles: Scorpion (Drake album) and Care Package (album) After rumours circulated of Drake possibly collaborating with various artists, including rapper Trippie Redd and producer Pi'erre Bourne, for his new studio album, multiple snippets of songs were leaked near the closing end of 2017.[214][215][216] Two songs would later be released as members of a mini EP, titled Scary Hours, on January 20, 2018, marking Drake's first solo release since More Life, as well as his first appearance on any song after featuring on a remix of the Jay-Z song "Family Feud" with Lil Wayne, as the lead single of the latter's Dedication 6: Reloaded mixtape.[217] Scary Hours featured the songs "Diplomatic Immunity" and "God's Plan", which both debuted within the top-ten, with the latter eventually breaking various streaming records as it debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100.[218][219][220] The song was Drake's first song as a solo artist to reach number one, his second chart topper as a lead artist and fourth chart topper overall. it also became his first ever song to be certified Diamond by the RIAA[221] it is currently tied for the fourth highest certified digital single ever in the US[222] Drake earned his 70th top 40 entry after featuring on the Migos song "Walk It Talk It", which debuted at number eighteen, and peaked at number ten.[223] He was later featured on BlocBoy JB's debut single "Look Alive", which was released on February 9, 2018.[224] The song's entry at number six on the Hot 100 made Drake the rapper with the most top 10 hits on the Hot 100, with 23.[225] He then featured on a remix to "Lemon", a song originally released as a collaboration between band N.E.R.D and Rihanna. On April 5, Drake announced he was finishing his fifth studio album and he was releasing a single later that night.[226] On April 6, "Nice for What" was released, alongside a music video directed by Karena Evans, which featured several female celebrities.[227][228] After "Nice For What" replaced his own "God's Plan" on the Billboard Hot 100 at number one, making him the first artist to have a new number-one debut replace their former number-one debut, Drake announced the title of his fifth studio album as Scorpion, with a planned release date of June 29, 2018.[229][230] He then released "I'm Upset" on May 26 as the album's third single.[231] Scorpion was then released as a double-album, and marked Drake's longest project, with a run-time of just under 90 minutes. The album broke both the one-day global records on Spotify and Apple Music, as it gained 132.45 million and 170 million plays on each streaming service, respectively.[232] It eventually sold 749,000 album equivalent units in its first week of sales, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.[233][234] In 2018, articles by The Guardian and Rolling Stone called him "the definitive pop star of his generation" and "perhaps [the] biggest post-Justin Timberlake male pop star of the new millennium", respectively.[235][236] Shortly thereafter, Drake collaborated with British hip hop promotion Link Up TV on July 7, releasing a freestyle as a part of the promotion's 'Behind Barz' segment,[237] before releasing another freestyle a week later after featuring on Charlie Sloth's long-running Fire in the Booth program on BBC Radio 1Xtra.[238] Drake then earned his sixth number-one hit with "In My Feelings" on July 21,[239] which also spawned the viral "#InMyFeelingsChallenge" or "#KiKiChallenge".[240][241][242] The success of "In My Feelings" also made Drake the record holder for most number one hits among rappers.[243] Soon after, he released the music video for "Nonstop", which was filmed in London during his surprise performance at the Wireless Festival.[244] He then appeared on the Travis Scott album Astroworld, featuring uncredited vocals for his song "Sicko Mode", which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[245] Drake announced in July 2018 that he planned to "take 6 months to a year" to himself to return to television and films, producing the television series Euphoria and Top Boy.[246] He then began the Aubrey & the Three Migos Tour with co-headliners Migos on August 12. This preceded a collaboration with Bad Bunny titled "Mia", which featured Drake performing in Spanish.[247] He subsequently received the award for Hot Ticket Performer at the 2018 BET Hip Hop Awards on October 16. During a performance in Edmonton on November 7, Drake announced his intention to begin composing his next project in early 2019.[248] In February 2019, he received his fourth Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, for "God's Plan", at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.[249] During his speech, producers abruptly cut to a commercial break, leading viewers to speculate they were censoring his speech during which he criticized The Recording Academy.[250] A legal representative for the academy then released a statement stating "a natural pause [led] the producers [to] assume that he was done and cut to commercial," and added the organization offered him an opportunity to return to stage, but he declined.[251] On February 14, Drake re-released his third mixtape, So Far Gone, onto streaming services for the first time to commemorate its 10-year anniversary,[252] and later collaborated with Summer Walker on a remix of Walker's song "Girls Need Love", marking his first release of 2019.[253] On April 10, during a performance on the Assassination Vacation Tour, he announced he was working on a new album.[254] On June 8, Drake appeared on Chris Brown's single "No Guidance".[255] On June 15, Drake released two songs, "Omertà" and "Money in the Grave", on his EP The Best in the World Pack to celebrate the NBA Championship win of the Toronto Raptors.[256] On August 2, he released the compilation album Care Package, consisting of songs released between 2010 and 2016 that were initially unavailable for purchase or commercial streaming;[257] it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 109,000 album equivalent units in its first week of sales [258] 2019–2021: Dark Lane Demo Tapes and Certified Lover Boy Main articles: Dark Lane Demo Tapes and Certified Lover Boy Drake released the song "War" on December 24, 2019, with an accompanying music video, which was widely noted for its UK drill-inspired instrumental.[259][260][261] The following day, in an interview with Rap Radar, it was revealed that he was in the process of completing his sixth studio album.[262] On January 10, 2020, Drake collaborated with Future on the song "Life Is Good", which appeared on the album High Off Life.[263] On January 31, the pair again collaborated on the song "Desires", although it was released for free after being leaked.[264] On February 29, Drake released the songs "When to Say When" and "Chicago Freestyle" with a combined music video.[265] On April 3, he released "Toosie Slide" with a music video, which features a dance created in collaboration with social media influencer Toosie.[266] It debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making Drake the first male artist to have three songs debut at number one.[267] On May 1, 2020, Drake released the commercial mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes, with guest appearances from Chris Brown, Future, Young Thug, Fivio Foreign, Playboi Carti, and Sosa Geek.[268] He also announced that his sixth studio album would be released in the summer of 2020.[269] The mixtape is a compilation of new songs and tracks that leaked on the internet.[270] It received mixed reviews and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with 223,000 album-equivalent units,[271] and at number one on the UK Albums Chart, earning 20,000 units in its first week.[272] On July 17, Drake was featured on DJ Khaled's singles "Greece" and "Popstar",[273] debuting at numbers eight and three on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, becoming Drake's record-extending 24th and 25th debuts in the Hot 100's top 10. It also became his 39th and 40th Hot 100 top ten entries, breaking Madonna's record for most Hot 100 top ten hits.[274] On July 20, Drake and Headie One released the drill track "Only You Freestyle", making it the third drill-inspired song he released in 2020, after "War" and "Demons", both of which appear on Dark Lane Demo Tapes.[275] On August 14, "Laugh Now Cry Later" featuring Lil Durk was released, which was intended as the lead single from Drake's album Certified Lover Boy,[276] but not included on the final track listing. It debuted at number two on the Hot 100, and was nominated for Best Melodic Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. On September 3, the video for "Popstar" was released, in which Drake makes a cameo appearance.[277] On October 2, Drake was the sole guest appearance on Bryson Tiller's album Anniversary (2020), on the song "Outta Time".[278] He subsequently appeared on the remix to "You're Mines Still", alongside Yung Bleu on October 16;[279] just over a week later, on his 34th birthday, Drake announced Certified Lover Boy was set to be released in January 2021.[280][281] This was later pushed back to an unspecified date after he sustained a knee injury which required surgery.[282] On December 1, he reunited with Lil Wayne on "B.B. King Freestyle", the lead single from the latter's double-disc mixtape No Ceilings 3 (2020).[283] In January 2021, Drake became the first artist to surpass 50 billion combined streams on Spotify.[284] He later collaborated with Drakeo the Ruler on the single "Talk to Me", which was released on February 23.[285] On March 5, Drake released an EP titled Scary Hours 2, which includes three songs: "What's Next", "Wants and Needs" with Lil Baby, and "Lemon Pepper Freestyle" with Rick Ross.[286] These three songs entered the charts at numbers one, two, and three, respectively, making Drake the first artist to have three songs debut in the top three on the Billboard Hot 100.[287] He then appeared on the single "Solid" from the YSL Records compilation Slime Language 2, alongside Gunna and Young Thug.[288] "Solid" was originally meant to appear on Certified Lover Boy, and to only feature Gunna.[289] On May 14, Drake was featured alongside mentor Lil Wayne on former labelmate Nicki Minaj's "Seeing Green", a new song on the streaming re-release of her 2009 mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty.[290] Two weeks later, he was named Artist of the Decade at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards.[291] On June 12, he featured on Migos' "Having Our Way", from the group's third studio album, Culture III (2021),[292] and on July 1, collaborated with Brent Faiyaz and The Neptunes on the song "Wasting Time".[293] On July 23, Drake appeared on "Over the Top" with Smiley, the newest signee to OVO Sound.[294][295] During an appearance on Fri Yiy Friday, a radio show supported by OVO Sound, Drake revealed Certified Lover Boy "is ready. [I'm] looking forward to delivering it".[296] He then appeared on "Betrayal", a collaboration with Trippie Redd for Trip at Knight (2021).[297] Certified Lover Boy was then released on September 3, 2021, becoming his tenth number-one album on the Billboard 200;[298] every song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album was the first to chart nine songs on the top 10, with "Way 2 Sexy" becoming Drake's ninth number-one single. He subsequently set the record for the fourth-most cumulative weeks (52) at number one on the Hot 100, behind Mariah Carey (84), Rihanna (60), and The Beatles (59).[299][300] He received a nomination for Best Global Act at the 2021 All Africa Music Awards,[301] and appeared on Young Thug's Punk (2021), featuring on the song "Bubbly". On October 22, Drake featured on Majid Jordan's "Stars Align", the lead single to the duo's third album Wildest Dreams.[302] Two weeks later, on November 5, Drake released a horror-themed black and white music video for "Knife Talk", the third single from Certified Lover Boy, with featured appearances by 21 Savage and Project Pat.[303] On November 6, he debuted the song "Give It Up" on OVO Sound Radio.[304] Certified Lover Boy was nominated for Best Rap Album and "Way 2 Sexy" was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.[305] He was later named Billboard's Top Artist of the Year for 2021,[306] and was the fourth most streamed artist on Spotify for the year, and the most streamed rapper.[307] On December 6, he withdrew his music for consideration for the Grammys, with multiple outlets noting his contentious relationship with the Recording Academy.[207] Drake accumulated 8.6 billion on-demand streams in 2021, making him the most overall streamed artist of the year in the United States; one out of every 131 streams was a Drake song.[308] 2022–present: Honestly, Nevermind, Her Loss, For All the Dogs and planned hiatus Main articles: Honestly, Nevermind; Her Loss; and For All the Dogs On January 7, 2022, Drake was announced as a featured artist on Gunna's DS4Ever; he was included on the deluxe edition released a week later.[309][310] On January 17, Drake announced another collaboration with DJ Khaled; this was reportedly recorded that June,[311][312] and eventually released with Lil Baby on August 5 as "Staying Alive", the lead single from Khaled's thirteenth studio album God Did (2022).[313] On March 3, Drake placed fourth on Forbes's ranking of highest paid rappers of 2021, with an estimated pre-tax income of $50 million,[314] and then announced a return to touring, with two "interactive" concerts expected in Toronto and New York City.[315] On March 23, he won Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards.[316] On April 16, it was calculated Drake generated more streams in 2021 than every song released prior to 1980 combined; his music accumulated 7.91 billion streams, while songs pre-1980 had generated 6.32 billion.[317] Drake was then confirmed as a guest artist on Future's I Never Liked You (2022), featuring on the songs "Wait for U" alongside Tems and "I'm on One",[318] the former of which debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drake's tenth number-one song and making him the tenth act to achieve ten number ones.[319] On May 2, Jared Krichevsky, a Character and Creature Designer for Warner Bros. Pictures revealed the studio once sought to cast Drake as Victor Stone / Cyborg in an untitled television series, publishing concept art.[320] In Universal Music Group's Q1 earnings call on May 4, it was announced Drake re-signed with the company in a multifaceted deal, which includes recordings, publishing, merchandise, and "visual media projects"; although an official figure wasn't revealed, it was reported to be worth as high as $400 million, making it one of the largest recording contracts ever.[321] On June 16, Drake announced his seventh album, Honestly, Nevermind, which released a day later; on the debut episode of his recently launched radio show Table for One on Sirius XM, he announced a poetry book with frequent writing collaborator Kenza Samir in 2022, and a yet undetermined release of the third iteration of his Scary Hours EP series.[322] Honestly, Nevermind sold 204,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, becoming Drake's eleventh US number-one album and making him the fifth artist with over 10 number one albums, after the Beatles (19), Jay-Z (14), Bruce Springsteen, and Barbra Streisand (both 11). It was also the fourth-largest streaming week for any album in 2022, after Un Verano Sin Ti, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, and I Never Liked You.[323] "Jimmy Cooks" also became Drake's eleventh US number-one song, although, the song "Texts Go Green" tied the record (held by Kendrick Lamar and Taylour Paige's "We Cry Together") for biggest single-week drop in Billboard Hot 100 history, falling from number 13 to number 94.[324] On July 14, it was announced Drake would reunite with former Young Money label mates Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj on a three date Toronto exclusive concert series titled the "October World Weekend", on July 28, July 29, and August 1. The concerts are also set to feature both Chris Brown and Lil Baby, and is expected to be the first leg of the Road to OVO Fest Tour, a worldwide edition of OVO Fest to commemorate its 10th anniversary.[325] On July 29, Drake was revealed as a collaborator on Beyoncé's Renaissance (2022), co-writing the song "Heated". On August 2, the music video for "Sticky", the second single from Honestly, Nevermind, was released.[326] After the debut of "Staying Alive" on the US Billboard Hot 100, it marked the 30th Drake song to reach the top five on the chart, breaking a 55-year-old record for most songs to reach the top five on the chart (29), held by The Beatles.[327] On October 5, 2022, Drake, in conjunction with SiriusXM, announced a special two-night live concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York for November 11 and 12;[328] these were first delayed to that December and then delayed to January 2023, citing production delays.[329] Drake then refused to submit his solo music for consideration at the 2023 Grammy Awards, refusing to submit his music for Grammy consideration for a second consecutive year.[330] At the 2022 SOCAN Awards, Drake won Songwriter of the Year.[331] On October 22, Drake announced Her Loss, a collaborative album with 21 Savage which would release on October 28;[332] it was then delayed to November 4 after Drake's longtime producer, 40, was diagnosed with COVID-19.[333] At the 2022 People's Choice Awards, Drake was nominated for three awards: Male Artist of 2022, Song of 2022 (for "Wait for U" with Future and Tems), and Collaboration Song of 2022 (for "Jimmy Cooks" with 21 Savage).[334] Her Loss debuted atop the Billboard 200, accumlating first week sales of 404,000 album-equivalent units. Eight of the album's songs debuted in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, extending Drake's record for most top ten entries, with 67 (with a record 49 as a lead artist).[335] He is also the only artist to log eight top tens from one album twice.[335] On November 15, Drake was nominated for four awards at the 2023 Grammy Awards: Album of the Year (for his writing on Beyoncé's Renaissance), Best Melodic Rap Performance (for "Wait for U"), and two for Best Rap Song (for "Churchill Downs" with Jack Harlow, and "Wait for U").[336] A day later, he released the music video for "Rich Flex" from Her Loss.[337] On January 6, 2023, Drake was featured on "We Caa Done", the lead single to Popcaan's fifth studio album Great Is He (2023).[338] In an interview that same month, producer Metro Boomin revealed he rejected the verse Drake recorded for the song "Trance" for his album Heroes & Villains (2022).[339] On February 24, the music video for the song "Spin Bout U" from Her Loss was released.[340] Four days later, he was announced to headline that year's Dreamville Festival, which took place on April 1–2 at Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina.[341] In February 2023, Drake was named the most streamed act ever on Spotify.[342] On April 2, a song tentatively titled "Rescue Me" previewed on The Fry Yiy Show on SiriusXM Radio, which featured samples of Kim Kardashian from the final episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians (2007–2021);[343] it was released five days later, officially titled "Search & Rescue".[344] The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, with its potential number one debut having been thwarted by Morgan Wallen's song "Last Night".[345] On July 21, 2023, Drake also teamed up with British rapper Central Cee on a freestyle track for the On the Radar Radio YouTube channel.[346] On July 23, 2023, Drake announced his poetry book titled Titles Ruin Everything. Upon promotion for the book, A QR code was made for fans to scan,[347] once scanned the fans were redirected to a page with an announcement for the title of his eighth studio album, titled For All the Dogs,[348] released on October 6, 2023.[349] On September 15, 2023, Drake released the lead single of the album, "Slime You Out", featuring SZA.[350] The song charted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. On September 16, 2023, Drake announced that the album is postponed to October 6.[351] On October 5, 2023, Drake surprise-released a song titled "8AM in Charlotte" on his social media accounts making it the albums second released single.[352] Artistry Influences Drake has cited several hip hop artists as influencing his rapping style, including Kanye West,[353] Jay-Z,[354] MF Doom,[355] and Lil Wayne,[356] while also attributing various R&B artists as influential to the incorporation of the genre into his own music, including Aaliyah[357] and Usher.[358] Drake has also credited several dancehall artists for later influencing his Caribbean-inflected style, including Vybz Kartel, whom he has called one of his "biggest inspirations".[359][360] He has been credited with performing and attracting fans from many cultures such as Spanish in the song Mia,[361] Arabic in the song Greece,[362] Portuguese in Ela É do Tipo,[363] French in Sticky[364] and Punjabi in an upcoming song with Sidhu Moose Wala and Wazir Patar.[365][366][367][368] Musical style Drake has credited Kanye West (left) and Aaliyah (right) as being his biggest musical influences. Drake is considered to be a pop rap artist.[369] While Drake's earlier music primarily spanned hip hop and R&B, his music has delved into pop and trap since the albums Nothing Was the Same (2013) and Views (2016).[370] Additionally, his music has drawn influence from regional scenes, including Jamaican dancehall[360] and UK drill.[261] Drake is known for his egotistical lyrics, technical ability, and integration of personal backstory when dealing with relationships with women.[371] His vocal abilities have been lauded for an audible contrast between typical hip-hop beats and melody, with sometimes abrasive rapping coupled with softer accents, delivered on technical lyricism.[372] His songs often include audible changes in lyrical pronunciation in parallel with his upbringing in Toronto, and connections with Caribbean and Middle Eastern countries which include such phrases as "ting", "touching road", "talkin' boasy" and "gwanin' wassy".[372] Most of his songs contain R&B and Canadian hip hop elements, and he combines rapping with singing.[373] He credits his father with the introduction of singing into his rap mixtapes, which have become a staple in his musical repertoire. His incorporation of melody into technically complex lyrics was supported by Lil Wayne, and has subsequently been a critically acclaimed component to Drake's singles and albums.[374] Drake's style of R&B is characterized by vacant beats and a rap-sung dichotomy, which has also seen incredible mainstream success, spawing several imitators.[375] The lyrical content that Drake deploys is typically considered to be emotional[376] or boastful.[377] However, Drake is often revered for incorporating "degrading" themes of money, drug use, and women into newer, idealized contexts, often achieving this through his augmentation of the typical meaning of phrases in which he combines an objective and subjective perspective into one vocal delivery. His songs often maintain tension between "pause and pace, tone timbre, and volume and vocal fermata."[378] Drake is credited with innovating what has been referred to as "hyper-reality rap", characterized by its focus on themes of celebrity as distinct from the "real world."[379] Public image A wax figure of Drake in Madame Tussauds, London Drake's lyrical subject matter, which often revolves around relationships, have had widespread use on social media through photo captions to reference emotions or personal situations.[380] However, this content has incited mixed reception from fans and critics, with some deeming him as sensitive and inauthentic, traits perceived as antithetical to traditional hip hop culture.[381][382] He is also known for his large and extravagant lifestyle, including for high-end themed birthday parties;[383] he maintained this image in his early career by renting a Rolls-Royce Phantom, which he was eventually gifted in 2021.[384] He cultivated a reputation as a successful gambler; between December 2021 and February 2022, he was reported to have made bets of over $1 billion, which included winnings ranging between $354,000 and $7 million,[385] however some of the forms of gambling he promotes, such as roulette, have negative expected values.[386] The Washington Post editor Maura Judkis credits Drake for popularizing the phrase "YOLO" in the United States with his single "The Motto", which stands for, "You only live once."[387] Drake later popularized the term "The Six" in 2015 in relation to his hometown Toronto, subsequently becoming a point of reference to the city.[388] June 10 was declared "Drake Day" in Houston.[389][390][391] In 2016, Drake visited Drake University after a show in Des Moines in response to an extensive social media campaign by students that began in 2009, advocating for his appearance.[392][393] According to a report from Confused.com, Drake's Toronto home was one of the most Googled homes in the world, recording over a million annual searches in 2021; its features, such as its NBA-size indoor basketball court and Kohler Numi toilet, have also received widespread media attention.[394] The music video for "Hotline Bling" went viral due to Drake's eccentric dance moves.[395] The video has been remixed, memed, and was heavily commented on due to the unconventional nature on the song,[396] causing it to gain popularity on YouTube, and spawning several parodies.[397] Drake has also been critiqued for his expensive, product placement-heavy attire, exemplified by the video for "Hotline Bling". Drake modelled a $1,500 Moncler Puffer Jacket, a $400 Acne Studios turtleneck, and limited edition Timberland 6" Classic Boots.[398][399] He was labeled by GQ magazine as "[one of] the most stylish men alive";[400] during promotion for Certified Lover Boy, Drake debuted a "heart haircut", which became popular and widely imitated.[401] Writing for GQ, Anish Patel noted Drake's consistent incorporation of styles and themes not typically associated with hip hop, such as wearing gorpcore in the music video for his song "Sticky".[402] Between 2016 and 2019, Drake was noted for the "Drake curse", an internet meme based on the incidents where he appears to be support of particular sports team or person, just for that team or person to lose, often against the odds.[403] In 2016, Drake spoke on the shooting of Alton Sterling, publishing an open letter expressing his concern for the safety of ethnic minorities against police brutality in the United States.[404] In 2021, he joined a group of Canadian musicians to work with the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) to lobby Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to restructure the country's copyright law to allow artists and their families to regain ownership of copyrights during their lifetime.[405] He also campaigned for the expansion of a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) franchise in Toronto,[406] and headlined a benefit concert at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with Kanye West on December 9, 2021, to raise clemency for Larry Hoover,[407] although his solo performance was later removed from the Prime Video replay.[408] On Christmas 2021, Drake gave away money to individuals in Toronto.[409] In October 2023, he signed a letter calling for a ceasefire in the 2023 Israel–Gaza war.[410] Impact A prominent figure in pop culture,[411] Drake is often praised one of the most influential figures in hip hop;[412] particularly his use of singing over hip hop instrumentals has been noted as an influence on modern rappers.[413] He is widely credited for popularizing the Toronto sound to the music industry and leading the "Canadian Invasion", a play on the British Invasion in the 1960s, of the American charts — alongside the likes of Justin Bieber and The Weeknd.[414][415][416][417][418] In 2022, music recognition app Shazam revealed Drake to be their most searched artist by users, with music featuring Drake collecting 350 million recognitions; his 2016 single "One Dance" collected 17 million recognitions alone.[419] The Insider declared Drake the artist of the decade (2010s).[412] Regarding the general view that Drake introduced singing in mainstream hip hop, the publication said that at the height of Auto-Tune in hip hop during the late 2000s, "there were virtually no artists who were both a legit rapper and a legit crooner who delivered velvety smooth pop/R&B hybrid vocals that could exist separately from his hip-hop songs."[412] Commenting on Drake's Take Care, Elias Leight of Rolling Stone noticed in 2020 that "now nearly every singer raps, and nearly every rapper sings", as many artists "have borrowed or copied the template of [the album] that the boldness of the original is easily forgotten", according to the writer.[420] Aaron Williams of Uproxx added "jump-starting the sad boy rapper craze along

Yung Filly or simply Filly, is a British YouTuber and musician, born in Colombia and later moving to the United Kingdom Andrés Felipe Barrientos (born 6 August 1995), known professionally as Yung Filly or simply Filly, is a British YouTuber and musician. Born in Colombia and later moving to the United Kingdom, he began his YouTube career in 2013, starting a music career in 2017. Beginning in 2018, he appeared on numerous shows, several of which he hosted. Personal life Andrés Felipe Barrientos was born in Cali, Colombia; he moved to the UK in 1997 and was raised in Orpington in Bromley, south east London.[8][9] He is a supporter of Crystal Palace F.C.[10] He started as a broker at the age of 17.[11] Career Filly began his YouTube career in 2013.[12] His content comprised short skits and comedy Q&As.[13] As well as building his own channel Filly regularly appears on Footasylum's YouTube Channel starring in dating series Does The Shoe Fit[14] as well as Pro:Direct Soccer's YouTube.[15] In 2018, Filly hosted Hot Property on BBC Three;[16] the show was described by The Guardian as "so youthful...that it should come with a new kind of 18 certificate".[17] In 2019, he hosted another show on BBC Three titled Don't Scream.[18] Filly appeared for England in Soccer Aid 2020;[19] during the game, he scored a goal.[20] He also appeared on the first episode of a football rivalry series alongside Chunkz, which was aired on BBC Sport.[21] In 2021, Filly appeared on the first episode of Race Around Britain, hosted by Munya Chawawa.[22][23] It was announced that he would host a spin-off show of Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof titled Munya and Filly Get Chilly in 2022, which was also hosted by Munya Chawawa.[24] He also appeared on The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C[12] and BBC's Would I Lie To You?[13] Musical career In 2017, Filly released his debut single, "Take Time".[25] He would release two songs in 2018, "La Paila" and "Mucho Mas".[26][27] Filly released "Confidence" in 2020, featuring Chunkz and Geko.[28] He would release two other songs with Chunkz in 2020, "Clean Up" and "Hold",[29][30] which peaked at number 67 and 29 on the UK Singles Chart, respectively. He also featured on Javan's "Again".[31] He released "100 Bags Freestyle" in 2021; the song would peak at number 53. He also announced a mixtape titled Last Laugh in an interview with GRM Daily.[32] In 2022, he released a new single titled "Long Time" [33] and later "Day to Day" featuring fellow British rapper and songwriter Chip. motivation award win winner

Ultimate Motivation Compilation for 2024 [ 2024-01-02 ] Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones. An entrepreneur is an individual who creates and/or invests in one or more businesses, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards.[1] The process of setting up a business is known as "entrepreneurship". The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services, and business/or procedures. More narrow definitions have described entrepreneurship as the process of designing, launching and running a new business, which is often similar to a small business, or (per Business Dictionary) as the "capacity and willingness to develop, organize and manage a business venture along with any of its risks to make a profit".[2] The people who create these businesses are often referred to as "entrepreneurs".[3][4] While definitions of entrepreneurship typically focus on the launching and running of businesses, due to the high risks involved in launching a startup company, a significant proportion of startups have to close (in Mikal Belicove's words) due to "lack of funding, bad business decisions, government policies, an economic crisis, a lack of market demand, or a combination of all of these."[5] In the field of economics, the term entrepreneur is used for an entity which has the ability to translate inventions or technologies into products and services.[6] In this sense, entrepreneurship describes activities on the part of both established firms and new businesses. Perspectives on entrepreneurship In the 21st century the governments of nation states have tried to promote entrepreneurship, as well as enterprise culture, in the hope that it would improve or stimulate economic growth and competition. After the end of supply-side economics, entrepreneurship was supposed to boost the economy.[7] As an academic field, entrepreneurship accommodates different schools of thought. It has been studied within disciplines such as management, economics, sociology, and economic history.[8][9] Some view entrepreneurship as allocated to the entrepreneur. These scholars tend to focus on what the entrepreneur does and what traits an entrepreneur has. This is sometimes referred to as the functionalistic approach to entrepreneurship.[10] Others deviate from the individualistic perspective to turn the spotlight on the entrepreneurial process and immerse in the interplay between agency and context. This approach is sometimes referred to as the processual approach,[10] or the contextual turn/approach to entrepreneurship.[11][12] Elements This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Entrepreneurship" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Entrepreneurship includes the creation or extraction of economic value.[13][12][14] It is the act of being an entrepreneur, or the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits.[citation needed] Entrepreneurs act as managers and oversee the launch and growth of an enterprise. Entrepreneurship is the process by which either an individual or a team identifies a business opportunity and acquires and deploys the necessary resources required for its exploitation. In the early 19th century, the French economist Jean-Baptiste Say provided a broad definition of entrepreneurship, saying that it "shifts economic resources out of an area of lower and into an area of higher productivity and greater yield". Entrepreneurs create something new and unique—they change or transmute value. Regardless of the firm size, big or small, it can take part in entrepreneurship opportunities. There are four criteria for becoming an entrepreneur. First, there must be opportunities or situations to recombine resources to generate profit. Second, entrepreneurship requires differences between people, such as preferential access to certain individuals or the ability to recognize information about opportunities. Third, taking on a level of risk is a necessity. Fourth, the entrepreneurial process requires the organization of people and resources.[15] An entrepreneur uses their time, energy, and resources to create value for others. They are rewarded for this effort monetarily and therefore both the consumer of the value created and the entrepreneur benefit. The entrepreneur is a factor in and the study of entrepreneurship reaches back to the work of Richard Cantillon and Adam Smith in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. However, entrepreneurship was largely ignored theoretically until the late 19th and early 20th centuries and empirically until a profound resurgence in business and economics since the late 1970s. In the 20th century, the understanding of entrepreneurship owes much to the work of economist Joseph Schumpeter in the 1930s and other Austrian economists such as Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek. According to Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is a person who is willing and able to convert a new idea or invention into a successful innovation. Entrepreneurship employs what Schumpeter called "the gale of creative destruction" to replace in whole or in part inferior innovations across markets and industries, simultaneously creating new products, including new business models. It has been argued, that creative destruction is largely responsible for the dynamism of industries and long-run economic growth. The supposition that entrepreneurship leads to economic growth is an interpretation of the residual in endogenous growth theory and as such is debated in academic economics. An alternative description posited by Israel Kirzner suggests that the majority of innovations may be much more incremental improvements such as the replacement of paper with plastic in the making of drinking straws. Entrepreneurical opportunities The exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities may include:[16] Developing a business plan Hiring human resources Acquiring financial and material resources Providing leadership Being responsible for both the venture's success or failure Risk aversion The economist Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950) saw the role of the entrepreneur in the economy as "creative destruction", Which he defined as launching innovations that simultaneously destroy old industries while ushering in new industries and approaches. For Schumpeter, the changes and "dynamic economic equilibrium brought on by the innovating entrepreneur [were] the norm of a healthy economy".[17] While entrepreneurship is often associated with new, small, for-profit start-ups, entrepreneurial behavior can be seen in small-, medium- and large-sized firms, new and established firms and in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, including voluntary-sector groups, charitable organizations and government.[18] Entrepreneurship may operate within an entrepreneurship ecosystem which often includes: Government programs and services that promote entrepreneurship and support entrepreneurs and start-ups Non-governmental organizations such as small-business associations and organizations that offer advice and mentoring to entrepreneurs (e.g. through entrepreneurship centers or websites) Small-business advocacy organizations that lobby governments for increased support for entrepreneurship programs and more small business-friendly laws and regulations Entrepreneurship resources and facilities (e.g. business incubators and seed accelerators) Entrepreneurship education and training programs offered by schools, colleges and universities Financing (e.g. bank loans, venture capital financing, angel investing and government and private foundation grants)[19][need quotation to verify] In the 2000s, usage of the term "entrepreneurship" expanded to include how and why some individuals (or teams) identify opportunities, evaluate them as viable, and then decide to exploit them.[20] The term has also been used to discuss how people might use these opportunities to develop new products or services, launch new firms or industries, and create wealth.[21] The entrepreneurial process is uncertain because opportunities can only be identified after they have been exploited.[22] Entrepreneurs exhibit positive biases towards finding new possibilities and seeing unmet market needs, and a tendency towards risk-taking that makes them more likely to exploit business opportunities.[23][24] History Historical usage Emil Jellinek-Mercedes (1853–1918), here at the steering wheel of his Phoenix Double-Phaeton "Entrepreneur" (/ˌɒ̃trəprəˈnɜːr, -ˈnjʊər/ ⓘ, UK also /-prɛ-/) is a loanword from French. The word first appeared in the French dictionary entitled Dictionnaire Universel de Commerce compiled by Jacques des Bruslons and published in 1723.[25] Especially in Britain, the term "adventurer" was often used to denote the same meaning.[26] The study of entrepreneurship reaches back to the work in the late 17th and early 18th centuries of Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon, which was foundational to classical economics. Cantillon defined the term first in his Essai sur la Nature du Commerce en Général, or Essay on the Nature of Trade in General, a book William Stanley Jevons considered the "cradle of political economy".[27][28] Cantillon defined the term as a person who pays a certain price for a product and resells it at an uncertain price, "making decisions about obtaining and using the resources while consequently admitting the risk of enterprise". Cantillon considered the entrepreneur to be a risk taker who deliberately allocates resources to exploit opportunities to maximize the financial return.[29][30] Cantillon emphasized the willingness of the entrepreneur to assume the risk and to deal with uncertainty, thus he drew attention to the function of the entrepreneur and distinguished between the function of the entrepreneur and the owner who provided the money.[29][31] Jean-Baptiste Say also identified entrepreneurs as a driver for economic development, emphasizing their role as one of the collecting factors of production allocating resources from less to fields that are more productive. Both Say and Cantillon belonged to French school of thought and known as the physiocrats.[32] Dating back to the time of the medieval guilds in Germany, a craftsperson required special permission to operate as an entrepreneur, the small proof of competence (Kleiner Befähigungsnachweis), which restricted training of apprentices to craftspeople who held a Meister certificate. This institution was introduced in 1908 after a period of so-called freedom of trade (Gewerbefreiheit, introduced in 1871) in the German Reich. However, proof of competence was not required to start a business. In 1935 and in 1953, greater proof of competence was reintroduced (Großer Befähigungsnachweis Kuhlenbeck), which required craftspeople to obtain a Meister apprentice-training certificate before being permitted to set up a new business.[33] In the Ashanti Empire, successful entrepreneurs who accumulated large wealth and men as well as distinguished themselves through heroic deeds were awarded social and political recognition by being called "Abirempon" which means big men. By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries AD, the appellation "Abirempon" had formalized and politicized to embrace those who conducted trade from which the whole state benefited. The state rewarded entrepreneurs who attained such accomplishments with Mena(elephant tail) which was the "heraldic badge"[34] 20th century In the 20th century, entrepreneurship was studied by Joseph Schumpeter in the 1930s and by other Austrian economists such as Carl Menger (1840-1921), Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) and Friedrich von Hayek (1899–1992). While the loan from French of the English-language word "entrepreneur" dates to 1762,[35] the word "entrepreneurism" dates from 1902[36] and the term "entrepreneurship" also first appeared in 1902.[37] According to Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is willing and able to convert a new idea or invention into a successful innovation.[38] Entrepreneurship employs what Schumpeter called the "gale of creative destruction"[39] to replace in whole or in part inferior offerings across markets and industries, simultaneously creating new products and new business models,[citation needed] thus creative destruction is largely[quantify] responsible for long-term economic growth. The idea that entrepreneurship leads to economic growth is an interpretation of the residual in endogenous growth theory[clarification needed] and as such continues to be debated in academic economics. An alternative description by Israel Kirzner (1930– ) suggests that the majority of innovations may be incremental improvements – such as the replacement of paper with plastic in the construction of a drinking straw – that require no special qualities. For Schumpeter, entrepreneurship resulted in new industries and in new combinations of currently existing inputs. Schumpeter's initial example of this was the combination of a steam engine and then current wagon-making technologies to produce the horseless carriage. In this case, the innovation (i.e. the car) was transformational but did not require the development of dramatic new technology. It did not immediately replace the horse-drawn carriage, but in time incremental improvements reduced the cost and improved the technology, leading to the modern auto industry. Despite Schumpeter's early 20th-century contributions, traditional microeconomic theory did not formally consider the entrepreneur in its theoretical frameworks (instead of assuming that resources would find each other through a price system). In this treatment, the entrepreneur was an implied but unspecified actor, consistent with the concept of the entrepreneur being the agent of x-efficiency. For Schumpeter, the entrepreneur did not bear risk: the capitalist did. Schumpeter believed that the equilibrium was imperfect. Schumpeter (1934) demonstrated that the changing environment continuously provides new information about the optimum allocation of resources to enhance profitability. Some individuals acquire the new information before others and recombine the resources to gain an entrepreneurial profit. Schumpeter was of the opinion that entrepreneurs shift the production-possibility curve to a higher level using innovations.[40] Initially, economists made the first attempt[when?] to study the entrepreneurship concept in depth.[41] Alfred Marshall viewed the entrepreneur as a multi-tasking capitalist and observed that in the equilibrium of a completely competitive market there was no spot for "entrepreneurs" as economic-activity creators.[42] Changes in politics and society in Russia and China the late-20th century saw a flowering of entrepreneurial activity, producing Russian oligarchs[43] and Chinese millionaires.[44] 21st century In 2012, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer greets participants in an African Women's Entrepreneurship Program at the State Department in Washington, D.C. In the 2000s, entrepreneurship was extended from its origins in for-profit businesses to include social entrepreneurship, in which business goals are sought alongside social, environmental or humanitarian goals and even the concept of the political entrepreneur.[according to whom?] Entrepreneurship within an existing firm or large organization has been referred to as intrapreneurship and may include corporate ventures where large entities "spin-off" subsidiary organizations.[45] Entrepreneurs are leaders willing to take risk and exercise initiative, taking advantage of market opportunities by planning, organizing and deploying resources,[46] often by innovating to create new or improving existing products or services.[47] In the 2000s, the term "entrepreneurship" has been extended to include a specific mindset resulting in entrepreneurial initiatives, e.g. in the form of social entrepreneurship, political entrepreneurship or knowledge entrepreneurship.[citation needed] According to Paul Reynolds, founder of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, "by the time they reach their retirement years, half of all working men in the United States probably have a period of self-employment of one or more years; one in four may have engaged in self-employment for six or more years. Participating in a new business creation is a common activity among U.S. workers over the course of their careers".[48] In recent years, entrepreneurship has been claimed as a major driver of economic growth in both the United States and Western Europe.[citation needed] Entrepreneurial activities differ substantially depending on the type of organization and creativity involved. Entrepreneurship ranges in scale from solo, part-time projects to large-scale undertakings that involve a team and which may create many jobs. Many "high value" entrepreneurial ventures seek venture capital or angel funding (seed money) to raise capital for building and expanding the business.[49] Many organizations exist to support would-be entrepreneurs, including specialized government agencies, business incubators (which may be for-profit, non-profit, or operated by a college or university), science parks and non-governmental organizations, which include a range of organizations including not-for-profits, charities, foundations and business advocacy groups (e.g. Chambers of commerce). Beginning in 2008, an annual "Global Entrepreneurship Week" event aimed at "exposing people to the benefits of entrepreneurship" and getting them to "participate in entrepreneurial-related activities" was launched.[who?] Relationship between small business and entrepreneurship The term "entrepreneur" is often conflated with the term "small business" or used interchangeably with this term. While most entrepreneurial ventures start out as a small business, not all small businesses are entrepreneurial in the strict sense of the term. Many small businesses are sole proprietor operations consisting solely of the owner—or they have a small number of employees—and many of these small businesses offer an existing product, process or service and they do not aim at growth. In contrast, entrepreneurial ventures offer an innovative product, process or service and the entrepreneur typically aims to scale up the company by adding employees, seeking international sales and so on, a process which is financed by venture capital and angel investments. In this way, the term "entrepreneur" may be more closely associated with the term "startup". Successful entrepreneurs have the ability to lead a business in a positive direction by proper planning, to adapt to changing environments and understand their own strengths and weaknesses.[50] Historians' ranking A 2002 survey of 58 business history professors gave the top spots in American business history to Henry Ford, followed by Bill Gates; John D. Rockefeller; Andrew Carnegie, and Thomas Edison. They were followed by Sam Walton; J. P. Morgan; Alfred P. Sloan; Walt Disney; Ray Kroc; Thomas J. Watson; Alexander Graham Bell; Eli Whitney; James J. Hill; Jack Welch; Cyrus McCormick; David Packard; Bill Hewlett; Cornelius Vanderbilt; and George Westinghouse.[51] A 1977 survey of management scholars reported the top five pioneers in management ideas were: Frederick Winslow Taylor; Chester Barnard; Frank Bunker Gilbreth Sr.; Elton Mayo; and Lillian Moller Gilbreth.[52] Types of entrepreneurship Cultural According to Christopher Rea and Nicolai Volland, cultural entrepreneurship is "practices of individual and collective agency characterized by mobility between cultural professions and modes of cultural production", which refers to creative industry activities and sectors. In their book The Business of Culture (2015), Rea and Volland identify three types of cultural entrepreneur: "cultural personalities", defined as "individuals who buil[d] their own personal brand of creativity as a cultural authority and leverage it to create and sustain various cultural enterprises"; "tycoons", defined as "entrepreneurs who buil[d] substantial clout in the cultural sphere by forging synergies between their industrial, cultural, political, and philanthropic interests"; and "collective enterprises", organizations which may engage in cultural production for profit or not-for-profit purposes.[53] In the 2000s, story-telling has emerged as a field of study in cultural entrepreneurship. Some have argued that entrepreneurs should be considered "skilled cultural operators"[54] that use stories to build legitimacy, and seize market opportunities and new capital.[55][56][57] Others have concluded that we need to speak of a 'narrative turn' in cultural entrepreneurship research.[58] Ethnic The term "ethnic entrepreneurship" refers to self-employed business owners who belong to racial or ethnic minority groups in the United States and Europe.[citation needed] A long tradition of academic research explores the experiences and strategies of ethnic entrepreneurs as they strive to integrate economically into mainstream U.S. or European society. Classic cases include Jewish merchants and tradespeople in large U.S. cities in the 19th and early 20th centuries as well as Chinese and Japanese small business owners (restaurants, farmers, shop owners) on the West Coast.[59] In the 2010s, ethnic entrepreneurship has been studied in the case of Cuban business owners in Miami, Indian motel owners of the U.S. and Chinese business owners in Chinatowns across the United States. While entrepreneurship offers these groups many opportunities for economic advancement, self-employment and business ownership in the United States remain unevenly distributed along racial/ethnic lines.[60] Despite numerous success stories of Asian entrepreneurs, a recent statistical analysis of U.S. census data shows that whites are more likely than Asians, African-Americans and Latinos to be self-employed in high prestige, lucrative industries.[60] Religious Religious entrepreneurship refers to both the use of entrepreneurship to pursue religious ends as well as how religion impacts entrepreneurial pursuits. While religion is a central topic in society, it is largely overlooked in entrepreneurship research.[61] The inclusion of religion may transform entrepreneurship including a focus on opportunities other than profit as well as practices, processes and purpose of entrepreneurship.[62][63] Gümüsay suggests a three pillars model to explain religious entrepreneurship: The pillars are the entrepreneurial, socio-economic/ethical, and religio-spiritual in the pursuit of value, values, and the metaphysical.[64] Feminist A feminist entrepreneur is an individual who applies feminist values and approaches through entrepreneurship, with the goal of improving the quality of life and well-being of girls and women.[65] Many are doing so by creating "for women, by women" enterprises. Feminist entrepreneurs are motivated to enter commercial markets by desire to create wealth and social change, based on the ethics of cooperation, equality and mutual respect.[66][67] These endeavours can have the effect of both empowerment and emancipation.[68] Institutional The American-born British economist Edith Penrose has highlighted the collective nature of entrepreneurship. She mentions that in modern organizations, human resources need to be combined to better capture and create business opportunities.[69] The sociologist Paul DiMaggio (1988:14) has expanded this view to say that "new institutions arise when organized actors with sufficient resources [institutional entrepreneurs] see in them an opportunity to realize interests that they value highly".[70] The notion has been widely applied.[71][72][73][74] Millennial The term "millennial entrepreneur" refers to a business owner who is affiliated with millennials (also known as Generation Y), those people born from approximately 1981 to 1996.[75] The offspring of baby boomers and early Gen Xers,[76] this generation was brought up using digital technology and mass media. Millennial business owners are well-equipped with knowledge of new technology and new business models and have a strong grasp of its business applications. There have been many breakthrough businesses that have come from millennial entrepreneurs such as Mark Zuckerberg, who created Facebook.[77] Despite the expectation of millennial success, there have been recent studies that have proven this to not be the case. The comparison between millennials who are self-employed and those who are not self-employed shows that the latter is higher. The reason for this is because they have grown up in a different generation and attitude than their elders. Some of the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs are the economy, debt from schooling, and the challenges of regulatory compliance.[78] Nascent A nascent entrepreneur is someone in the process of establishing a business venture.[79] In this observation, the nascent entrepreneur can be seen as pursuing an opportunity, i.e. a possibility to introduce new services or products, serve new markets, or develop more efficient production methods in a profitable manner.[80][81] But before such a venture is actually established, the opportunity is just a venture idea.[82] In other words, the pursued opportunity is perceptual in nature, propped by the nascent entrepreneur's personal beliefs about the feasibility of the venturing outcomes the nascent entrepreneur seeks to achieve.[83][84][85] Its prescience and value cannot be confirmed ex ante but only gradually, in the context of the actions that the nascent entrepreneur undertakes towards establishing the venture as described in Saras Sarasvathy's theory of Effectuation,[86] Ultimately, these actions can lead to a path that the nascent entrepreneur deems no longer attractive or feasible, or result in the emergence of a (viable) business. In this sense, over time, the nascent venture can move towards being discontinued or towards emerging successfully as an operating entity. The distinction between the novice, serial and portfolio entrepreneurs is an example of behavior-based categorization.[87] Other examples are the (related) studies by,[88][89] on start-up event sequences. Nascent entrepreneurship that emphasizes the series of activities involved in new venture emergence,[90][91][92] rather than the solitary act of exploiting an opportunity. Such research will help separate entrepreneurial action into its basic sub-activities and elucidate the inter-relationships between activities, between an activity (or sequence of activities) and an individual's motivation to form an opportunity belief, and between an activity (or sequence of activities) and the knowledge needed to form an opportunity belief. With this research, scholars will be able to begin constructing a theory of the micro-foundations of entrepreneurial action. Scholars interested in nascent entrepreneurship tend to focus less on the single act of opportunity exploitation and more on the series of actions in new venture emergence,[90][93][92] Indeed, nascent entrepreneurs undertake numerous entrepreneurial activities, including actions that make their businesses more concrete to themselves and others. For instance, nascent entrepreneurs often look for and purchase facilities and equipment; seek and obtain financial backing, form legal entities, organize teams; and dedicate all their time and energy to their business[94] Project-based Project entrepreneurs are individuals who are engaged in the repeated assembly or creation of temporary organizations.[95] These are organizations that have limited lifespans which are devoted to producing a singular objective or goal and get disbanded rapidly when the project ends. Industries where project-based enterprises are widespread include: sound recording, film production, software development, television production, new media and construction.[96] What makes project-entrepreneurs distinctive from a theoretical standpoint is that they have to "rewire" these temporary ventures and modify them to suit the needs of new project opportunities that emerge. A project entrepreneur who used a certain approach and team for one project may have to modify the business model or team for a subsequent project. Project entrepreneurs are exposed repeatedly to problems and tasks typical of the entrepreneurial process.[97] Indeed, project-based entrepreneurs face two critical challenges that invariably characterize the creation of a new venture: locating the right opportunity to launch the project venture and assembling the most appropriate team to exploit that opportunity. Resolving the first challenge requires project-entrepreneurs to access an extensive range of information needed to seize new investment opportunities. Resolving the second challenge requires assembling a collaborative team that has to fit well with the particular challenges of the project and has to function almost immediately to reduce the risk that performance might be adversely affected. Another type of project entrepreneurship involves entrepreneurs working with business students to get analytical work done on their ideas. Social Student organizers from the Green Club at Newcomb College Institute formed a social entrepreneurship organization in 2010. Main article: Social entrepreneurship Social entrepreneurship is the use of the by start up companies and other entrepreneurs to develop, fund and implement solutions to social, cultural, or environmental issues.[98] This concept may be applied to a variety of organizations with different sizes, aims, and beliefs.[99] For-profit entrepreneurs typically measure performance using business metrics like profit, revenues and increases in stock prices, but social entrepreneurs are either non-profits or blend for-profit goals with generating a positive "return to society" and therefore must use different metrics. Social entrepreneurship typically attempts to further broad social, cultural, and environmental goals often associated with the voluntary sector[100] in areas such as poverty alleviation, health care[101] and community development. At times, profit-making social enterprises may be established to support the social or cultural goals of the organization but not as an end in itself. For example, an organization that aims to provide housing and employment to the homeless may operate a restaurant, both to raise money and to provide employment for the homeless people. Biosphere Biosphere entrepreneurship is "entrepreneurial activity that generates value for the biosphere and ecosystem services."[102] It is part of a larger trend of business schools seeking to incorporate environmental topics more actively into their curricula.[103] Entrepreneurial behaviours The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator—a designer of new ideas and business processes.[104] Management skills and strong team building abilities are often perceived as essential leadership attributes for successful entrepreneurs.[105][unreliable source] Political economist Robert Reich considers leadership, management ability and team-building to be essential qualities of an entrepreneur.[106][107] Uncertainty perception and risk-taking Theorists Frank Knight[108] and Peter Drucker defined entrepreneurship in terms of risk-taking. The entrepreneur is willing to put his or her career and financial security on the line and take risks in the name of an idea, spending time as well as capital on an uncertain venture. However, entrepreneurs often do not believe that they have taken an enormous amount of risks because they do not perceive the level of uncertainty to be as high as other people do. Knight classified three types of uncertainty: Risk, which is measurable statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red color ball from a jar containing five red balls and five white balls) Ambiguity, which is hard to measure statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red ball from a jar containing five red balls but an unknown number of white balls) True uncertainty or Knightian uncertainty, which is impossible to estimate or predict statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red ball from a jar whose contents, in terms of numbers of coloured balls, are entirely unknown) Entrepreneurship is often associated with true uncertainty, particularly when it involves the creation of a novel good or service, for a market that did not previously exist, rather than when a venture creates an incremental improvement to an existing product or service. A 2014 study at ETH Zürich found that compared with typical managers, entrepreneurs showed higher decision-making efficiency and a stronger activation in regions of frontopolar cortex (FPC) previously associated with explorative choice.[109] "Coachability" and advice taking The ability of entrepreneurs to work closely with and take advice from early investors and other partners (i.e. their coachability) has long been considered a critical factor in entrepreneurial success.[110] At the same time, economists have argued that entrepreneurs should not simply act on all advice given to them, even when that advice comes from well-informed sources, because entrepreneurs possess far deeper and richer local knowledge about their own firm than any outsider. Indeed, measures of coachability are not actually predictive of entrepreneurial success (e.g. measured as success in subsequent funding rounds, acquisitions, pivots and firm survival). This research also shows that older and larger founding teams, presumably those with more subject expertise, are less coachable than younger and smaller founding teams.[citation needed] Strategies Strategies that entrepreneurs may use include: Innovation of new products, services or processes[111] Continuous process improvement (CPI)[111] Exploration of new business models Finding solutions for problems Use of technology[111] Use of business intelligence Use of economical strategies Development of future products and services[111] Optimized talent management[111] Entrepreneurial marketing strategies for interactive and innovative networking[112] Designing individual/opportunity nexus According to Shane and Venkataraman, entrepreneurship comprises both "enterprising individuals" and "entrepreneurial opportunities", so researchers should study the nature of the individuals who identify opportunities when others do not, the opportunities themselves and the nexus between individuals and opportunities.[113] On the other hand, Reynolds et al.[114] argue that individuals are motivated to engage in entrepreneurial endeavours driven mainly by necessity or opportunity, that is individuals pursue entrepreneurship primarily owing to survival needs, or because they identify business opportunities that satisfy their need for achievement. For example, higher economic inequality tends to increase necessity-based entrepreneurship rates at the individual level.[115] Opportunity perception and biases One study has found that certain genes affecting personality may influence the income of self-employed people.[116] Some people may be able to use[weasel words] "an innate ability" or quasi-statistical sense to gauge public opinion[117] and market demand for new products or services. Entrepreneurs tend to have the ability to see unmet market needs and underserved markets. While some entrepreneurs assume they can sense and figure out what others are thinking, the mass media plays a crucial role in shaping views and demand.[118] Ramoglou argues that entrepreneurs are not that distinctive and that it is essentially poor conceptualizations of "non-entrepreneurs" that maintain laudatory portraits of "entrepreneurs" as exceptional innovators or leaders[119][120] Entrepreneurs are often overconfident, exhibit illusion of control, when they are opening/expanding business or new products/services.[23] Styles Differences in entrepreneurial organizations often partially reflect their founders' heterogenous identities. Fauchart and Gruber have classified entrepreneurs into three main types: Darwinians, communitarians and missionaries. These types of entrepreneurs diverge in fundamental ways in their self-views, social motivations and patterns of new firm creation.[121] Communication Entrepreneurs must practice effective communication both within their firm and with external partners and investors to launch and grow a venture and enable it to survive. An entrepreneur needs a communication system that links the staff of her firm and connects the firm to outside firms and clients. Entrepreneurs should be charismatic leaders, so they can communicate a vision effectively to their team and help to create a strong team. Communicating a vision to followers may be the most important act of the transformational leader.[122] Compelling visions provide employees with a sense of purpose and encourage commitment. According to Baum et al.[123] and Kouzes and Posner,[124] the vision must be communicated through written statements and through in-person communication. Entrepreneurial leaders must speak and listen to articulate their vision to others.[125] Communication is pivotal in the role of entrepreneurship because it enables leaders to convince potential investors, partners and employees about the feasibility of a venture.[126] Entrepreneurs need to communicate effectively to shareholders.[127] Nonverbal elements in speech such as the tone of voice, the look in the sender's eyes, body language, hand gestures and state of emotions are also important communication tools. The Communication Accommodation Theory posits that throughout communication people will attempt to accommodate or adjust their method of speaking to others.[128] Face Negotiation Theory describes how people from different cultures manage conflict negotiation to maintain "face".[129] Hugh Rank's "intensify and downplay" communications model can be used by entrepreneurs who are developing a new product or service. Rank argues that entrepreneurs need to be able to intensify the advantages of their new product or service and downplay the disadvantages to persuade others to support their venture.[130] Links to sea piracy Research from 2014 found links between entrepreneurship and historical sea piracy. In this context, the claim is made for a non-moral approach to looking at the history of piracy as a source of inspiration for entrepreneurship education[131] as well as for research in entrepreneurship[132] and business model generation.[133] Psychological makeup Ross Levine, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, and Yona Rubinstein, a professor at the London School of Economics released a study which suggests entrepreneurs are disproportionately white, male, from wealthy and highly educated backgrounds, and prone to "aggressive, illicit, risk-taking activities" as teenagers and young adults. Entrepreneurs also performed above average on aptitude tests.[134] This masculine image is also found when studying how male entrepreneurs are represented in media. A supporting but invisible family are one of the success factors when being portrayed as a male entrepreneur in media.[135] A study conducted by the Census Bureau and two MIT professors, after compiling a list of 2.7 million company founders who hired at least one employee between 2007 and 2014, found the average age of a successful start-up founder when he or she founded it is 45. They consistently found chances of entrepreneurial success rises with age.[136][137] Apple co-founder and longtime leader Steve Jobs (pictured in 2010) led the introduction of many innovations in the computer, smartphone and digital music industries. Stanford University economist Edward Lazear found in a 2005 study that variety in education and in work experience was the most important trait that distinguished entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs[138] A 2013 study by Uschi Backes-Gellner of the University of Zurich and Petra Moog of the University of Siegen in Germany found that a diverse social network was also an important characteristic of students that would go on to become entrepreneurs.[139][140] Studies show that the psychological propensities for male and female entrepreneurs are more similar than different. Empirical studies suggest that female entrepreneurs possess strong negotiating skills and consensus-forming abilities.[141] Åsa Hansson, who looked at empirical evidence from Sweden, found that the probability of becoming self-employed decreases with age for women, but increases with age for men.[142] She also found that marriage increased the probability of a person's becoming an entrepreneur.[142] Jesper Sørensen wrote in 2010 that significant influences on the decision to become an entrepreneur include workplace peers and social composition. Sørensen discovered a correlation between working with former entrepreneurs and how often these individuals become entrepreneurs themselves, compared to those who did not work with entrepreneurs.[143] Social composition can influence entrepreneurialism in peers by demonstrating the possibility for success, stimulating a "He can do it, why can't I?" attitude. As Sørensen stated: "When you meet others who have gone out on their own, it doesn't seem that crazy."[144] Entrepreneurs may also be driven to entrepreneurship by past experiences. If someone has faced multiple work stoppages or has been unemployed in the past, the probability of becoming an entrepreneur increases[142] Per Cattell's personality framework, both personality traits and attitudes are thoroughly investigated by psychologists. However, in case of entrepreneurship research these notions are employed by academics[which?] too, but vaguely. Cattell states that personality is a system that is related to the environment and further adds that the system seeks explanation to the complex transactions conducted by both—traits and attitudes. This is because both of them bring about change and growth in a person. Personality is that which informs what an individual will do when faced with a given situation. A person's response is triggered by his/her personality and the situation that is faced.[145] Innovative entrepreneurs may be more likely to experience what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls "flow". "Flow" occurs when an individual forgets about the outside world due to being thoroughly engaged in a process or activity. Csikszentmihalyi suggested that breakthrough innovations tend to occur at the hands of individuals in that state.[146] Other research has concluded that a strong internal motivation is a vital ingredient for breakthrough innovation.[147] Flow can be compared to Maria Montessori's concept of normalization, a state that includes a child's capacity for joyful and lengthy periods of intense concentration.[148] Csikszentmihalyi acknowledged that Montessori's prepared environment offers children opportunities to achieve flow.[149] Thus quality and type of early education may influence entrepreneurial capability.[citation needed] Research on high-risk settings such as oil platforms, investment banking, medical surgery, aircraft piloting and nuclear-power plants has related distrust to failure avoidance.[150] When non-routine strategies are needed, distrusting persons perform better, while when routine strategies are needed trusting persons perform better. Gudmundsson and Lechner extended this research to entrepreneurial firms.[151] They argued that in entrepreneurial firms the threat of failure is ever-present, resembling non-routine situations in high-risk settings. They found that the firms of distrusting entrepreneurs were more likely to survive than the firms of optimistic or overconfident entrepreneurs. The reasons were that distrusting entrepreneurs would emphasize failure-avoidance through sensible task selection and more analysis. Kets de Vries has pointed out that distrusting entrepreneurs are more alert about their external environment.[152] He concluded that distrusting entrepreneurs are less likely to discount negative events and are more likely to engage control mechanisms. Similarly, Gudmundsson and Lechner found that distrust leads to higher precaution and therefore increases chances of entrepreneurial-firm survival. Researchers Schoon and Duckworth completed a study in 2012 that could potentially help identify who may become an entrepreneur at an early age. They determined that the best measures to identify a young entrepreneur are family and social status, parental role-modelling, entrepreneurial competencies at age 10, academic attainment at age 10, generalized self-efficacy, social skills, entrepreneurial intention and experience of unemployment.[153] Strategic entrepreneurship Some scholars have constructed an operational definition of a more specific subcategory called "Strategic Entrepreneurship". Closely tied with principles of strategic management, this form of entrepreneurship is "concerned about growth, creating value for customers and subsequently creating wealth for owners".[154] A 2011 article for the Academy of Management provided a three-step, "Input-Process-Output" model of strategic entrepreneurship. The model's three steps entail the collection of different resources, the process of orchestrating them in the necessary manner and the subsequent creation of competitive advantage, value for customers, wealth and other benefits. Through the proper use of strategic management/leadership techniques and the implementation of risk-bearing entrepreneurial thinking, the strategic entrepreneur is, therefore, able to align resources to create value and wealth.[154] Leadership Leadership in entrepreneurship can be defined as "process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task"[155] in "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods".[156][page needed] This refers to not only the act of entrepreneurship as managing or starting a business, but how one manages to do so by these social processes, or leadership skills. (Entrepreneurship in itself can be defined somewhat circularly as "the process by which individuals, teams, or organizations identify and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities without being immediately constrained by the resources they currently control".[157]) An entrepreneur typically has a mindset that seeks out potential opportunities during uncertain times.[157] An entrepreneur must have leadership skills or qualities to see potential opportunities and act upon them.[citation needed] At the core, an entrepreneur is a decision-maker.[citation needed] Such decisions often affect an organization as a whole, which is representative of entrepreneurial leadership within the organization.[citation needed] With the growing global market and increasing technology use throughout all industries, the core of entrepreneurship and the decision-making has become an ongoing process rather than isolated incidents.[citation needed] This becomes knowledge management,[citation needed] which is "identifying and harnessing intellectual assets" for organizations to "build on past experiences and create new mechanisms for exchanging and creating knowledge".[158] This belief[which?] draws upon a leader's past experiences that may prove useful. It is a common mantra for one to learn from their past mistakes, so leaders should take advantage of their failures for their benefit.[citation needed] This is how one may take their experiences as a leader for the use in the core of entrepreneurship decision-making.[citation needed] Global leadership The majority of scholarly research done on these topics has taken place in North America.[159] Words like "leadership" and "entrepreneurship" do not always translate well into other cultures and languages. For example, in North America a leader is often thought of as charismatic, but German culture frowns on such charisma due to the charisma of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler (1889–1945). Other cultures, as in some European countries, view the term "leader" negatively, like the French.[160][need quotation to verify] The participative leadership style that is prevalent in the United States is considered disrespectful in many other parts of the world due to the differences in power distance.[161] Many Asian and Middle Eastern countries do not have "open door" policies for subordinates, who would never informally approach their managers/bosses. For countries like that, an authoritarian approach to management and leadership is more customary.[citation needed] Despite cultural differences, the successes and failures of entrepreneurs can be traced to how leaders adapt to local conditions.[162] Within the increasingly global business environment a successful leader must be able to adapt and have insight into other cultures. To respond to the environment, corporate visions are becoming transnational in nature, to enable the organization to operate in or provide services/goods for other cultures.[163] Entrepreneurship training and education Michelacci and Schivardi are a pair of researchers who believe that identifying and comparing the relationships between an entrepreneur's earnings and education level would determine the rate and level of success. Their study focused on two education levels, college degree and post-graduate degree. While Michelacci and Schivardi do not specifically determine characteristics or traits for successful entrepreneurs, they do believe that there is a direct relationship between education and success, noting that having a college knowledge does contribute to advancement in the workforce.[164] Michelacci and Schivardi state there has been a rise in the number of self-employed people with a baccalaureate degree. However, their findings also show that those who are self-employed and possess a graduate degree has remained consistent throughout time at about 33 percent. They briefly mention those famous entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg who were college dropouts, but they call these cases all but exceptional as it is a pattern that many entrepreneurs view formal education as costly, mainly because of the time that needs to be spent on it. In the 21st century, a young Danish entrepreneur, Maniyar, had become famous while perusing his Bachelors of Pharmacy. There are few entrepreneurs that are also college dropouts, like Mark Zuckerberg however, Maniyar's ability and volition while studying would allow him to create a functioning business.[10] Michelacci and Schivardi believe that for an individual to reach the full success they need to have education beyond high school. Their research shows that the higher the education level the greater the success. The reason is that college gives people additional skills that can be used within their business and to operate on a higher level than someone who only "runs" it.[164] Recent trends that seek to merge neurosciences into entrepreneurship Currently it refers to the concept of "Entrepreneurial Enhancement", which refers to "the progressive improvement of cognitive, affective and conative skills in potential entrepreneurs or existing ones using appropriate neurotechnologies". The term has been coined by engineer Víctor Pérez Centeno, in relation to the need to fuse neurotechnologies in research, education and the empowerment of entrepreneurial performance".[165][166] Resources and financing Entrepreneurial resources An entrepreneurial resource is any company-owned asset that has economic value creating capabilities. Economic value creating both tangible and intangible sources are considered as entrepreneurial resources. Their economic value is generating activities or services through mobilization by entrepreneurs.[167] Entrepreneurial resources can be divided into two fundamental categories: tangible and intangible resources.[168] Tangible resources are material sources such as equipment, building, furniture, land, vehicle, machinery, stock, cash, bond and inventory that has a physical form and can be quantified. On the contrary, intangible resources are nonphysical or more challenging to identify and evaluate, and they possess more value creating capacity such as human resources including skills and experience in a particular field, organizational structure of the company, brand name, reputation, entrepreneurial networks that contribute to promotion and financial support, know-how, intellectual property including both copyrights, trademarks and patents.[169][170] Bootstrapping Contextual background At least early on, entrepreneurs often "bootstrap-finance" their start-up rather than seeking external investors from the start. One of the reasons that some entrepreneurs prefer to "bootstrap" is that obtaining equity financing requires the entrepreneur to provide ownership shares to the investors. If the start-up becomes successful later on, these early equity financing deals could provide a windfall for the investors and a huge loss for the entrepreneur. If investors have a significant stake in the company, they may as well be able to exert influence on company strategy, chief executive officer (CEO) choice and other important decisions. This is often problematic since the investor and the founder might have different incentives regarding the long-term goal of the company. An investor will generally aim for a profitable exit and therefore promotes a high-valuation sale of the company or IPO to sell their shares. Whereas the entrepreneur might have philanthropic intentions as their main driving force. Soft values like this might not go well with the short-term pressure on yearly and quarterly profits that publicly traded companies often experience from their owners.[171] Common definition One consensus definition of bootstrapping sees it as "a collection of methods used to minimize the amount of outside debt and equity financing needed from banks and investors".

Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones. An entrepreneur is an individual who creates and/or invests in one or more businesses, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards.[1] The process of setting up a business is known as "entrepreneurship". The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services, and business/or procedures. More narrow definitions have described entrepreneurship as the process of designing, launching and running a new business, which is often similar to a small business, or (per Business Dictionary) as the "capacity and willingness to develop, organize and manage a business venture along with any of its risks to make a profit".[2] The people who create these businesses are often referred to as "entrepreneurs".[3][4] While definitions of entrepreneurship typically focus on the launching and running of businesses, due to the high risks involved in launching a startup company, a significant proportion of startups have to close (in Mikal Belicove's words) due to "lack of funding, bad business decisions, government policies, an economic crisis, a lack of market demand, or a combination of all of these."[5] In the field of economics, the term entrepreneur is used for an entity which has the ability to translate inventions or technologies into products and services.[6] In this sense, entrepreneurship describes activities on the part of both established firms and new businesses. Perspectives on entrepreneurship In the 21st century the governments of nation states have tried to promote entrepreneurship, as well as enterprise culture, in the hope that it would improve or stimulate economic growth and competition. After the end of supply-side economics, entrepreneurship was supposed to boost the economy.[7] As an academic field, entrepreneurship accommodates different schools of thought. It has been studied within disciplines such as management, economics, sociology, and economic history.[8][9] Some view entrepreneurship as allocated to the entrepreneur. These scholars tend to focus on what the entrepreneur does and what traits an entrepreneur has. This is sometimes referred to as the functionalistic approach to entrepreneurship.[10] Others deviate from the individualistic perspective to turn the spotlight on the entrepreneurial process and immerse in the interplay between agency and context. This approach is sometimes referred to as the processual approach,[10] or the contextual turn/approach to entrepreneurship.[11][12] Elements This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Entrepreneurship" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Entrepreneurship includes the creation or extraction of economic value.[13][12][14] It is the act of being an entrepreneur, or the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits.[citation needed] Entrepreneurs act as managers and oversee the launch and growth of an enterprise. Entrepreneurship is the process by which either an individual or a team identifies a business opportunity and acquires and deploys the necessary resources required for its exploitation. In the early 19th century, the French economist Jean-Baptiste Say provided a broad definition of entrepreneurship, saying that it "shifts economic resources out of an area of lower and into an area of higher productivity and greater yield". Entrepreneurs create something new and unique—they change or transmute value. Regardless of the firm size, big or small, it can take part in entrepreneurship opportunities. There are four criteria for becoming an entrepreneur. First, there must be opportunities or situations to recombine resources to generate profit. Second, entrepreneurship requires differences between people, such as preferential access to certain individuals or the ability to recognize information about opportunities. Third, taking on a level of risk is a necessity. Fourth, the entrepreneurial process requires the organization of people and resources.[15] An entrepreneur uses their time, energy, and resources to create value for others. They are rewarded for this effort monetarily and therefore both the consumer of the value created and the entrepreneur benefit. The entrepreneur is a factor in and the study of entrepreneurship reaches back to the work of Richard Cantillon and Adam Smith in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. However, entrepreneurship was largely ignored theoretically until the late 19th and early 20th centuries and empirically until a profound resurgence in business and economics since the late 1970s. In the 20th century, the understanding of entrepreneurship owes much to the work of economist Joseph Schumpeter in the 1930s and other Austrian economists such as Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek. According to Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is a person who is willing and able to convert a new idea or invention into a successful innovation. Entrepreneurship employs what Schumpeter called "the gale of creative destruction" to replace in whole or in part inferior innovations across markets and industries, simultaneously creating new products, including new business models. It has been argued, that creative destruction is largely responsible for the dynamism of industries and long-run economic growth. The supposition that entrepreneurship leads to economic growth is an interpretation of the residual in endogenous growth theory and as such is debated in academic economics. An alternative description posited by Israel Kirzner suggests that the majority of innovations may be much more incremental improvements such as the replacement of paper with plastic in the making of drinking straws. Entrepreneurical opportunities The exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities may include:[16] Developing a business plan Hiring human resources Acquiring financial and material resources Providing leadership Being responsible for both the venture's success or failure Risk aversion The economist Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950) saw the role of the entrepreneur in the economy as "creative destruction", Which he defined as launching innovations that simultaneously destroy old industries while ushering in new industries and approaches. For Schumpeter, the changes and "dynamic economic equilibrium brought on by the innovating entrepreneur [were] the norm of a healthy economy".[17] While entrepreneurship is often associated with new, small, for-profit start-ups, entrepreneurial behavior can be seen in small-, medium- and large-sized firms, new and established firms and in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, including voluntary-sector groups, charitable organizations and government.[18] Entrepreneurship may operate within an entrepreneurship ecosystem which often includes: Government programs and services that promote entrepreneurship and support entrepreneurs and start-ups Non-governmental organizations such as small-business associations and organizations that offer advice and mentoring to entrepreneurs (e.g. through entrepreneurship centers or websites) Small-business advocacy organizations that lobby governments for increased support for entrepreneurship programs and more small business-friendly laws and regulations Entrepreneurship resources and facilities (e.g. business incubators and seed accelerators) Entrepreneurship education and training programs offered by schools, colleges and universities Financing (e.g. bank loans, venture capital financing, angel investing and government and private foundation grants)[19][need quotation to verify] In the 2000s, usage of the term "entrepreneurship" expanded to include how and why some individuals (or teams) identify opportunities, evaluate them as viable, and then decide to exploit them.[20] The term has also been used to discuss how people might use these opportunities to develop new products or services, launch new firms or industries, and create wealth.[21] The entrepreneurial process is uncertain because opportunities can only be identified after they have been exploited.[22] Entrepreneurs exhibit positive biases towards finding new possibilities and seeing unmet market needs, and a tendency towards risk-taking that makes them more likely to exploit business opportunities.[23][24] History Historical usage Emil Jellinek-Mercedes (1853–1918), here at the steering wheel of his Phoenix Double-Phaeton "Entrepreneur" (/ˌɒ̃trəprəˈnɜːr, -ˈnjʊər/ ⓘ, UK also /-prɛ-/) is a loanword from French. The word first appeared in the French dictionary entitled Dictionnaire Universel de Commerce compiled by Jacques des Bruslons and published in 1723.[25] Especially in Britain, the term "adventurer" was often used to denote the same meaning.[26] The study of entrepreneurship reaches back to the work in the late 17th and early 18th centuries of Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon, which was foundational to classical economics. Cantillon defined the term first in his Essai sur la Nature du Commerce en Général, or Essay on the Nature of Trade in General, a book William Stanley Jevons considered the "cradle of political economy".[27][28] Cantillon defined the term as a person who pays a certain price for a product and resells it at an uncertain price, "making decisions about obtaining and using the resources while consequently admitting the risk of enterprise". Cantillon considered the entrepreneur to be a risk taker who deliberately allocates resources to exploit opportunities to maximize the financial return.[29][30] Cantillon emphasized the willingness of the entrepreneur to assume the risk and to deal with uncertainty, thus he drew attention to the function of the entrepreneur and distinguished between the function of the entrepreneur and the owner who provided the money.[29][31] Jean-Baptiste Say also identified entrepreneurs as a driver for economic development, emphasizing their role as one of the collecting factors of production allocating resources from less to fields that are more productive. Both Say and Cantillon belonged to French school of thought and known as the physiocrats.[32] Dating back to the time of the medieval guilds in Germany, a craftsperson required special permission to operate as an entrepreneur, the small proof of competence (Kleiner Befähigungsnachweis), which restricted training of apprentices to craftspeople who held a Meister certificate. This institution was introduced in 1908 after a period of so-called freedom of trade (Gewerbefreiheit, introduced in 1871) in the German Reich. However, proof of competence was not required to start a business. In 1935 and in 1953, greater proof of competence was reintroduced (Großer Befähigungsnachweis Kuhlenbeck), which required craftspeople to obtain a Meister apprentice-training certificate before being permitted to set up a new business.[33] In the Ashanti Empire, successful entrepreneurs who accumulated large wealth and men as well as distinguished themselves through heroic deeds were awarded social and political recognition by being called "Abirempon" which means big men. By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries AD, the appellation "Abirempon" had formalized and politicized to embrace those who conducted trade from which the whole state benefited. The state rewarded entrepreneurs who attained such accomplishments with Mena(elephant tail) which was the "heraldic badge"[34] 20th century In the 20th century, entrepreneurship was studied by Joseph Schumpeter in the 1930s and by other Austrian economists such as Carl Menger (1840-1921), Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) and Friedrich von Hayek (1899–1992). While the loan from French of the English-language word "entrepreneur" dates to 1762,[35] the word "entrepreneurism" dates from 1902[36] and the term "entrepreneurship" also first appeared in 1902.[37] According to Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is willing and able to convert a new idea or invention into a successful innovation.[38] Entrepreneurship employs what Schumpeter called the "gale of creative destruction"[39] to replace in whole or in part inferior offerings across markets and industries, simultaneously creating new products and new business models,[citation needed] thus creative destruction is largely[quantify] responsible for long-term economic growth. The idea that entrepreneurship leads to economic growth is an interpretation of the residual in endogenous growth theory[clarification needed] and as such continues to be debated in academic economics. An alternative description by Israel Kirzner (1930– ) suggests that the majority of innovations may be incremental improvements – such as the replacement of paper with plastic in the construction of a drinking straw – that require no special qualities. For Schumpeter, entrepreneurship resulted in new industries and in new combinations of currently existing inputs. Schumpeter's initial example of this was the combination of a steam engine and then current wagon-making technologies to produce the horseless carriage. In this case, the innovation (i.e. the car) was transformational but did not require the development of dramatic new technology. It did not immediately replace the horse-drawn carriage, but in time incremental improvements reduced the cost and improved the technology, leading to the modern auto industry. Despite Schumpeter's early 20th-century contributions, traditional microeconomic theory did not formally consider the entrepreneur in its theoretical frameworks (instead of assuming that resources would find each other through a price system). In this treatment, the entrepreneur was an implied but unspecified actor, consistent with the concept of the entrepreneur being the agent of x-efficiency. For Schumpeter, the entrepreneur did not bear risk: the capitalist did. Schumpeter believed that the equilibrium was imperfect. Schumpeter (1934) demonstrated that the changing environment continuously provides new information about the optimum allocation of resources to enhance profitability. Some individuals acquire the new information before others and recombine the resources to gain an entrepreneurial profit. Schumpeter was of the opinion that entrepreneurs shift the production-possibility curve to a higher level using innovations.[40] Initially, economists made the first attempt[when?] to study the entrepreneurship concept in depth.[41] Alfred Marshall viewed the entrepreneur as a multi-tasking capitalist and observed that in the equilibrium of a completely competitive market there was no spot for "entrepreneurs" as economic-activity creators.[42] Changes in politics and society in Russia and China the late-20th century saw a flowering of entrepreneurial activity, producing Russian oligarchs[43] and Chinese millionaires.[44] 21st century In 2012, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer greets participants in an African Women's Entrepreneurship Program at the State Department in Washington, D.C. In the 2000s, entrepreneurship was extended from its origins in for-profit businesses to include social entrepreneurship, in which business goals are sought alongside social, environmental or humanitarian goals and even the concept of the political entrepreneur.[according to whom?] Entrepreneurship within an existing firm or large organization has been referred to as intrapreneurship and may include corporate ventures where large entities "spin-off" subsidiary organizations.[45] Entrepreneurs are leaders willing to take risk and exercise initiative, taking advantage of market opportunities by planning, organizing and deploying resources,[46] often by innovating to create new or improving existing products or services.[47] In the 2000s, the term "entrepreneurship" has been extended to include a specific mindset resulting in entrepreneurial initiatives, e.g. in the form of social entrepreneurship, political entrepreneurship or knowledge entrepreneurship.[citation needed] According to Paul Reynolds, founder of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, "by the time they reach their retirement years, half of all working men in the United States probably have a period of self-employment of one or more years; one in four may have engaged in self-employment for six or more years. Participating in a new business creation is a common activity among U.S. workers over the course of their careers".[48] In recent years, entrepreneurship has been claimed as a major driver of economic growth in both the United States and Western Europe.[citation needed] Entrepreneurial activities differ substantially depending on the type of organization and creativity involved. Entrepreneurship ranges in scale from solo, part-time projects to large-scale undertakings that involve a team and which may create many jobs. Many "high value" entrepreneurial ventures seek venture capital or angel funding (seed money) to raise capital for building and expanding the business.[49] Many organizations exist to support would-be entrepreneurs, including specialized government agencies, business incubators (which may be for-profit, non-profit, or operated by a college or university), science parks and non-governmental organizations, which include a range of organizations including not-for-profits, charities, foundations and business advocacy groups (e.g. Chambers of commerce). Beginning in 2008, an annual "Global Entrepreneurship Week" event aimed at "exposing people to the benefits of entrepreneurship" and getting them to "participate in entrepreneurial-related activities" was launched.[who?] Relationship between small business and entrepreneurship The term "entrepreneur" is often conflated with the term "small business" or used interchangeably with this term. While most entrepreneurial ventures start out as a small business, not all small businesses are entrepreneurial in the strict sense of the term. Many small businesses are sole proprietor operations consisting solely of the owner—or they have a small number of employees—and many of these small businesses offer an existing product, process or service and they do not aim at growth. In contrast, entrepreneurial ventures offer an innovative product, process or service and the entrepreneur typically aims to scale up the company by adding employees, seeking international sales and so on, a process which is financed by venture capital and angel investments. In this way, the term "entrepreneur" may be more closely associated with the term "startup". Successful entrepreneurs have the ability to lead a business in a positive direction by proper planning, to adapt to changing environments and understand their own strengths and weaknesses.[50] Historians' ranking A 2002 survey of 58 business history professors gave the top spots in American business history to Henry Ford, followed by Bill Gates; John D. Rockefeller; Andrew Carnegie, and Thomas Edison. They were followed by Sam Walton; J. P. Morgan; Alfred P. Sloan; Walt Disney; Ray Kroc; Thomas J. Watson; Alexander Graham Bell; Eli Whitney; James J. Hill; Jack Welch; Cyrus McCormick; David Packard; Bill Hewlett; Cornelius Vanderbilt; and George Westinghouse.[51] A 1977 survey of management scholars reported the top five pioneers in management ideas were: Frederick Winslow Taylor; Chester Barnard; Frank Bunker Gilbreth Sr.; Elton Mayo; and Lillian Moller Gilbreth.[52] Types of entrepreneurship Cultural According to Christopher Rea and Nicolai Volland, cultural entrepreneurship is "practices of individual and collective agency characterized by mobility between cultural professions and modes of cultural production", which refers to creative industry activities and sectors. In their book The Business of Culture (2015), Rea and Volland identify three types of cultural entrepreneur: "cultural personalities", defined as "individuals who buil[d] their own personal brand of creativity as a cultural authority and leverage it to create and sustain various cultural enterprises"; "tycoons", defined as "entrepreneurs who buil[d] substantial clout in the cultural sphere by forging synergies between their industrial, cultural, political, and philanthropic interests"; and "collective enterprises", organizations which may engage in cultural production for profit or not-for-profit purposes.[53] In the 2000s, story-telling has emerged as a field of study in cultural entrepreneurship. Some have argued that entrepreneurs should be considered "skilled cultural operators"[54] that use stories to build legitimacy, and seize market opportunities and new capital.[55][56][57] Others have concluded that we need to speak of a 'narrative turn' in cultural entrepreneurship research.[58] Ethnic The term "ethnic entrepreneurship" refers to self-employed business owners who belong to racial or ethnic minority groups in the United States and Europe.[citation needed] A long tradition of academic research explores the experiences and strategies of ethnic entrepreneurs as they strive to integrate economically into mainstream U.S. or European society. Classic cases include Jewish merchants and tradespeople in large U.S. cities in the 19th and early 20th centuries as well as Chinese and Japanese small business owners (restaurants, farmers, shop owners) on the West Coast.[59] In the 2010s, ethnic entrepreneurship has been studied in the case of Cuban business owners in Miami, Indian motel owners of the U.S. and Chinese business owners in Chinatowns across the United States. While entrepreneurship offers these groups many opportunities for economic advancement, self-employment and business ownership in the United States remain unevenly distributed along racial/ethnic lines.[60] Despite numerous success stories of Asian entrepreneurs, a recent statistical analysis of U.S. census data shows that whites are more likely than Asians, African-Americans and Latinos to be self-employed in high prestige, lucrative industries.[60] Religious Religious entrepreneurship refers to both the use of entrepreneurship to pursue religious ends as well as how religion impacts entrepreneurial pursuits. While religion is a central topic in society, it is largely overlooked in entrepreneurship research.[61] The inclusion of religion may transform entrepreneurship including a focus on opportunities other than profit as well as practices, processes and purpose of entrepreneurship.[62][63] Gümüsay suggests a three pillars model to explain religious entrepreneurship: The pillars are the entrepreneurial, socio-economic/ethical, and religio-spiritual in the pursuit of value, values, and the metaphysical.[64] Feminist A feminist entrepreneur is an individual who applies feminist values and approaches through entrepreneurship, with the goal of improving the quality of life and well-being of girls and women.[65] Many are doing so by creating "for women, by women" enterprises. Feminist entrepreneurs are motivated to enter commercial markets by desire to create wealth and social change, based on the ethics of cooperation, equality and mutual respect.[66][67] These endeavours can have the effect of both empowerment and emancipation.[68] Institutional The American-born British economist Edith Penrose has highlighted the collective nature of entrepreneurship. She mentions that in modern organizations, human resources need to be combined to better capture and create business opportunities.[69] The sociologist Paul DiMaggio (1988:14) has expanded this view to say that "new institutions arise when organized actors with sufficient resources [institutional entrepreneurs] see in them an opportunity to realize interests that they value highly".[70] The notion has been widely applied.[71][72][73][74] Millennial The term "millennial entrepreneur" refers to a business owner who is affiliated with millennials (also known as Generation Y), those people born from approximately 1981 to 1996.[75] The offspring of baby boomers and early Gen Xers,[76] this generation was brought up using digital technology and mass media. Millennial business owners are well-equipped with knowledge of new technology and new business models and have a strong grasp of its business applications. There have been many breakthrough businesses that have come from millennial entrepreneurs such as Mark Zuckerberg, who created Facebook.[77] Despite the expectation of millennial success, there have been recent studies that have proven this to not be the case. The comparison between millennials who are self-employed and those who are not self-employed shows that the latter is higher. The reason for this is because they have grown up in a different generation and attitude than their elders. Some of the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs are the economy, debt from schooling, and the challenges of regulatory compliance.[78] Nascent A nascent entrepreneur is someone in the process of establishing a business venture.[79] In this observation, the nascent entrepreneur can be seen as pursuing an opportunity, i.e. a possibility to introduce new services or products, serve new markets, or develop more efficient production methods in a profitable manner.[80][81] But before such a venture is actually established, the opportunity is just a venture idea.[82] In other words, the pursued opportunity is perceptual in nature, propped by the nascent entrepreneur's personal beliefs about the feasibility of the venturing outcomes the nascent entrepreneur seeks to achieve.[83][84][85] Its prescience and value cannot be confirmed ex ante but only gradually, in the context of the actions that the nascent entrepreneur undertakes towards establishing the venture as described in Saras Sarasvathy's theory of Effectuation,[86] Ultimately, these actions can lead to a path that the nascent entrepreneur deems no longer attractive or feasible, or result in the emergence of a (viable) business. In this sense, over time, the nascent venture can move towards being discontinued or towards emerging successfully as an operating entity. The distinction between the novice, serial and portfolio entrepreneurs is an example of behavior-based categorization.[87] Other examples are the (related) studies by,[88][89] on start-up event sequences. Nascent entrepreneurship that emphasizes the series of activities involved in new venture emergence,[90][91][92] rather than the solitary act of exploiting an opportunity. Such research will help separate entrepreneurial action into its basic sub-activities and elucidate the inter-relationships between activities, between an activity (or sequence of activities) and an individual's motivation to form an opportunity belief, and between an activity (or sequence of activities) and the knowledge needed to form an opportunity belief. With this research, scholars will be able to begin constructing a theory of the micro-foundations of entrepreneurial action. Scholars interested in nascent entrepreneurship tend to focus less on the single act of opportunity exploitation and more on the series of actions in new venture emergence,[90][93][92] Indeed, nascent entrepreneurs undertake numerous entrepreneurial activities, including actions that make their businesses more concrete to themselves and others. For instance, nascent entrepreneurs often look for and purchase facilities and equipment; seek and obtain financial backing, form legal entities, organize teams; and dedicate all their time and energy to their business[94] Project-based Project entrepreneurs are individuals who are engaged in the repeated assembly or creation of temporary organizations.[95] These are organizations that have limited lifespans which are devoted to producing a singular objective or goal and get disbanded rapidly when the project ends. Industries where project-based enterprises are widespread include: sound recording, film production, software development, television production, new media and construction.[96] What makes project-entrepreneurs distinctive from a theoretical standpoint is that they have to "rewire" these temporary ventures and modify them to suit the needs of new project opportunities that emerge. A project entrepreneur who used a certain approach and team for one project may have to modify the business model or team for a subsequent project. Project entrepreneurs are exposed repeatedly to problems and tasks typical of the entrepreneurial process.[97] Indeed, project-based entrepreneurs face two critical challenges that invariably characterize the creation of a new venture: locating the right opportunity to launch the project venture and assembling the most appropriate team to exploit that opportunity. Resolving the first challenge requires project-entrepreneurs to access an extensive range of information needed to seize new investment opportunities. Resolving the second challenge requires assembling a collaborative team that has to fit well with the particular challenges of the project and has to function almost immediately to reduce the risk that performance might be adversely affected. Another type of project entrepreneurship involves entrepreneurs working with business students to get analytical work done on their ideas. Social Student organizers from the Green Club at Newcomb College Institute formed a social entrepreneurship organization in 2010. Main article: Social entrepreneurship Social entrepreneurship is the use of the by start up companies and other entrepreneurs to develop, fund and implement solutions to social, cultural, or environmental issues.[98] This concept may be applied to a variety of organizations with different sizes, aims, and beliefs.[99] For-profit entrepreneurs typically measure performance using business metrics like profit, revenues and increases in stock prices, but social entrepreneurs are either non-profits or blend for-profit goals with generating a positive "return to society" and therefore must use different metrics. Social entrepreneurship typically attempts to further broad social, cultural, and environmental goals often associated with the voluntary sector[100] in areas such as poverty alleviation, health care[101] and community development. At times, profit-making social enterprises may be established to support the social or cultural goals of the organization but not as an end in itself. For example, an organization that aims to provide housing and employment to the homeless may operate a restaurant, both to raise money and to provide employment for the homeless people. Biosphere Biosphere entrepreneurship is "entrepreneurial activity that generates value for the biosphere and ecosystem services."[102] It is part of a larger trend of business schools seeking to incorporate environmental topics more actively into their curricula.[103] Entrepreneurial behaviours The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator—a designer of new ideas and business processes.[104] Management skills and strong team building abilities are often perceived as essential leadership attributes for successful entrepreneurs.[105][unreliable source] Political economist Robert Reich considers leadership, management ability and team-building to be essential qualities of an entrepreneur.[106][107] Uncertainty perception and risk-taking Theorists Frank Knight[108] and Peter Drucker defined entrepreneurship in terms of risk-taking. The entrepreneur is willing to put his or her career and financial security on the line and take risks in the name of an idea, spending time as well as capital on an uncertain venture. However, entrepreneurs often do not believe that they have taken an enormous amount of risks because they do not perceive the level of uncertainty to be as high as other people do. Knight classified three types of uncertainty: Risk, which is measurable statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red color ball from a jar containing five red balls and five white balls) Ambiguity, which is hard to measure statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red ball from a jar containing five red balls but an unknown number of white balls) True uncertainty or Knightian uncertainty, which is impossible to estimate or predict statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red ball from a jar whose contents, in terms of numbers of coloured balls, are entirely unknown) Entrepreneurship is often associated with true uncertainty, particularly when it involves the creation of a novel good or service, for a market that did not previously exist, rather than when a venture creates an incremental improvement to an existing product or service. A 2014 study at ETH Zürich found that compared with typical managers, entrepreneurs showed higher decision-making efficiency and a stronger activation in regions of frontopolar cortex (FPC) previously associated with explorative choice.[109] "Coachability" and advice taking The ability of entrepreneurs to work closely with and take advice from early investors and other partners (i.e. their coachability) has long been considered a critical factor in entrepreneurial success.[110] At the same time, economists have argued that entrepreneurs should not simply act on all advice given to them, even when that advice comes from well-informed sources, because entrepreneurs possess far deeper and richer local knowledge about their own firm than any outsider. Indeed, measures of coachability are not actually predictive of entrepreneurial success (e.g. measured as success in subsequent funding rounds, acquisitions, pivots and firm survival). This research also shows that older and larger founding teams, presumably those with more subject expertise, are less coachable than younger and smaller founding teams.[citation needed] Strategies Strategies that entrepreneurs may use include: Innovation of new products, services or processes[111] Continuous process improvement (CPI)[111] Exploration of new business models Finding solutions for problems Use of technology[111] Use of business intelligence Use of economical strategies Development of future products and services[111] Optimized talent management[111] Entrepreneurial marketing strategies for interactive and innovative networking[112] Designing individual/opportunity nexus According to Shane and Venkataraman, entrepreneurship comprises both "enterprising individuals" and "entrepreneurial opportunities", so researchers should study the nature of the individuals who identify opportunities when others do not, the opportunities themselves and the nexus between individuals and opportunities.[113] On the other hand, Reynolds et al.[114] argue that individuals are motivated to engage in entrepreneurial endeavours driven mainly by necessity or opportunity, that is individuals pursue entrepreneurship primarily owing to survival needs, or because they identify business opportunities that satisfy their need for achievement. For example, higher economic inequality tends to increase necessity-based entrepreneurship rates at the individual level.[115] Opportunity perception and biases One study has found that certain genes affecting personality may influence the income of self-employed people.[116] Some people may be able to use[weasel words] "an innate ability" or quasi-statistical sense to gauge public opinion[117] and market demand for new products or services. Entrepreneurs tend to have the ability to see unmet market needs and underserved markets. While some entrepreneurs assume they can sense and figure out what others are thinking, the mass media plays a crucial role in shaping views and demand.[118] Ramoglou argues that entrepreneurs are not that distinctive and that it is essentially poor conceptualizations of "non-entrepreneurs" that maintain laudatory portraits of "entrepreneurs" as exceptional innovators or leaders[119][120] Entrepreneurs are often overconfident, exhibit illusion of control, when they are opening/expanding business or new products/services.[23] Styles Differences in entrepreneurial organizations often partially reflect their founders' heterogenous identities. Fauchart and Gruber have classified entrepreneurs into three main types: Darwinians, communitarians and missionaries. These types of entrepreneurs diverge in fundamental ways in their self-views, social motivations and patterns of new firm creation.[121] Communication Entrepreneurs must practice effective communication both within their firm and with external partners and investors to launch and grow a venture and enable it to survive. An entrepreneur needs a communication system that links the staff of her firm and connects the firm to outside firms and clients. Entrepreneurs should be charismatic leaders, so they can communicate a vision effectively to their team and help to create a strong team. Communicating a vision to followers may be the most important act of the transformational leader.[122] Compelling visions provide employees with a sense of purpose and encourage commitment. According to Baum et al.[123] and Kouzes and Posner,[124] the vision must be communicated through written statements and through in-person communication. Entrepreneurial leaders must speak and listen to articulate their vision to others.[125] Communication is pivotal in the role of entrepreneurship because it enables leaders to convince potential investors, partners and employees about the feasibility of a venture.[126] Entrepreneurs need to communicate effectively to shareholders.[127] Nonverbal elements in speech such as the tone of voice, the look in the sender's eyes, body language, hand gestures and state of emotions are also important communication tools. The Communication Accommodation Theory posits that throughout communication people will attempt to accommodate or adjust their method of speaking to others.[128] Face Negotiation Theory describes how people from different cultures manage conflict negotiation to maintain "face".[129] Hugh Rank's "intensify and downplay" communications model can be used by entrepreneurs who are developing a new product or service. Rank argues that entrepreneurs need to be able to intensify the advantages of their new product or service and downplay the disadvantages to persuade others to support their venture.[130] Links to sea piracy Research from 2014 found links between entrepreneurship and historical sea piracy. In this context, the claim is made for a non-moral approach to looking at the history of piracy as a source of inspiration for entrepreneurship education[131] as well as for research in entrepreneurship[132] and business model generation.[133] Psychological makeup Ross Levine, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, and Yona Rubinstein, a professor at the London School of Economics released a study which suggests entrepreneurs are disproportionately white, male, from wealthy and highly educated backgrounds, and prone to "aggressive, illicit, risk-taking activities" as teenagers and young adults. Entrepreneurs also performed above average on aptitude tests.[134] This masculine image is also found when studying how male entrepreneurs are represented in media. A supporting but invisible family are one of the success factors when being portrayed as a male entrepreneur in media.[135] A study conducted by the Census Bureau and two MIT professors, after compiling a list of 2.7 million company founders who hired at least one employee between 2007 and 2014, found the average age of a successful start-up founder when he or she founded it is 45. They consistently found chances of entrepreneurial success rises with age.[136][137] Apple co-founder and longtime leader Steve Jobs (pictured in 2010) led the introduction of many innovations in the computer, smartphone and digital music industries. Stanford University economist Edward Lazear found in a 2005 study that variety in education and in work experience was the most important trait that distinguished entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs[138] A 2013 study by Uschi Backes-Gellner of the University of Zurich and Petra Moog of the University of Siegen in Germany found that a diverse social network was also an important characteristic of students that would go on to become entrepreneurs.[139][140] Studies show that the psychological propensities for male and female entrepreneurs are more similar than different. Empirical studies suggest that female entrepreneurs possess strong negotiating skills and consensus-forming abilities.[141] Åsa Hansson, who looked at empirical evidence from Sweden, found that the probability of becoming self-employed decreases with age for women, but increases with age for men.[142] She also found that marriage increased the probability of a person's becoming an entrepreneur.[142] Jesper Sørensen wrote in 2010 that significant influences on the decision to become an entrepreneur include workplace peers and social composition. Sørensen discovered a correlation between working with former entrepreneurs and how often these individuals become entrepreneurs themselves, compared to those who did not work with entrepreneurs.[143] Social composition can influence entrepreneurialism in peers by demonstrating the possibility for success, stimulating a "He can do it, why can't I?" attitude. As Sørensen stated: "When you meet others who have gone out on their own, it doesn't seem that crazy."[144] Entrepreneurs may also be driven to entrepreneurship by past experiences. If someone has faced multiple work stoppages or has been unemployed in the past, the probability of becoming an entrepreneur increases[142] Per Cattell's personality framework, both personality traits and attitudes are thoroughly investigated by psychologists. However, in case of entrepreneurship research these notions are employed by academics[which?] too, but vaguely. Cattell states that personality is a system that is related to the environment and further adds that the system seeks explanation to the complex transactions conducted by both—traits and attitudes. This is because both of them bring about change and growth in a person. Personality is that which informs what an individual will do when faced with a given situation. A person's response is triggered by his/her personality and the situation that is faced.[145] Innovative entrepreneurs may be more likely to experience what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls "flow". "Flow" occurs when an individual forgets about the outside world due to being thoroughly engaged in a process or activity. Csikszentmihalyi suggested that breakthrough innovations tend to occur at the hands of individuals in that state.[146] Other research has concluded that a strong internal motivation is a vital ingredient for breakthrough innovation.[147] Flow can be compared to Maria Montessori's concept of normalization, a state that includes a child's capacity for joyful and lengthy periods of intense concentration.[148] Csikszentmihalyi acknowledged that Montessori's prepared environment offers children opportunities to achieve flow.[149] Thus quality and type of early education may influence entrepreneurial capability.[citation needed] Research on high-risk settings such as oil platforms, investment banking, medical surgery, aircraft piloting and nuclear-power plants has related distrust to failure avoidance.[150] When non-routine strategies are needed, distrusting persons perform better, while when routine strategies are needed trusting persons perform better. Gudmundsson and Lechner extended this research to entrepreneurial firms.[151] They argued that in entrepreneurial firms the threat of failure is ever-present, resembling non-routine situations in high-risk settings. They found that the firms of distrusting entrepreneurs were more likely to survive than the firms of optimistic or overconfident entrepreneurs. The reasons were that distrusting entrepreneurs would emphasize failure-avoidance through sensible task selection and more analysis. Kets de Vries has pointed out that distrusting entrepreneurs are more alert about their external environment.[152] He concluded that distrusting entrepreneurs are less likely to discount negative events and are more likely to engage control mechanisms. Similarly, Gudmundsson and Lechner found that distrust leads to higher precaution and therefore increases chances of entrepreneurial-firm survival. Researchers Schoon and Duckworth completed a study in 2012 that could potentially help identify who may become an entrepreneur at an early age. They determined that the best measures to identify a young entrepreneur are family and social status, parental role-modelling, entrepreneurial competencies at age 10, academic attainment at age 10, generalized self-efficacy, social skills, entrepreneurial intention and experience of unemployment.[153] Strategic entrepreneurship Some scholars have constructed an operational definition of a more specific subcategory called "Strategic Entrepreneurship". Closely tied with principles of strategic management, this form of entrepreneurship is "concerned about growth, creating value for customers and subsequently creating wealth for owners".[154] A 2011 article for the Academy of Management provided a three-step, "Input-Process-Output" model of strategic entrepreneurship. The model's three steps entail the collection of different resources, the process of orchestrating them in the necessary manner and the subsequent creation of competitive advantage, value for customers, wealth and other benefits. Through the proper use of strategic management/leadership techniques and the implementation of risk-bearing entrepreneurial thinking, the strategic entrepreneur is, therefore, able to align resources to create value and wealth.[154] Leadership Leadership in entrepreneurship can be defined as "process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task"[155] in "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods".[156][page needed] This refers to not only the act of entrepreneurship as managing or starting a business, but how one manages to do so by these social processes, or leadership skills. (Entrepreneurship in itself can be defined somewhat circularly as "the process by which individuals, teams, or organizations identify and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities without being immediately constrained by the resources they currently control".[157]) An entrepreneur typically has a mindset that seeks out potential opportunities during uncertain times.[157] An entrepreneur must have leadership skills or qualities to see potential opportunities and act upon them.[citation needed] At the core, an entrepreneur is a decision-maker.[citation needed] Such decisions often affect an organization as a whole, which is representative of entrepreneurial leadership within the organization.[citation needed] With the growing global market and increasing technology use throughout all industries, the core of entrepreneurship and the decision-making has become an ongoing process rather than isolated incidents.[citation needed] This becomes knowledge management,[citation needed] which is "identifying and harnessing intellectual assets" for organizations to "build on past experiences and create new mechanisms for exchanging and creating knowledge".[158] This belief[which?] draws upon a leader's past experiences that may prove useful. It is a common mantra for one to learn from their past mistakes, so leaders should take advantage of their failures for their benefit.[citation needed] This is how one may take their experiences as a leader for the use in the core of entrepreneurship decision-making.[citation needed] Global leadership The majority of scholarly research done on these topics has taken place in North America.[159] Words like "leadership" and "entrepreneurship" do not always translate well into other cultures and languages. For example, in North America a leader is often thought of as charismatic, but German culture frowns on such charisma due to the charisma of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler (1889–1945). Other cultures, as in some European countries, view the term "leader" negatively, like the French.[160][need quotation to verify] The participative leadership style that is prevalent in the United States is considered disrespectful in many other parts of the world due to the differences in power distance.[161] Many Asian and Middle Eastern countries do not have "open door" policies for subordinates, who would never informally approach their managers/bosses. For countries like that, an authoritarian approach to management and leadership is more customary.[citation needed] Despite cultural differences, the successes and failures of entrepreneurs can be traced to how leaders adapt to local conditions.[162] Within the increasingly global business environment a successful leader must be able to adapt and have insight into other cultures. To respond to the environment, corporate visions are becoming transnational in nature, to enable the organization to operate in or provide services/goods for other cultures.[163] Entrepreneurship training and education Michelacci and Schivardi are a pair of researchers who believe that identifying and comparing the relationships between an entrepreneur's earnings and education level would determine the rate and level of success. Their study focused on two education levels, college degree and post-graduate degree. While Michelacci and Schivardi do not specifically determine characteristics or traits for successful entrepreneurs, they do believe that there is a direct relationship between education and success, noting that having a college knowledge does contribute to advancement in the workforce.[164] Michelacci and Schivardi state there has been a rise in the number of self-employed people with a baccalaureate degree. However, their findings also show that those who are self-employed and possess a graduate degree has remained consistent throughout time at about 33 percent. They briefly mention those famous entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg who were college dropouts, but they call these cases all but exceptional as it is a pattern that many entrepreneurs view formal education as costly, mainly because of the time that needs to be spent on it. In the 21st century, a young Danish entrepreneur, Maniyar, had become famous while perusing his Bachelors of Pharmacy. There are few entrepreneurs that are also college dropouts, like Mark Zuckerberg however, Maniyar's ability and volition while studying would allow him to create a functioning business.[10] Michelacci and Schivardi believe that for an individual to reach the full success they need to have education beyond high school. Their research shows that the higher the education level the greater the success. The reason is that college gives people additional skills that can be used within their business and to operate on a higher level than someone who only "runs" it.[164] Recent trends that seek to merge neurosciences into entrepreneurship Currently it refers to the concept of "Entrepreneurial Enhancement", which refers to "the progressive improvement of cognitive, affective and conative skills in potential entrepreneurs or existing ones using appropriate neurotechnologies". The term has been coined by engineer Víctor Pérez Centeno, in relation to the need to fuse neurotechnologies in research, education and the empowerment of entrepreneurial performance".[165][166] Resources and financing Entrepreneurial resources An entrepreneurial resource is any company-owned asset that has economic value creating capabilities. Economic value creating both tangible and intangible sources are considered as entrepreneurial resources. Their economic value is generating activities or services through mobilization by entrepreneurs.[167] Entrepreneurial resources can be divided into two fundamental categories: tangible and intangible resources.[168] Tangible resources are material sources such as equipment, building, furniture, land, vehicle, machinery, stock, cash, bond and inventory that has a physical form and can be quantified. On the contrary, intangible resources are nonphysical or more challenging to identify and evaluate, and they possess more value creating capacity such as human resources including skills and experience in a particular field, organizational structure of the company, brand name, reputation, entrepreneurial networks that contribute to promotion and financial support, know-how, intellectual property including both copyrights, trademarks and patents.[169][170] Bootstrapping Contextual background At least early on, entrepreneurs often "bootstrap-finance" their start-up rather than seeking external investors from the start. One of the reasons that some entrepreneurs prefer to "bootstrap" is that obtaining equity financing requires the entrepreneur to provide ownership shares to the investors. If the start-up becomes successful later on, these early equity financing deals could provide a windfall for the investors and a huge loss for the entrepreneur. If investors have a significant stake in the company, they may as well be able to exert influence on company strategy, chief executive officer (CEO) choice and other important decisions. This is often problematic since the investor and the founder might have different incentives regarding the long-term goal of the company. An investor will generally aim for a profitable exit and therefore promotes a high-valuation sale of the company or IPO to sell their shares. Whereas the entrepreneur might have philanthropic intentions as their main driving force. Soft values like this might not go well with the short-term pressure on yearly and quarterly profits that publicly traded companies often experience from their owners.[171] Common definition One consensus definition of bootstrapping sees it as "a collection of methods used to minimize the amount of outside debt and equity financing needed from banks and investors".

Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones. An entrepreneur is an individual who creates and/or invests in one or more businesses, bearing most of the risks and enjoying most of the rewards.[1] The process of setting up a business is known as "entrepreneurship". The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator, a source of new ideas, goods, services, and business/or procedures. More narrow definitions have described entrepreneurship as the process of designing, launching and running a new business, which is often similar to a small business, or (per Business Dictionary) as the "capacity and willingness to develop, organize and manage a business venture along with any of its risks to make a profit".[2] The people who create these businesses are often referred to as "entrepreneurs".[3][4] While definitions of entrepreneurship typically focus on the launching and running of businesses, due to the high risks involved in launching a startup company, a significant proportion of startups have to close (in Mikal Belicove's words) due to "lack of funding, bad business decisions, government policies, an economic crisis, a lack of market demand, or a combination of all of these."[5] In the field of economics, the term entrepreneur is used for an entity which has the ability to translate inventions or technologies into products and services.[6] In this sense, entrepreneurship describes activities on the part of both established firms and new businesses. Perspectives on entrepreneurship In the 21st century the governments of nation states have tried to promote entrepreneurship, as well as enterprise culture, in the hope that it would improve or stimulate economic growth and competition. After the end of supply-side economics, entrepreneurship was supposed to boost the economy.[7] As an academic field, entrepreneurship accommodates different schools of thought. It has been studied within disciplines such as management, economics, sociology, and economic history.[8][9] Some view entrepreneurship as allocated to the entrepreneur. These scholars tend to focus on what the entrepreneur does and what traits an entrepreneur has. This is sometimes referred to as the functionalistic approach to entrepreneurship.[10] Others deviate from the individualistic perspective to turn the spotlight on the entrepreneurial process and immerse in the interplay between agency and context. This approach is sometimes referred to as the processual approach,[10] or the contextual turn/approach to entrepreneurship.[11][12] Elements This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Entrepreneurship" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (August 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Entrepreneurship includes the creation or extraction of economic value.[13][12][14] It is the act of being an entrepreneur, or the owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits.[citation needed] Entrepreneurs act as managers and oversee the launch and growth of an enterprise. Entrepreneurship is the process by which either an individual or a team identifies a business opportunity and acquires and deploys the necessary resources required for its exploitation. In the early 19th century, the French economist Jean-Baptiste Say provided a broad definition of entrepreneurship, saying that it "shifts economic resources out of an area of lower and into an area of higher productivity and greater yield". Entrepreneurs create something new and unique—they change or transmute value. Regardless of the firm size, big or small, it can take part in entrepreneurship opportunities. There are four criteria for becoming an entrepreneur. First, there must be opportunities or situations to recombine resources to generate profit. Second, entrepreneurship requires differences between people, such as preferential access to certain individuals or the ability to recognize information about opportunities. Third, taking on a level of risk is a necessity. Fourth, the entrepreneurial process requires the organization of people and resources.[15] An entrepreneur uses their time, energy, and resources to create value for others. They are rewarded for this effort monetarily and therefore both the consumer of the value created and the entrepreneur benefit. The entrepreneur is a factor in and the study of entrepreneurship reaches back to the work of Richard Cantillon and Adam Smith in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. However, entrepreneurship was largely ignored theoretically until the late 19th and early 20th centuries and empirically until a profound resurgence in business and economics since the late 1970s. In the 20th century, the understanding of entrepreneurship owes much to the work of economist Joseph Schumpeter in the 1930s and other Austrian economists such as Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek. According to Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is a person who is willing and able to convert a new idea or invention into a successful innovation. Entrepreneurship employs what Schumpeter called "the gale of creative destruction" to replace in whole or in part inferior innovations across markets and industries, simultaneously creating new products, including new business models. It has been argued, that creative destruction is largely responsible for the dynamism of industries and long-run economic growth. The supposition that entrepreneurship leads to economic growth is an interpretation of the residual in endogenous growth theory and as such is debated in academic economics. An alternative description posited by Israel Kirzner suggests that the majority of innovations may be much more incremental improvements such as the replacement of paper with plastic in the making of drinking straws. Entrepreneurical opportunities The exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities may include:[16] Developing a business plan Hiring human resources Acquiring financial and material resources Providing leadership Being responsible for both the venture's success or failure Risk aversion The economist Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950) saw the role of the entrepreneur in the economy as "creative destruction", Which he defined as launching innovations that simultaneously destroy old industries while ushering in new industries and approaches. For Schumpeter, the changes and "dynamic economic equilibrium brought on by the innovating entrepreneur [were] the norm of a healthy economy".[17] While entrepreneurship is often associated with new, small, for-profit start-ups, entrepreneurial behavior can be seen in small-, medium- and large-sized firms, new and established firms and in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, including voluntary-sector groups, charitable organizations and government.[18] Entrepreneurship may operate within an entrepreneurship ecosystem which often includes: Government programs and services that promote entrepreneurship and support entrepreneurs and start-ups Non-governmental organizations such as small-business associations and organizations that offer advice and mentoring to entrepreneurs (e.g. through entrepreneurship centers or websites) Small-business advocacy organizations that lobby governments for increased support for entrepreneurship programs and more small business-friendly laws and regulations Entrepreneurship resources and facilities (e.g. business incubators and seed accelerators) Entrepreneurship education and training programs offered by schools, colleges and universities Financing (e.g. bank loans, venture capital financing, angel investing and government and private foundation grants)[19][need quotation to verify] In the 2000s, usage of the term "entrepreneurship" expanded to include how and why some individuals (or teams) identify opportunities, evaluate them as viable, and then decide to exploit them.[20] The term has also been used to discuss how people might use these opportunities to develop new products or services, launch new firms or industries, and create wealth.[21] The entrepreneurial process is uncertain because opportunities can only be identified after they have been exploited.[22] Entrepreneurs exhibit positive biases towards finding new possibilities and seeing unmet market needs, and a tendency towards risk-taking that makes them more likely to exploit business opportunities.[23][24] History Historical usage Emil Jellinek-Mercedes (1853–1918), here at the steering wheel of his Phoenix Double-Phaeton "Entrepreneur" (/ˌɒ̃trəprəˈnɜːr, -ˈnjʊər/ ⓘ, UK also /-prɛ-/) is a loanword from French. The word first appeared in the French dictionary entitled Dictionnaire Universel de Commerce compiled by Jacques des Bruslons and published in 1723.[25] Especially in Britain, the term "adventurer" was often used to denote the same meaning.[26] The study of entrepreneurship reaches back to the work in the late 17th and early 18th centuries of Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon, which was foundational to classical economics. Cantillon defined the term first in his Essai sur la Nature du Commerce en Général, or Essay on the Nature of Trade in General, a book William Stanley Jevons considered the "cradle of political economy".[27][28] Cantillon defined the term as a person who pays a certain price for a product and resells it at an uncertain price, "making decisions about obtaining and using the resources while consequently admitting the risk of enterprise". Cantillon considered the entrepreneur to be a risk taker who deliberately allocates resources to exploit opportunities to maximize the financial return.[29][30] Cantillon emphasized the willingness of the entrepreneur to assume the risk and to deal with uncertainty, thus he drew attention to the function of the entrepreneur and distinguished between the function of the entrepreneur and the owner who provided the money.[29][31] Jean-Baptiste Say also identified entrepreneurs as a driver for economic development, emphasizing their role as one of the collecting factors of production allocating resources from less to fields that are more productive. Both Say and Cantillon belonged to French school of thought and known as the physiocrats.[32] Dating back to the time of the medieval guilds in Germany, a craftsperson required special permission to operate as an entrepreneur, the small proof of competence (Kleiner Befähigungsnachweis), which restricted training of apprentices to craftspeople who held a Meister certificate. This institution was introduced in 1908 after a period of so-called freedom of trade (Gewerbefreiheit, introduced in 1871) in the German Reich. However, proof of competence was not required to start a business. In 1935 and in 1953, greater proof of competence was reintroduced (Großer Befähigungsnachweis Kuhlenbeck), which required craftspeople to obtain a Meister apprentice-training certificate before being permitted to set up a new business.[33] In the Ashanti Empire, successful entrepreneurs who accumulated large wealth and men as well as distinguished themselves through heroic deeds were awarded social and political recognition by being called "Abirempon" which means big men. By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries AD, the appellation "Abirempon" had formalized and politicized to embrace those who conducted trade from which the whole state benefited. The state rewarded entrepreneurs who attained such accomplishments with Mena(elephant tail) which was the "heraldic badge"[34] 20th century In the 20th century, entrepreneurship was studied by Joseph Schumpeter in the 1930s and by other Austrian economists such as Carl Menger (1840-1921), Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) and Friedrich von Hayek (1899–1992). While the loan from French of the English-language word "entrepreneur" dates to 1762,[35] the word "entrepreneurism" dates from 1902[36] and the term "entrepreneurship" also first appeared in 1902.[37] According to Schumpeter, an entrepreneur is willing and able to convert a new idea or invention into a successful innovation.[38] Entrepreneurship employs what Schumpeter called the "gale of creative destruction"[39] to replace in whole or in part inferior offerings across markets and industries, simultaneously creating new products and new business models,[citation needed] thus creative destruction is largely[quantify] responsible for long-term economic growth. The idea that entrepreneurship leads to economic growth is an interpretation of the residual in endogenous growth theory[clarification needed] and as such continues to be debated in academic economics. An alternative description by Israel Kirzner (1930– ) suggests that the majority of innovations may be incremental improvements – such as the replacement of paper with plastic in the construction of a drinking straw – that require no special qualities. For Schumpeter, entrepreneurship resulted in new industries and in new combinations of currently existing inputs. Schumpeter's initial example of this was the combination of a steam engine and then current wagon-making technologies to produce the horseless carriage. In this case, the innovation (i.e. the car) was transformational but did not require the development of dramatic new technology. It did not immediately replace the horse-drawn carriage, but in time incremental improvements reduced the cost and improved the technology, leading to the modern auto industry. Despite Schumpeter's early 20th-century contributions, traditional microeconomic theory did not formally consider the entrepreneur in its theoretical frameworks (instead of assuming that resources would find each other through a price system). In this treatment, the entrepreneur was an implied but unspecified actor, consistent with the concept of the entrepreneur being the agent of x-efficiency. For Schumpeter, the entrepreneur did not bear risk: the capitalist did. Schumpeter believed that the equilibrium was imperfect. Schumpeter (1934) demonstrated that the changing environment continuously provides new information about the optimum allocation of resources to enhance profitability. Some individuals acquire the new information before others and recombine the resources to gain an entrepreneurial profit. Schumpeter was of the opinion that entrepreneurs shift the production-possibility curve to a higher level using innovations.[40] Initially, economists made the first attempt[when?] to study the entrepreneurship concept in depth.[41] Alfred Marshall viewed the entrepreneur as a multi-tasking capitalist and observed that in the equilibrium of a completely competitive market there was no spot for "entrepreneurs" as economic-activity creators.[42] Changes in politics and society in Russia and China the late-20th century saw a flowering of entrepreneurial activity, producing Russian oligarchs[43] and Chinese millionaires.[44] 21st century In 2012, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer greets participants in an African Women's Entrepreneurship Program at the State Department in Washington, D.C. In the 2000s, entrepreneurship was extended from its origins in for-profit businesses to include social entrepreneurship, in which business goals are sought alongside social, environmental or humanitarian goals and even the concept of the political entrepreneur.[according to whom?] Entrepreneurship within an existing firm or large organization has been referred to as intrapreneurship and may include corporate ventures where large entities "spin-off" subsidiary organizations.[45] Entrepreneurs are leaders willing to take risk and exercise initiative, taking advantage of market opportunities by planning, organizing and deploying resources,[46] often by innovating to create new or improving existing products or services.[47] In the 2000s, the term "entrepreneurship" has been extended to include a specific mindset resulting in entrepreneurial initiatives, e.g. in the form of social entrepreneurship, political entrepreneurship or knowledge entrepreneurship.[citation needed] According to Paul Reynolds, founder of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, "by the time they reach their retirement years, half of all working men in the United States probably have a period of self-employment of one or more years; one in four may have engaged in self-employment for six or more years. Participating in a new business creation is a common activity among U.S. workers over the course of their careers".[48] In recent years, entrepreneurship has been claimed as a major driver of economic growth in both the United States and Western Europe.[citation needed] Entrepreneurial activities differ substantially depending on the type of organization and creativity involved. Entrepreneurship ranges in scale from solo, part-time projects to large-scale undertakings that involve a team and which may create many jobs. Many "high value" entrepreneurial ventures seek venture capital or angel funding (seed money) to raise capital for building and expanding the business.[49] Many organizations exist to support would-be entrepreneurs, including specialized government agencies, business incubators (which may be for-profit, non-profit, or operated by a college or university), science parks and non-governmental organizations, which include a range of organizations including not-for-profits, charities, foundations and business advocacy groups (e.g. Chambers of commerce). Beginning in 2008, an annual "Global Entrepreneurship Week" event aimed at "exposing people to the benefits of entrepreneurship" and getting them to "participate in entrepreneurial-related activities" was launched.[who?] Relationship between small business and entrepreneurship The term "entrepreneur" is often conflated with the term "small business" or used interchangeably with this term. While most entrepreneurial ventures start out as a small business, not all small businesses are entrepreneurial in the strict sense of the term. Many small businesses are sole proprietor operations consisting solely of the owner—or they have a small number of employees—and many of these small businesses offer an existing product, process or service and they do not aim at growth. In contrast, entrepreneurial ventures offer an innovative product, process or service and the entrepreneur typically aims to scale up the company by adding employees, seeking international sales and so on, a process which is financed by venture capital and angel investments. In this way, the term "entrepreneur" may be more closely associated with the term "startup". Successful entrepreneurs have the ability to lead a business in a positive direction by proper planning, to adapt to changing environments and understand their own strengths and weaknesses.[50] Historians' ranking A 2002 survey of 58 business history professors gave the top spots in American business history to Henry Ford, followed by Bill Gates; John D. Rockefeller; Andrew Carnegie, and Thomas Edison. They were followed by Sam Walton; J. P. Morgan; Alfred P. Sloan; Walt Disney; Ray Kroc; Thomas J. Watson; Alexander Graham Bell; Eli Whitney; James J. Hill; Jack Welch; Cyrus McCormick; David Packard; Bill Hewlett; Cornelius Vanderbilt; and George Westinghouse.[51] A 1977 survey of management scholars reported the top five pioneers in management ideas were: Frederick Winslow Taylor; Chester Barnard; Frank Bunker Gilbreth Sr.; Elton Mayo; and Lillian Moller Gilbreth.[52] Types of entrepreneurship Cultural According to Christopher Rea and Nicolai Volland, cultural entrepreneurship is "practices of individual and collective agency characterized by mobility between cultural professions and modes of cultural production", which refers to creative industry activities and sectors. In their book The Business of Culture (2015), Rea and Volland identify three types of cultural entrepreneur: "cultural personalities", defined as "individuals who buil[d] their own personal brand of creativity as a cultural authority and leverage it to create and sustain various cultural enterprises"; "tycoons", defined as "entrepreneurs who buil[d] substantial clout in the cultural sphere by forging synergies between their industrial, cultural, political, and philanthropic interests"; and "collective enterprises", organizations which may engage in cultural production for profit or not-for-profit purposes.[53] In the 2000s, story-telling has emerged as a field of study in cultural entrepreneurship. Some have argued that entrepreneurs should be considered "skilled cultural operators"[54] that use stories to build legitimacy, and seize market opportunities and new capital.[55][56][57] Others have concluded that we need to speak of a 'narrative turn' in cultural entrepreneurship research.[58] Ethnic The term "ethnic entrepreneurship" refers to self-employed business owners who belong to racial or ethnic minority groups in the United States and Europe.[citation needed] A long tradition of academic research explores the experiences and strategies of ethnic entrepreneurs as they strive to integrate economically into mainstream U.S. or European society. Classic cases include Jewish merchants and tradespeople in large U.S. cities in the 19th and early 20th centuries as well as Chinese and Japanese small business owners (restaurants, farmers, shop owners) on the West Coast.[59] In the 2010s, ethnic entrepreneurship has been studied in the case of Cuban business owners in Miami, Indian motel owners of the U.S. and Chinese business owners in Chinatowns across the United States. While entrepreneurship offers these groups many opportunities for economic advancement, self-employment and business ownership in the United States remain unevenly distributed along racial/ethnic lines.[60] Despite numerous success stories of Asian entrepreneurs, a recent statistical analysis of U.S. census data shows that whites are more likely than Asians, African-Americans and Latinos to be self-employed in high prestige, lucrative industries.[60] Religious Religious entrepreneurship refers to both the use of entrepreneurship to pursue religious ends as well as how religion impacts entrepreneurial pursuits. While religion is a central topic in society, it is largely overlooked in entrepreneurship research.[61] The inclusion of religion may transform entrepreneurship including a focus on opportunities other than profit as well as practices, processes and purpose of entrepreneurship.[62][63] Gümüsay suggests a three pillars model to explain religious entrepreneurship: The pillars are the entrepreneurial, socio-economic/ethical, and religio-spiritual in the pursuit of value, values, and the metaphysical.[64] Feminist A feminist entrepreneur is an individual who applies feminist values and approaches through entrepreneurship, with the goal of improving the quality of life and well-being of girls and women.[65] Many are doing so by creating "for women, by women" enterprises. Feminist entrepreneurs are motivated to enter commercial markets by desire to create wealth and social change, based on the ethics of cooperation, equality and mutual respect.[66][67] These endeavours can have the effect of both empowerment and emancipation.[68] Institutional The American-born British economist Edith Penrose has highlighted the collective nature of entrepreneurship. She mentions that in modern organizations, human resources need to be combined to better capture and create business opportunities.[69] The sociologist Paul DiMaggio (1988:14) has expanded this view to say that "new institutions arise when organized actors with sufficient resources [institutional entrepreneurs] see in them an opportunity to realize interests that they value highly".[70] The notion has been widely applied.[71][72][73][74] Millennial The term "millennial entrepreneur" refers to a business owner who is affiliated with millennials (also known as Generation Y), those people born from approximately 1981 to 1996.[75] The offspring of baby boomers and early Gen Xers,[76] this generation was brought up using digital technology and mass media. Millennial business owners are well-equipped with knowledge of new technology and new business models and have a strong grasp of its business applications. There have been many breakthrough businesses that have come from millennial entrepreneurs such as Mark Zuckerberg, who created Facebook.[77] Despite the expectation of millennial success, there have been recent studies that have proven this to not be the case. The comparison between millennials who are self-employed and those who are not self-employed shows that the latter is higher. The reason for this is because they have grown up in a different generation and attitude than their elders. Some of the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs are the economy, debt from schooling, and the challenges of regulatory compliance.[78] Nascent A nascent entrepreneur is someone in the process of establishing a business venture.[79] In this observation, the nascent entrepreneur can be seen as pursuing an opportunity, i.e. a possibility to introduce new services or products, serve new markets, or develop more efficient production methods in a profitable manner.[80][81] But before such a venture is actually established, the opportunity is just a venture idea.[82] In other words, the pursued opportunity is perceptual in nature, propped by the nascent entrepreneur's personal beliefs about the feasibility of the venturing outcomes the nascent entrepreneur seeks to achieve.[83][84][85] Its prescience and value cannot be confirmed ex ante but only gradually, in the context of the actions that the nascent entrepreneur undertakes towards establishing the venture as described in Saras Sarasvathy's theory of Effectuation,[86] Ultimately, these actions can lead to a path that the nascent entrepreneur deems no longer attractive or feasible, or result in the emergence of a (viable) business. In this sense, over time, the nascent venture can move towards being discontinued or towards emerging successfully as an operating entity. The distinction between the novice, serial and portfolio entrepreneurs is an example of behavior-based categorization.[87] Other examples are the (related) studies by,[88][89] on start-up event sequences. Nascent entrepreneurship that emphasizes the series of activities involved in new venture emergence,[90][91][92] rather than the solitary act of exploiting an opportunity. Such research will help separate entrepreneurial action into its basic sub-activities and elucidate the inter-relationships between activities, between an activity (or sequence of activities) and an individual's motivation to form an opportunity belief, and between an activity (or sequence of activities) and the knowledge needed to form an opportunity belief. With this research, scholars will be able to begin constructing a theory of the micro-foundations of entrepreneurial action. Scholars interested in nascent entrepreneurship tend to focus less on the single act of opportunity exploitation and more on the series of actions in new venture emergence,[90][93][92] Indeed, nascent entrepreneurs undertake numerous entrepreneurial activities, including actions that make their businesses more concrete to themselves and others. For instance, nascent entrepreneurs often look for and purchase facilities and equipment; seek and obtain financial backing, form legal entities, organize teams; and dedicate all their time and energy to their business[94] Project-based Project entrepreneurs are individuals who are engaged in the repeated assembly or creation of temporary organizations.[95] These are organizations that have limited lifespans which are devoted to producing a singular objective or goal and get disbanded rapidly when the project ends. Industries where project-based enterprises are widespread include: sound recording, film production, software development, television production, new media and construction.[96] What makes project-entrepreneurs distinctive from a theoretical standpoint is that they have to "rewire" these temporary ventures and modify them to suit the needs of new project opportunities that emerge. A project entrepreneur who used a certain approach and team for one project may have to modify the business model or team for a subsequent project. Project entrepreneurs are exposed repeatedly to problems and tasks typical of the entrepreneurial process.[97] Indeed, project-based entrepreneurs face two critical challenges that invariably characterize the creation of a new venture: locating the right opportunity to launch the project venture and assembling the most appropriate team to exploit that opportunity. Resolving the first challenge requires project-entrepreneurs to access an extensive range of information needed to seize new investment opportunities. Resolving the second challenge requires assembling a collaborative team that has to fit well with the particular challenges of the project and has to function almost immediately to reduce the risk that performance might be adversely affected. Another type of project entrepreneurship involves entrepreneurs working with business students to get analytical work done on their ideas. Social Student organizers from the Green Club at Newcomb College Institute formed a social entrepreneurship organization in 2010. Main article: Social entrepreneurship Social entrepreneurship is the use of the by start up companies and other entrepreneurs to develop, fund and implement solutions to social, cultural, or environmental issues.[98] This concept may be applied to a variety of organizations with different sizes, aims, and beliefs.[99] For-profit entrepreneurs typically measure performance using business metrics like profit, revenues and increases in stock prices, but social entrepreneurs are either non-profits or blend for-profit goals with generating a positive "return to society" and therefore must use different metrics. Social entrepreneurship typically attempts to further broad social, cultural, and environmental goals often associated with the voluntary sector[100] in areas such as poverty alleviation, health care[101] and community development. At times, profit-making social enterprises may be established to support the social or cultural goals of the organization but not as an end in itself. For example, an organization that aims to provide housing and employment to the homeless may operate a restaurant, both to raise money and to provide employment for the homeless people. Biosphere Biosphere entrepreneurship is "entrepreneurial activity that generates value for the biosphere and ecosystem services."[102] It is part of a larger trend of business schools seeking to incorporate environmental topics more actively into their curricula.[103] Entrepreneurial behaviours The entrepreneur is commonly seen as an innovator—a designer of new ideas and business processes.[104] Management skills and strong team building abilities are often perceived as essential leadership attributes for successful entrepreneurs.[105][unreliable source] Political economist Robert Reich considers leadership, management ability and team-building to be essential qualities of an entrepreneur.[106][107] Uncertainty perception and risk-taking Theorists Frank Knight[108] and Peter Drucker defined entrepreneurship in terms of risk-taking. The entrepreneur is willing to put his or her career and financial security on the line and take risks in the name of an idea, spending time as well as capital on an uncertain venture. However, entrepreneurs often do not believe that they have taken an enormous amount of risks because they do not perceive the level of uncertainty to be as high as other people do. Knight classified three types of uncertainty: Risk, which is measurable statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red color ball from a jar containing five red balls and five white balls) Ambiguity, which is hard to measure statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red ball from a jar containing five red balls but an unknown number of white balls) True uncertainty or Knightian uncertainty, which is impossible to estimate or predict statistically (such as the probability of drawing a red ball from a jar whose contents, in terms of numbers of coloured balls, are entirely unknown) Entrepreneurship is often associated with true uncertainty, particularly when it involves the creation of a novel good or service, for a market that did not previously exist, rather than when a venture creates an incremental improvement to an existing product or service. A 2014 study at ETH Zürich found that compared with typical managers, entrepreneurs showed higher decision-making efficiency and a stronger activation in regions of frontopolar cortex (FPC) previously associated with explorative choice.[109] "Coachability" and advice taking The ability of entrepreneurs to work closely with and take advice from early investors and other partners (i.e. their coachability) has long been considered a critical factor in entrepreneurial success.[110] At the same time, economists have argued that entrepreneurs should not simply act on all advice given to them, even when that advice comes from well-informed sources, because entrepreneurs possess far deeper and richer local knowledge about their own firm than any outsider. Indeed, measures of coachability are not actually predictive of entrepreneurial success (e.g. measured as success in subsequent funding rounds, acquisitions, pivots and firm survival). This research also shows that older and larger founding teams, presumably those with more subject expertise, are less coachable than younger and smaller founding teams.[citation needed] Strategies Strategies that entrepreneurs may use include: Innovation of new products, services or processes[111] Continuous process improvement (CPI)[111] Exploration of new business models Finding solutions for problems Use of technology[111] Use of business intelligence Use of economical strategies Development of future products and services[111] Optimized talent management[111] Entrepreneurial marketing strategies for interactive and innovative networking[112] Designing individual/opportunity nexus According to Shane and Venkataraman, entrepreneurship comprises both "enterprising individuals" and "entrepreneurial opportunities", so researchers should study the nature of the individuals who identify opportunities when others do not, the opportunities themselves and the nexus between individuals and opportunities.[113] On the other hand, Reynolds et al.[114] argue that individuals are motivated to engage in entrepreneurial endeavours driven mainly by necessity or opportunity, that is individuals pursue entrepreneurship primarily owing to survival needs, or because they identify business opportunities that satisfy their need for achievement. For example, higher economic inequality tends to increase necessity-based entrepreneurship rates at the individual level.[115] Opportunity perception and biases One study has found that certain genes affecting personality may influence the income of self-employed people.[116] Some people may be able to use[weasel words] "an innate ability" or quasi-statistical sense to gauge public opinion[117] and market demand for new products or services. Entrepreneurs tend to have the ability to see unmet market needs and underserved markets. While some entrepreneurs assume they can sense and figure out what others are thinking, the mass media plays a crucial role in shaping views and demand.[118] Ramoglou argues that entrepreneurs are not that distinctive and that it is essentially poor conceptualizations of "non-entrepreneurs" that maintain laudatory portraits of "entrepreneurs" as exceptional innovators or leaders[119][120] Entrepreneurs are often overconfident, exhibit illusion of control, when they are opening/expanding business or new products/services.[23] Styles Differences in entrepreneurial organizations often partially reflect their founders' heterogenous identities. Fauchart and Gruber have classified entrepreneurs into three main types: Darwinians, communitarians and missionaries. These types of entrepreneurs diverge in fundamental ways in their self-views, social motivations and patterns of new firm creation.[121] Communication Entrepreneurs must practice effective communication both within their firm and with external partners and investors to launch and grow a venture and enable it to survive. An entrepreneur needs a communication system that links the staff of her firm and connects the firm to outside firms and clients. Entrepreneurs should be charismatic leaders, so they can communicate a vision effectively to their team and help to create a strong team. Communicating a vision to followers may be the most important act of the transformational leader.[122] Compelling visions provide employees with a sense of purpose and encourage commitment. According to Baum et al.[123] and Kouzes and Posner,[124] the vision must be communicated through written statements and through in-person communication. Entrepreneurial leaders must speak and listen to articulate their vision to others.[125] Communication is pivotal in the role of entrepreneurship because it enables leaders to convince potential investors, partners and employees about the feasibility of a venture.[126] Entrepreneurs need to communicate effectively to shareholders.[127] Nonverbal elements in speech such as the tone of voice, the look in the sender's eyes, body language, hand gestures and state of emotions are also important communication tools. The Communication Accommodation Theory posits that throughout communication people will attempt to accommodate or adjust their method of speaking to others.[128] Face Negotiation Theory describes how people from different cultures manage conflict negotiation to maintain "face".[129] Hugh Rank's "intensify and downplay" communications model can be used by entrepreneurs who are developing a new product or service. Rank argues that entrepreneurs need to be able to intensify the advantages of their new product or service and downplay the disadvantages to persuade others to support their venture.[130] Links to sea piracy Research from 2014 found links between entrepreneurship and historical sea piracy. In this context, the claim is made for a non-moral approach to looking at the history of piracy as a source of inspiration for entrepreneurship education[131] as well as for research in entrepreneurship[132] and business model generation.[133] Psychological makeup Ross Levine, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, and Yona Rubinstein, a professor at the London School of Economics released a study which suggests entrepreneurs are disproportionately white, male, from wealthy and highly educated backgrounds, and prone to "aggressive, illicit, risk-taking activities" as teenagers and young adults. Entrepreneurs also performed above average on aptitude tests.[134] This masculine image is also found when studying how male entrepreneurs are represented in media. A supporting but invisible family are one of the success factors when being portrayed as a male entrepreneur in media.[135] A study conducted by the Census Bureau and two MIT professors, after compiling a list of 2.7 million company founders who hired at least one employee between 2007 and 2014, found the average age of a successful start-up founder when he or she founded it is 45. They consistently found chances of entrepreneurial success rises with age.[136][137] Apple co-founder and longtime leader Steve Jobs (pictured in 2010) led the introduction of many innovations in the computer, smartphone and digital music industries. Stanford University economist Edward Lazear found in a 2005 study that variety in education and in work experience was the most important trait that distinguished entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs[138] A 2013 study by Uschi Backes-Gellner of the University of Zurich and Petra Moog of the University of Siegen in Germany found that a diverse social network was also an important characteristic of students that would go on to become entrepreneurs.[139][140] Studies show that the psychological propensities for male and female entrepreneurs are more similar than different. Empirical studies suggest that female entrepreneurs possess strong negotiating skills and consensus-forming abilities.[141] Åsa Hansson, who looked at empirical evidence from Sweden, found that the probability of becoming self-employed decreases with age for women, but increases with age for men.[142] She also found that marriage increased the probability of a person's becoming an entrepreneur.[142] Jesper Sørensen wrote in 2010 that significant influences on the decision to become an entrepreneur include workplace peers and social composition. Sørensen discovered a correlation between working with former entrepreneurs and how often these individuals become entrepreneurs themselves, compared to those who did not work with entrepreneurs.[143] Social composition can influence entrepreneurialism in peers by demonstrating the possibility for success, stimulating a "He can do it, why can't I?" attitude. As Sørensen stated: "When you meet others who have gone out on their own, it doesn't seem that crazy."[144] Entrepreneurs may also be driven to entrepreneurship by past experiences. If someone has faced multiple work stoppages or has been unemployed in the past, the probability of becoming an entrepreneur increases[142] Per Cattell's personality framework, both personality traits and attitudes are thoroughly investigated by psychologists. However, in case of entrepreneurship research these notions are employed by academics[which?] too, but vaguely. Cattell states that personality is a system that is related to the environment and further adds that the system seeks explanation to the complex transactions conducted by both—traits and attitudes. This is because both of them bring about change and growth in a person. Personality is that which informs what an individual will do when faced with a given situation. A person's response is triggered by his/her personality and the situation that is faced.[145] Innovative entrepreneurs may be more likely to experience what psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls "flow". "Flow" occurs when an individual forgets about the outside world due to being thoroughly engaged in a process or activity. Csikszentmihalyi suggested that breakthrough innovations tend to occur at the hands of individuals in that state.[146] Other research has concluded that a strong internal motivation is a vital ingredient for breakthrough innovation.[147] Flow can be compared to Maria Montessori's concept of normalization, a state that includes a child's capacity for joyful and lengthy periods of intense concentration.[148] Csikszentmihalyi acknowledged that Montessori's prepared environment offers children opportunities to achieve flow.[149] Thus quality and type of early education may influence entrepreneurial capability.[citation needed] Research on high-risk settings such as oil platforms, investment banking, medical surgery, aircraft piloting and nuclear-power plants has related distrust to failure avoidance.[150] When non-routine strategies are needed, distrusting persons perform better, while when routine strategies are needed trusting persons perform better. Gudmundsson and Lechner extended this research to entrepreneurial firms.[151] They argued that in entrepreneurial firms the threat of failure is ever-present, resembling non-routine situations in high-risk settings. They found that the firms of distrusting entrepreneurs were more likely to survive than the firms of optimistic or overconfident entrepreneurs. The reasons were that distrusting entrepreneurs would emphasize failure-avoidance through sensible task selection and more analysis. Kets de Vries has pointed out that distrusting entrepreneurs are more alert about their external environment.[152] He concluded that distrusting entrepreneurs are less likely to discount negative events and are more likely to engage control mechanisms. Similarly, Gudmundsson and Lechner found that distrust leads to higher precaution and therefore increases chances of entrepreneurial-firm survival. Researchers Schoon and Duckworth completed a study in 2012 that could potentially help identify who may become an entrepreneur at an early age. They determined that the best measures to identify a young entrepreneur are family and social status, parental role-modelling, entrepreneurial competencies at age 10, academic attainment at age 10, generalized self-efficacy, social skills, entrepreneurial intention and experience of unemployment.[153] Strategic entrepreneurship Some scholars have constructed an operational definition of a more specific subcategory called "Strategic Entrepreneurship". Closely tied with principles of strategic management, this form of entrepreneurship is "concerned about growth, creating value for customers and subsequently creating wealth for owners".[154] A 2011 article for the Academy of Management provided a three-step, "Input-Process-Output" model of strategic entrepreneurship. The model's three steps entail the collection of different resources, the process of orchestrating them in the necessary manner and the subsequent creation of competitive advantage, value for customers, wealth and other benefits. Through the proper use of strategic management/leadership techniques and the implementation of risk-bearing entrepreneurial thinking, the strategic entrepreneur is, therefore, able to align resources to create value and wealth.[154] Leadership Leadership in entrepreneurship can be defined as "process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task"[155] in "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods".[156][page needed] This refers to not only the act of entrepreneurship as managing or starting a business, but how one manages to do so by these social processes, or leadership skills. (Entrepreneurship in itself can be defined somewhat circularly as "the process by which individuals, teams, or organizations identify and pursue entrepreneurial opportunities without being immediately constrained by the resources they currently control".[157]) An entrepreneur typically has a mindset that seeks out potential opportunities during uncertain times.[157] An entrepreneur must have leadership skills or qualities to see potential opportunities and act upon them.[citation needed] At the core, an entrepreneur is a decision-maker.[citation needed] Such decisions often affect an organization as a whole, which is representative of entrepreneurial leadership within the organization.[citation needed] With the growing global market and increasing technology use throughout all industries, the core of entrepreneurship and the decision-making has become an ongoing process rather than isolated incidents.[citation needed] This becomes knowledge management,[citation needed] which is "identifying and harnessing intellectual assets" for organizations to "build on past experiences and create new mechanisms for exchanging and creating knowledge".[158] This belief[which?] draws upon a leader's past experiences that may prove useful. It is a common mantra for one to learn from their past mistakes, so leaders should take advantage of their failures for their benefit.[citation needed] This is how one may take their experiences as a leader for the use in the core of entrepreneurship decision-making.[citation needed] Global leadership The majority of scholarly research done on these topics has taken place in North America.[159] Words like "leadership" and "entrepreneurship" do not always translate well into other cultures and languages. For example, in North America a leader is often thought of as charismatic, but German culture frowns on such charisma due to the charisma of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler (1889–1945). Other cultures, as in some European countries, view the term "leader" negatively, like the French.[160][need quotation to verify] The participative leadership style that is prevalent in the United States is considered disrespectful in many other parts of the world due to the differences in power distance.[161] Many Asian and Middle Eastern countries do not have "open door" policies for subordinates, who would never informally approach their managers/bosses. For countries like that, an authoritarian approach to management and leadership is more customary.[citation needed] Despite cultural differences, the successes and failures of entrepreneurs can be traced to how leaders adapt to local conditions.[162] Within the increasingly global business environment a successful leader must be able to adapt and have insight into other cultures. To respond to the environment, corporate visions are becoming transnational in nature, to enable the organization to operate in or provide services/goods for other cultures.[163] Entrepreneurship training and education Michelacci and Schivardi are a pair of researchers who believe that identifying and comparing the relationships between an entrepreneur's earnings and education level would determine the rate and level of success. Their study focused on two education levels, college degree and post-graduate degree. While Michelacci and Schivardi do not specifically determine characteristics or traits for successful entrepreneurs, they do believe that there is a direct relationship between education and success, noting that having a college knowledge does contribute to advancement in the workforce.[164] Michelacci and Schivardi state there has been a rise in the number of self-employed people with a baccalaureate degree. However, their findings also show that those who are self-employed and possess a graduate degree has remained consistent throughout time at about 33 percent. They briefly mention those famous entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg who were college dropouts, but they call these cases all but exceptional as it is a pattern that many entrepreneurs view formal education as costly, mainly because of the time that needs to be spent on it. In the 21st century, a young Danish entrepreneur, Maniyar, had become famous while perusing his Bachelors of Pharmacy. There are few entrepreneurs that are also college dropouts, like Mark Zuckerberg however, Maniyar's ability and volition while studying would allow him to create a functioning business.[10] Michelacci and Schivardi believe that for an individual to reach the full success they need to have education beyond high school. Their research shows that the higher the education level the greater the success. The reason is that college gives people additional skills that can be used within their business and to operate on a higher level than someone who only "runs" it.[164] Recent trends that seek to merge neurosciences into entrepreneurship Currently it refers to the concept of "Entrepreneurial Enhancement", which refers to "the progressive improvement of cognitive, affective and conative skills in potential entrepreneurs or existing ones using appropriate neurotechnologies". The term has been coined by engineer Víctor Pérez Centeno, in relation to the need to fuse neurotechnologies in research, education and the empowerment of entrepreneurial performance".[165][166] Resources and financing Entrepreneurial resources An entrepreneurial resource is any company-owned asset that has economic value creating capabilities. Economic value creating both tangible and intangible sources are considered as entrepreneurial resources. Their economic value is generating activities or services through mobilization by entrepreneurs.[167] Entrepreneurial resources can be divided into two fundamental categories: tangible and intangible resources.[168] Tangible resources are material sources such as equipment, building, furniture, land, vehicle, machinery, stock, cash, bond and inventory that has a physical form and can be quantified. On the contrary, intangible resources are nonphysical or more challenging to identify and evaluate, and they possess more value creating capacity such as human resources including skills and experience in a particular field, organizational structure of the company, brand name, reputation, entrepreneurial networks that contribute to promotion and financial support, know-how, intellectual property including both copyrights, trademarks and patents.[169][170] Bootstrapping Contextual background At least early on, entrepreneurs often "bootstrap-finance" their start-up rather than seeking external investors from the start. One of the reasons that some entrepreneurs prefer to "bootstrap" is that obtaining equity financing requires the entrepreneur to provide ownership shares to the investors. If the start-up becomes successful later on, these early equity financing deals could provide a windfall for the investors and a huge loss for the entrepreneur. If investors have a significant stake in the company, they may as well be able to exert influence on company strategy, chief executive officer (CEO) choice and other important decisions. This is often problematic since the investor and the founder might have different incentives regarding the long-term goal of the company. An investor will generally aim for a profitable exit and therefore promotes a high-valuation sale of the company or IPO to sell their shares. Whereas the entrepreneur might have philanthropic intentions as their main driving force. Soft values like this might not go well with the short-term pressure on yearly and quarterly profits that publicly traded companies often experience from their owners.[171] Common definition One consensus definition of bootstrapping sees it as "a collection of methods used to minimize the amount of outside debt and equity financing needed from banks and investors".

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (/biˈɒnseɪ/ ⓘ bee-ON-say)[4] (born September 4, 1981)[5] is an American singer, songwriter and businesswoman. Dubbed as "Queen Bey" and a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century, she has been recognized for her artistry and performances, with Rolling Stone naming her one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Beyoncé started performing in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw the release of Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love (2003). She then followed with the US number-one solo albums B'Day (2006), I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), and 4 (2011). After creating her own management company Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé achieved critical acclaim for the experimental visual albums Beyoncé (2013) and Lemonade (2016), which explored themes such as feminism and womanism. With her queer-inspired dance album Renaissance (2022), she became the first solo artist to have their first seven studio albums debut at number one in the US.[6] Beyoncé's most successful songs on the Billboard Hot 100 include "Crazy in Love", "Baby Boy", "Check On It", "Irreplaceable", "If I Were a Boy", "Halo", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Break My Soul" and "Cuff It". Her collaborative music ventures include Everything Is Love (2018), an album with her husband and rapper Jay-Z, released as the Carters, and the musical film Black Is King (2020), inspired by the music of the film soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift (2019). Homecoming: The Live Album (2019), which documents her 2018 Coachella performance, has been heralded as one of the best live albums for its tribute to black music history. Outside of music, she has starred as an actress in films such as Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), Obsessed (2009), and The Lion King (2019). Having sold 200 million records worldwide,[7] Beyoncé is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her accolades include a record 32 Grammy Awards, as well as 26 MTV Video Music Awards (including the 2014 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award), 24 NAACP Image Awards, 35 BET Awards, and 17 Soul Train Music Awards – all of which are more than any other artist in the music industry. Her success during the 2000s earned her recognition as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)'s Top Certified Artist of the Decade and Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade.[8] In 2014, Billboard named her the highest-earning black musician of all time. She is the most successful black touring act in history and received the Pollstar Touring Artist of the Decade award in 2021.[9][10] Time included her as one of the 100 women who defined the 21st century.[11] Life and career 1981–1996: Early life and career beginnings Beyonce Giselle Knowles[a] was born on September 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, to Celestine "Tina" Knowles (née Beyonce), a hairdresser and salon owner, and Mathew Knowles, a Xerox sales manager.[12] Tina is Louisiana Creole, and Mathew is African American.[13][14][15][16] Beyoncé's younger sister, Solange Knowles, is also a singer and a former backup dancer for Destiny's Child. Solange and Beyoncé are the first sisters to have both had number one solo albums.[17] Beyoncé's maternal grandparents, Lumas Beyince, and Agnez Dereon (daughter of Odilia Broussard and Eugene DeRouen),[18] were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles, with roots in New Iberia.[19] Beyoncé is considered a Creole, passed on to her by her grandparents.[18][20] She is a descendant of Acadian militia officer Joseph Broussard, who was exiled to French Louisiana after the expulsion of the Acadians.[14] Her fourth great-grandmother, Marie-Françoise Trahan, was born in 1774 in Bangor, located on Belle Île, France. Trahan was a daughter of Acadians who had taken refuge on Belle Île after the Acadian expulsion. The Estates of Brittany had divided the lands of Belle Île to distribute them among 78 other Acadian families and the already settled inhabitants. The Trahan family lived on Belle Île for over ten years before immigrating to Louisiana, where she married a Broussard descendant.[21] Beyoncé researched her ancestry and discovered that she is descended from a slave owner who married his slave.[22] Her mother is also of distant Irish, Jewish, Spanish, Chinese and Indonesian ancestry.[23][24][25][19] Beyoncé was raised Methodist and attended St. John's United Methodist Church.[26][27] She went to St. Mary's Montessori School in Houston, and enrolled in dance classes there.[28] Her singing was discovered when dance instructor Darlette Johnson began humming a song and she finished it, able to hit the high-pitched notes.[29] Beyoncé's interest in music and performing continued after winning a school talent show at age seven, singing John Lennon's "Imagine" to beat 15/16-year-olds.[30][31] In the fall of 1990, Beyoncé enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she would perform with the school's choir.[32] She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts[33] and later Alief Elsik High School.[13][34] Beyoncé was also a member of the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church where she sang her first solo and was a soloist for two years.[26][35] When Beyoncé was eight, she met LaTavia Roberson at an audition for an all-girl entertainment group.[36] They were placed into a group called Girl's Tyme with three other girls, and rapped and danced on the talent show circuit in Houston.[37] After seeing the group, R&B producer Arne Frager brought them to his Northern California studio and placed them in Star Search, the largest talent show on national TV at the time. Girl's Tyme failed to win, and Beyoncé later said the song they performed was not good.[38][39] In 1995, Beyoncé's father resigned from his job to manage the group.[40] The move reduced the family's income by half, and Beyoncé's parents were forced to sell their house and cars and move into separated apartments.[13][41] Mathew cut the original line-up to four and the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B girl groups.[36] The girls auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records, moving to Atlanta Records briefly to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the company.[13] This put further strain on the family, and Beyoncé's parents separated. On October 5, 1995, Dwayne Wiggins's Grass Roots Entertainment signed the group. In 1996, the girls began recording their debut album under an agreement with Sony Music, the Knowles family reunited, and shortly after, the group got a contract with Columbia Records with the assistance of Columbia talent scout Teresa LaBarbera Whites.[30] 1997–2002: Destiny's Child Main article: Destiny's Child Beyoncé (center) at the final line-up of Destiny's Child, performing during their 2005 Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It concert tour The group changed their name to Destiny's Child in 1996, based upon a passage in the Book of Isaiah.[42] In 1997, Destiny's Child released their major label debut song "Killing Time" on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.[39] In November, the group released their debut single and first major hit, "No, No, No". They released their self-titled debut album in February 1998, which established the group as a viable act in the music industry, with moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, and Best R&B/Soul Single for "No, No, No".[36] The group released their Multi-Platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" and "Say My Name", which became their most successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B Song at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.[36] The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies worldwide.[38] During this time, Beyoncé recorded a duet with Marc Nelson, an original member of Boyz II Men, on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man.[43] LeToya Luckett and Roberson became unhappy with Mathew's managing of the band and eventually were replaced by Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams.[36] Beyoncé experienced depression following the split with Luckett and Roberson after being publicly blamed by the media, critics, and blogs for its cause.[44] Her long-standing boyfriend left her at this time.[45] The depression was so severe it lasted for a couple of years, during which she occasionally kept herself in her bedroom for days and refused to eat anything.[46] Beyoncé stated that she struggled to speak about her depression because Destiny's Child had just won their first Grammy Award, and she feared no one would take her seriously.[47] Beyoncé would later speak of her mother as the person who helped her fight it.[46] Franklin was then dismissed, leaving just Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams.[48] The remaining band members recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks.[36] In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing their third album, Beyoncé landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th-century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet.[49] When the third album Survivor was released in May 2001, Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit claiming that the songs were aimed at them.[36] The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 663,000 copies sold.[50] The album spawned other number-one hits, "Bootylicious" and the title track, "Survivor", the latter of which earned the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[51] After releasing their holiday album 8 Days of Christmas in October 2001, the group announced a hiatus to further pursue solo careers.[36] In July 2002, Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut, playing Foxxy Cleopatra alongside Mike Myers in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember,[52] which spent its first weekend atop the U.S. box office and grossed $73 million.[53] Beyoncé released "Work It Out" as the lead single from its soundtrack album which entered the top ten in the UK, Norway, and Belgium.[54] In 2003, Beyoncé starred opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in the musical comedy The Fighting Temptations as Lilly, a single mother with whom Gooding's character falls in love.[55] The film received mixed reviews from critics but grossed $30 million in the U.S.[56][57] Beyoncé released "Fighting Temptation" as the lead single from the film's soundtrack album, with Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Free which was also used to promote the film.[58] Another of Beyoncé's contributions to the soundtrack, "Summertime", fared better on the U.S. charts.[59] 2003–2007: Dangerously in Love, B'Day, and Dreamgirls A woman, flanked by two male dancers, holds a microphone in one hand as she dances Beyoncé performing "Baby Boy", which spent nine consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[60] Beyoncé's first solo recording was a feature on Jay-Z's song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" that was released in October 2002, peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[61] On June 14, 2003, Beyoncé premiered songs from her first solo album Dangerously in Love during her first solo concert and the pay-per-view television special, "Ford Presents Beyoncé Knowles, Friends & Family, Live From Ford's 100th Anniversary Celebration in Dearborn, Michigan".[62] The album was released on June 24, 2003, after Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland had released their solo efforts.[63] The album sold 317,000 copies in its first week, debuted atop the Billboard 200,[64] and has since sold 11 million copies worldwide.[65] The album's lead single, "Crazy in Love", featuring Jay-Z, became Beyoncé's first number-one single as a solo artist in the US.[66] The single "Baby Boy" also reached number one,[60] and singles, "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl", both reached the top-five.[67] The album earned Beyoncé a then record-tying five awards at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards; Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Dangerously in Love 2", Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Crazy in Love", and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You" with Luther Vandross. During the ceremony, she performed with Prince.[68] In November 2003, she embarked on the Dangerously in Love Tour in Europe and later toured alongside Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys for the Verizon Ladies First Tour in North America.[69] On February 1, 2004, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII, at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.[70] After the release of Dangerously in Love, Beyoncé had planned to produce a follow-up album using several of the left-over tracks. However, this was put on hold so she could concentrate on recording Destiny Fulfilled, the final studio album by Destiny's Child.[71] Released on November 15, 2004, in the US[72] and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200,[73][74] Destiny Fulfilled included the singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier", which reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[75] Destiny's Child embarked on a worldwide concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It sponsored by McDonald's Corporation,[76] and performed songs such as "No, No, No", "Survivor", "Say My Name", "Independent Women" and "Lose My Breath". In addition to renditions of the group's recorded material, they also performed songs from each singer's solo careers, including numbers from Dangerously in Love. and during the last stop of their European tour, in Barcelona on June 11, 2005, Rowland announced that Destiny's Child would disband following the North American leg of the tour.[77] The group released their first compilation album Number 1's on October 25, 2005, in the US[78] and accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March 2006.[79] The group has sold 60 million records worldwide.[80][81] Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day was released on September 4, 2006, in the US, to coincide with her twenty-fifth birthday.[82] It sold 541,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming Beyoncé's second consecutive number-one album in the United States.[83] The album's lead single "Déjà Vu", featuring Jay-Z, reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[67] The second international single "Irreplaceable" was a commercial success worldwide, reaching number one in Australia, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.[67][84] B'Day also produced three other singles; "Ring the Alarm",[85] "Get Me Bodied",[86] and "Green Light" (released in the United Kingdom only).[87] A woman stands with a microphone Beyoncé performing during The Beyoncé Experience tour in 2007 At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007), B'Day was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ring the Alarm" and Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration"for "Déjà Vu"; the Freemasons club mix of "Déjà Vu" without the rap was put forward in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category. B'Day won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.[88] The following year, B'Day received two nominations – for Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Beautiful Liar" (with Shakira), also receiving a nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Pictures, Television or Other Visual Media for her appearance on Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture (2006).[89] Her first acting role of 2006 was in the comedy film The Pink Panther starring opposite Steve Martin,[90] grossing $158.8 million at the box office worldwide.[91] Her second film Dreamgirls, the film version of the 1981 Broadway musical[92] loosely based on The Supremes, received acclaim from critics and grossed $154 million internationally.[93][94][95] In it, she starred opposite Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy playing a pop singer based on Diana Ross.[96] To promote the film, Beyoncé released "Listen" as the lead single from the soundtrack album.[97] In April 2007, Beyoncé embarked on The Beyoncé Experience, her first worldwide concert tour, visiting 97 venues[98] and grossed over $24 million.[note 1] Beyoncé conducted pre-concert food donation drives during six major stops in conjunction with her pastor at St. John's and America's Second Harvest. At the same time, B'Day was re-released with five additional songs, including her duet with Shakira "Beautiful Liar".[100] 2008–2012: I Am... Sasha Fierce and 4 A woman stands looking out to a crowd Beyoncé performing during the I Am... Tour. I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in November 2008 and formally introduced Beyoncé's alter ego Sasha Fierce.[101] It was met with mixed reviews from critics,[102] but sold 482,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop the Billboard 200, and giving Beyoncé her third consecutive number-one album in the US.[103] The album featured her fourth UK number-one single "If I Were a Boy" and her fifth U.S. number-one song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[104] "Halo" achieved the accomplishment of becoming her longest-running Hot 100 single in her career,[105] "Halo"'s success in the U.S. helped Beyoncé attain more top-ten singles on the list than any other woman during the 2000s.[106] The music video for "Single Ladies" has been parodied and imitated around the world, spawning the "first major dance craze" of the Internet age according to the Toronto Star.[107] At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won three categories, including Video of the Year.[108] Its failure to win the Best Female Video category, which went to American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me", led to Kanye West interrupting the ceremony and Beyoncé improvising a re-presentation of Swift's award during her own acceptance speech.[108] In March 2009, Beyoncé embarked on the I Am... Tour, her second headlining worldwide concert tour, consisting of 108 shows, grossing $119.5 million.[109] Beyoncé further expanded her acting career, starring as blues singer Etta James in the 2008 musical biopic Cadillac Records. Her performance in the film received praise from critics,[110] and she garnered several nominations for her portrayal of James, including a Satellite Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress.[111][112] Beyoncé donated her entire salary from the film to Phoenix House, an organization of rehabilitation centers for heroin addicts around the country.[113] Beyoncé starred opposite Ali Larter and Idris Elba in the thriller, Obsessed. She played Sharon Charles, a mother and wife whose family is threatened by her husband's stalker. The film received negative reviews from critics,[114] and did well at the U.S. box office, grossing $68 million – $60 million more than Cadillac Records[115] – on a budget of $20 million.[116] At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé received ten nominations, tying with Lauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist.[117] Beyoncé went on to win six of those nominations, breaking a record she previously tied in 2004 for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist with six. In 2010, Beyoncé provide guest vocals on Lady Gaga's single "Telephone".[118][119] The song topped the U.S. Pop Songs chart, becoming the sixth number-one for both Beyoncé and Gaga, tying them with Mariah Carey for most number-ones since the Nielsen Top 40 airplay chart launched in 1992.[120] Beyoncé announced a hiatus from her music career in January 2010, heeding her mother's advice, "to live life, to be inspired by things again".[121][122] During the break she and her father parted ways as business partners.[123][124] Beyoncé's musical break lasted nine months and saw her visit multiple European cities, the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, Australia, English music festivals and various museums and ballet performances.[121][125] "Eat, Play, Love", a cover story written by Beyoncé for Essence that detailed her 2010 career break, won her a writing award from the New York Association of Black Journalists.[126] The upper body of a woman is shown as she sings into a microphone Beyoncé's performing during her 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concert residency in August 2011 On June 26, 2011, she became the first solo female artist to headline the main Pyramid stage at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival in over twenty years.[127][128] The performance was lauded, with several publications noting an ascension in Knowles' capabilities as a live performer. Other publications discussed the polarized attitude of the UK music establishment in response to a Black woman performing on the same stages and to the same crowd sizes that were past reserved for legacy rock acts.[129][130] Her fourth studio album 4 was released two days prior in the US.[131] 4 sold 310,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fourth consecutive number-one album in the US. The album was preceded by two of its singles "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had".[67][118][132] The fourth single "Love on Top" spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest peak from the album.[133] In late 2011, she took the stage at New York's Roseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances:[134] the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts saw the performance of her 4 album to a standing room only.[134] On August 1, 2011, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having shipped 1 million copies to retail stores.[135] By December 2015, it reached sales of 1.5 million copies in the US.[136] The album reached one billion Spotify streams on February 5, 2018, making Beyoncé the first female artist to have three of their albums surpass one billion streams on the platform.[137] In June 2012, she performed for four nights at Revel Atlantic City's Ovation Hall to celebrate the resort's opening, her first performances since giving birth to her daughter.[138][139] 2013–2017: Super Bowl XLVII, Beyoncé, and Lemonade Beyoncé performing at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show on February 3, 2013. In January 2013, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem singing along with a pre-recorded track at President Obama's second inauguration in Washington, D.C.[140][141] The following month, Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show, held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.[142] The performance stands as the second most tweeted about moment in history at 268,000 tweets per minute.[143] Her feature-length documentary film, Life Is But a Dream, first aired on HBO on February 16, 2013.[144] The film was co-directed by Beyoncé herself.[145] Beyoncé embarked on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour on April 15 in Belgrade, Serbia; the tour included 132 dates that ran through to March 2014. It became the most successful tour of her career and one of the most successful tours of all time.[146] In May, Beyoncé's cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" with André 3000 on The Great Gatsby soundtrack was released.[147] Beyoncé voiced Queen Tara in the 3D CGI animated film, Epic, released by 20th Century Fox on May 24,[148] and recorded an original song for the film, "Rise Up", co-written with Sia.[149] On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her eponymous fifth studio album on the iTunes Store without any prior announcement or promotion. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album in the US.[150] This made her the first woman in the chart's history to have her first five studio albums debut at number one.[151] Beyoncé received critical acclaim[152] and commercial success, selling one million digital copies worldwide in six days;[153] Musically an electro-R&B album, it concerns darker themes previously unexplored in her work, such as "bulimia, postnatal depression [and] the fears and insecurities of marriage and motherhood".[154] The single "Drunk in Love", featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[155] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Beyoncé sold 2.3 million units worldwide, becoming the tenth best-selling album of 2013.[156] The album also went on to become the twentieth best-selling album of 2014.[157] As of November 2014, Beyoncé has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and has generated over 1 billion streams, as of March 2015.[158] At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2015, Beyoncé was nominated for six awards, ultimately winning three: Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Drunk in Love", and Best Surround Sound Album for Beyoncé.[159][160] In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z officially announced their On the Run Tour. It served as the couple's first co-headlining stadium tour together.[161] On August 24, 2014, she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé also won home three competitive awards: Best Video with a Social Message and Best Cinematography for "Pretty Hurts", as well as best collaboration for "Drunk in Love".[162] In November, Forbes reported that Beyoncé was the top-earning woman in music for the second year in a row – earning $115 million in the year, more than double her earnings in 2013.[163] Beyoncé released "Formation" in on February 6, 2016, and performed it live for the first time during the NFL Super Bowl 50 halftime show. The appearance was considered controversial as it appeared to reference the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the NFL forbids political statements in its performances.[164][165][166] Immediately following the performance, Beyoncé announced The Formation World Tour, which highlighted stops in both North America and Europe.[167][168] It ended on October 7, with Beyoncé bringing out her husband Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Serena Williams for the last show.[169] The tour went on to win Tour of the Year at the 44th American Music Awards.[170] Beyoncé performing during The Formation World Tour in 2016. The tour grossed $256 million from 49 sold-out shows. In April 2016, Beyoncé released a teaser clip for a project called Lemonade. A one-hour film which aired on HBO on April 23, a corresponding album with the same title was released on the same day exclusively on Tidal.[171] Lemonade debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first act in Billboard history to have their first six studio albums debut atop the chart; she broke a record previously tied with DMX in 2013.[172] With all 12 tracks of Lemonade debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Beyoncé also became the first female act to chart 12 or more songs at the same time.[173] Lemonade was streamed 115 million times through Tidal, setting a record for the most-streamed album in a single week by a female artist in history.[174] It was 2016's third highest-selling album in the U.S. with 1.554 million copies sold in that time period within the country[175] as well as the best-selling album worldwide with global sales of 2.5 million throughout the year.[176] Lemonade became the most critically acclaimed work of her career.[177] Several music publications included the album among the best of 2016, including Rolling Stone, which listed Lemonade at number one.[178] The album's visuals were nominated in 11 categories at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, the most ever received by Beyoncé in a single year, and went on to win 8 awards, including Video of the Year for "Formation".[179][180] The eight wins made Beyoncé the most-awarded artist in the history of the VMAs (24), surpassing Madonna (20).[181] Beyoncé occupied the sixth place for Time magazine's 2016 Person of the Year.[182] In January 2017, it was announced that Beyoncé would headline the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. This would make Beyoncé only the second female headliner of the festival since it was founded in 1999.[183] It was later announced on February 23, 2017, that Beyoncé would no longer be able to perform at the festival due to doctor's concerns regarding her pregnancy. The festival owners announced that she will instead headline the 2018 festival.[184] Upon the announcement of Beyoncé's departure from the festival lineup, ticket prices dropped by 12%.[185] At the 59th Grammy Awards in February 2017, Lemonade led the nominations with nine, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year for Lemonade and "Formation" respectively.[186] and ultimately won two, Best Urban Contemporary Album for Lemonade and Best Music Video for "Formation".[187] In September 2017, Beyoncé collaborated with J Balvin and Willy William, to release a remix of the song "Mi Gente". Beyoncé donated all proceeds from the song to hurricane charities for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean Islands.[188] On November 10, Eminem released "Walk on Water" featuring Beyoncé as the lead single from his album Revival. On November 30, Ed Sheeran announced that Beyoncé would feature on the remix to his song "Perfect".[189] "Perfect Duet" was released on December 1, 2017. The song reached number-one in the United States, becoming Beyoncé's sixth song of her solo career to do so.[190] 2018–2021: Everything Is Love and The Lion King On January 4, 2018, the music video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 4:44 collaboration, "Family Feud" was released.[191] It was directed by Ava DuVernay. On March 1, 2018, DJ Khaled released "Top Off" as the first single from his forthcoming album Father of Asahd featuring Beyoncé, husband Jay-Z, and Future.[192] On March 5, 2018, a joint tour with Knowles's husband Jay-Z, was leaked on Facebook.[193] Information about the tour was later taken down. The couple announced the joint tour officially as On the Run II Tour on March 12[194] and simultaneously released a trailer for the tour on YouTube.[195] On April 14, 2018, Beyoncé played the first of two weekends as the headlining act of the Coachella Music Festival. Her performance of April 14, attended by 125,000 festival-goers, was immediately praised, with multiple media outlets describing it as historic. The performance became the most-tweeted-about performance of weekend one, as well as the most-watched live Coachella performance and the most-watched live performance on YouTube of all time. The show paid tribute to black culture, specifically historically black colleges and universities and featured a live band with over 100 dancers. Destiny's Child also reunited during the show.[196][197] On June 6, 2018, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z kicked-off the On the Run II Tour in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Ten days later, at their final London performance, the pair unveiled Everything Is Love, their joint studio album, credited under the name The Carters, and initially available exclusively on Tidal. The pair also released the video for the album's lead single, "Apeshit", on Beyoncé's official YouTube channel.[198][199] Everything Is Love received generally positive reviews,[200] and debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 123,000 album-equivalent units, of which 70,000 were pure album sales.[201] On December 2, 2018, Beyoncé alongside Jay-Z headlined the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 which was held at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.[202] Their 2-hour performance had concepts similar to the On the Run II Tour and Beyoncé was praised for her outfits, which paid tribute to Africa's diversity.[203] Beyoncé at The Lion King European premiere in 2019. Homecoming, a documentary and concert film focusing on Beyoncé's historic 2018 Coachella performances, was released by Netflix on April 17, 2019.[204][205] The film was accompanied by the surprise live album Homecoming: The Live Album.[206] It was later reported that Beyoncé and Netflix had signed a $60 million deal to produce three different projects, one of which is Homecoming.[207] Homecoming received six nominations at the 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[208] Beyoncé starred as the voice of Nala in the remake The Lion King, which was released in July 2019.[209] Beyoncé is featured on the film's soundtrack, released on July 11, 2019, with a remake of the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" alongside Donald Glover, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, which was originally composed by Elton John.[210] An original song from the film by Beyoncé, "Spirit", was released as the lead single from both the soundtrack and The Lion King: The Gift – a companion album released alongside the film, produced and curated by Beyoncé.[211][212] Beyoncé called The Lion King: The Gift a "sonic cinema". She stated that the album is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat.[211] The songs were produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set in Africa.[211] In September of the same year, a documentary chronicling the development, production and early music video filming of The Lion King: The Gift entitled "Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift" was aired on ABC. In March 2020, a photograph Beyoncé captured of her swimming pool was used as the album cover for rapper Jay Electronica's highly anticipated debut album A Written Testimony.[213] In April of the same year, Beyoncé was featured on the remix of Megan Thee Stallion's song "Savage", marking her first material of music for the year.[214] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Beyoncé's eleventh song to do so across all acts.[215] On June 19, 2020, Beyoncé released the nonprofit charity single "Black Parade".[216] On June 23, she followed up the release of its studio version with an a cappella version exclusively on Tidal.[217] Black Is King, a visual album based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, premiered globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020. Produced by Disney and Parkwood Entertainment, the film was written, directed and executively produced by Beyoncé. The film was described by Disney as "a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience".[218] Beyoncé received the most nominations (9) at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards and the most awards (4), which made her the most-awarded singer, most-awarded female artist, and second-most-awarded artist in Grammy history.[219] In 2021, Beyoncé wrote and recorded a song titled "Be Alive" for the biographical drama film King Richard.[220] She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 94th Academy Awards for the song, alongside co-writer DIXSON.[221] 2022–present: Renaissance Beyoncé performing at the Renaissance World Tour. On June 9, 2022, Beyoncé removed her profile pictures across various social media platforms causing speculation that she would be releasing new music.[222] Days later, Beyoncé caused further speculation via her nonprofit BeyGood's Twitter account hinting at her upcoming seventh studio album.[223] On June 15, 2022, Beyoncé officially announced her seventh studio album, titled Renaissance. The album was released on July 29, 2022.[224][225] The first single from Renaissance, "Break My Soul", was released on June 20, 2022.[226] The song became Beyoncé's 20th top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, and in doing so, Beyoncé joined Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson as the only artists in Hot 100 history to achieve at least twenty top tens as a solo artist and ten as a member of a group.[227] Upon release, Renaissance received universal acclaim from critics.[228] Renaissance debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and in doing so, Beyoncé became the first female artist to have her first seven studio albums debut at number one in the United States.[229] "Break My Soul" concurrently rose to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the twelfth song to do so across her career discography.[230] The song "Heated," which was co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, originally included the lyrics "Spazzin' on that ass / spazz on that ass". Critics, including a number of disability charities and activists, argued that the word "spaz" represented a derogatory term for spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. In response, in August 2022, a representative for Beyoncé issued a statement and explained that "The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced".[231][232] On January 21, 2023, Beyoncé performed in Dubai at a private show.[233] The performance, which was her first full concert in more than four years, was delivered to an audience of influencers and journalists.[234] Beyoncé was reportedly paid $24 million to perform.[235] Beyoncé faced criticism for her decision to perform in the United Arab Emirates where homosexuality is illegal.[235][234][236] On February 1, Beyoncé announced the Renaissance World Tour with dates in North America and Europe,[237] becoming for a short-span the highest-grossing tour by a female artist.[238] On July 28, Beyoncé appeared on "Delresto (Echoes)", the second single from rapper Travis Scott's album Utopia, eventually becoming her 100th career appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (encompassing Destiny's Child, her solo career, and musical duo The Carters).[239] Artistry Voice and musical style With "Single Ladies", clearly I'd just gotten married, and people want to get married every day – then there was the whole Justin Timberlake thing [recreating the video] on Saturday Night Live, and it was also the year YouTube blew up. With "Irreplaceable", the aggressive lyrics, the acoustic guitar, and the 808 drum machine – those things don't typically go together, and it sounded fresh. "Crazy in Love" was another one of those classic moments in pop culture that none of us expected. I asked Jay to get on the song the night before I had to turn my album in – thank God he did. It still never gets old, no matter how many times I sing it. —Beyoncé[240] Critics have described Beyoncé's voice as being mezzo-soprano.[241][242] Jody Rosen highlights her tone and timbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music".[243] Her vocal abilities mean she is identified as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.[244] Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that her voice is "velvety yet tart, with an insistent flutter and reserves of soul belting".[245] Rosen notes that the hip hop era highly influenced Beyoncé's unique rhythmic vocal style, but also finds her quite traditionalist in her use of balladry, gospel and falsetto.[243] Other critics praise her range and power, with Chris Richards of The Washington Post saying she was "capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars."[246] On the 2023 Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers of all time, Beyoncé ranked at number 8, with the publication noting that "in [her] voice lies the entire history of Black music".[247] Beyoncé's music is generally R&B,[248][249] pop[248][250] and hip hop[251] but she also incorporates soul and funk into her songs. 4 demonstrated Beyoncé's exploration of 1990s-style R&B, as well as further use of soul and hip hop than compared to previous releases.[240] While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Beyoncé recorded several Spanish songs for Irreemplazable (re-recordings of songs from B'Day for a Spanish-language audience), and the re-release of B'Day. To record these, Beyoncé was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.[252] Songwriting Beyoncé has received co-writing credits for most of her songs.[253] In regards to the way she approaches collaborative songwriting, Beyoncé explained: "I love being around great writers because I'm finding that a lot of the things I want to say, I don't articulate as good as maybe Amanda Ghost, so I want to keep collaborating with writers, and I love classics and I want to make sure years from now the song is still something that's relevant."[254] Her early songs with Destiny's Child were personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions like "Independent Women" and "Survivor", but after the start of her relationship with Jay-Z, she transitioned to more man-tending anthems such as "Cater 2 U".[255] Beyoncé's songwriting process is also notorious for combining parts of different tracks, resulting in alteration of song structures. Sia, who co-wrote "Pretty Hurts", called Beyoncé "very Frankenstein when she comes to songs";[256] Diana Gordon, who co-wrote "Don't Hurt Yourself" called her a "scientist of songs";[257] Caroline Polachek who co-wrote "No Angel", called her a "genius writer and producer for this reason. She's so good at seeing connections."[258] In 2001, she became the first Black woman and second female lyricist to win the Pop Songwriter of the Year award at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.[13][259] Beyoncé was the third woman to have writing credits on three number-one songs ("Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It") in the same year, after Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. She is tied with American lyricist Diane Warren at third with nine songwriting credits on number-one singles.[260] The latter wrote her 9/11-motivated song "I Was Here" for 4.[261] In May 2011, Billboard magazine listed Beyoncé at number 17 on their list of the Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She was one of only three women on that list, along with Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift.[262] Beyoncé has received criticism, including from journalists and musicians, for the extensive writing credits on her songs.[253] The controversy surrounding her songwriting credits began with interviews in which she attributed herself as the songwriter for songs in which she was a co-writer[263] or for which her contributions were marginal.[253] In a cover story for Vanity Fair in 2005, she claimed to have "written" several number-one songs for Destiny's Child, contrary to the credits, which list her as a co-writer among others.[263] During a 2007 interview with Barbara Walters, she claimed to have conceived the musical idea for the Destiny's Child song "Bootylicious",[264] which provoked the song's producer Rob Fusari to call her father and then-manager Mathew Knowles in protest over the claim. In 2010, Fusari told Billboard: "[Knowles] explained to me, in a nice way, he said, 'People don't want to hear about Rob Fusari, producer from Livingston, N.J. No offense, but that's not what sells records. What sells records is people believing that the artist is everything.'"[265] However, in an interview for Entertainment Weekly in 2016, Fusari said Beyoncé "had the 'Bootylicious' concept in her head. That was totally her. She knew what she wanted to say. It was very urban pop angle that they were taking on the record."[266] Influences Beyoncé's major influences include Michael Jackson (left) and Tina Turner (right). Beyoncé names Michael Jackson as her major musical influence.[267][268] Aged five, Beyoncé attended her first ever concert where Jackson performed and she claims to have realized her purpose.[269] When she presented him with a tribute award at the World Music Awards in 2006, Beyoncé said, "if it wasn't for Michael Jackson, I would never ever have performed."[270] Beyoncé was heavily influenced by Tina Turner, and once said "Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her strength feminine and sexy".[271][272] She admires Diana Ross as an "all-around entertainer",[273] and Whitney Houston, who she said "inspired me to get up there and do what she did."[274][275] Beyoncé cited Madonna as an influence "not only for her musical style, but also for her business sense",[276] saying that she wanted to "follow in the footsteps of Madonna and be a powerhouse and have my own empire."[277] She also credits Mariah Carey's singing and her song "Vision of Love" as influencing her to begin practicing vocal runs as a child.[278][279] Her other musical influences include Rachelle Ferrell,[280] Aaliyah,[281][282] Janet Jackson,[283][284] Prince,[285] Shakira,[286] Lauryn Hill,[273] Sade Adu,[287] Donna Summer,[288] Mary J. Blige,[289] Selena,[290] Anita Baker, and Toni Braxton.[273] The feminism and female empowerment themes on Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls[291] and by singer Josephine Baker.[292] Beyoncé paid homage to Baker by performing "Déjà Vu" at the 2006 Fashion Rocks concert wearing Baker's trademark mini-hula skirt embellished with fake bananas.[293] Beyoncé's third solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, was inspired by Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" inspired Beyoncé to explore other musical genres and styles.[294] Her fourth solo album, 4, was inspired by Fela Kuti, 1990s R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire, DeBarge, Lionel Richie, Teena Marie, The Jackson 5, New Edition, Adele, Florence and the Machine, and Prince.[240] Beyoncé has stated that she is personally inspired by Michelle Obama (the 44th First Lady of the United States), saying "she proves you can do it all",[295] and has described Oprah Winfrey as "the definition of inspiration and a strong woman."[273] She has also discussed how Jay-Z is a continuing inspiration to her, both with what she describes as his lyrical genius and in the obstacles he has overcome in his life.[296] Beyoncé has expressed admiration for the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, posting in a letter "what I find in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I search for in every day in music ... he is lyrical and raw".[297][298] Beyoncé also cited Cher as a fashion inspiration.[299] Music videos and stage Beyoncé performing during the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards In 2006, Beyoncé introduced her all-female tour band Suga Mama (also the name of a song on B'Day) which includes bassists, drummers, guitarists, horn players, keyboardists and percussionists.[300] Her background singers, The Mamas, consist of Montina Cooper-Donnell, Crystal Collins and Tiffany Moniqué Riddick. They made their debut appearance at the 2006 BET Awards and re-appeared in the music videos for "Irreplaceable" and "Green Light".[252] The band have supported Beyoncé in most subsequent live performances, including her 2007 concert tour The Beyoncé Experience, I Am... Tour (2009–2010), The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013–2014) and The Formation World Tour (2016). Beyoncé has received praise for her stage presence and voice during live performances. According to Barbara Ellen of The Guardian, Beyoncé is the most in-charge female artist she's seen onstage.[301] Similarly, Alice Jones of The Independent wrote she "takes her role as entertainer so seriously she's almost too good."[302] The ex-President of Def Jam L.A. Reid has described Beyoncé as the greatest entertainer alive.[303] Jim Farber of the Daily News and Stephanie Classen of The StarPhoenix both praised her strong voice and her stage presence.[304][305] Beyoncé's stage outfits have been met with criticism from many countries, such as Malaysia, where she has postponed or cancelled performances due to the country's strict laws banning revealing costumes.[306] Beyoncé has worked with numerous directors for her music videos throughout her career, including Melina Matsoukas, Jonas Åkerlund, and Jake Nava. Bill Condon, director of Beauty and the Beast, stated that the Lemonade visuals in particular served as inspiration for his film, commenting, "You look at Beyoncé's brilliant movie Lemonade, this genre is taking on so many different forms ... I do think that this very old-school break-out-into-song traditional musical is something that people understand again and really want."[307] Alter ego Described as being "sexy, seductive and provocative" when performing on stage, Beyoncé has said that she originally created the alter ego "Sasha Fierce" to keep that stage persona separate from who she really is. She described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating, "I'm not like her in real life at all."[46] Sasha was conceived during the making of "Crazy in Love", and Beyoncé introduced her with the release of her 2008 album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. In February 2010, she announced in an interview with Allure magazine that she was comfortable enough with herself to no longer need Sasha Fierce.[308] However, Beyoncé announced in May 2012 that she would bring her back for her Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live shows later that month.[309] Public image A woman waves to the crowd on a red-carpet Beyoncé at the premiere of her 2006 film Dreamgirls Beyoncé has been described as having a wide-ranging sex appeal, with music journalist Touré writing that since the release of Dangerously in Love, she has "become a crossover sex symbol".[310] Offstage Beyoncé says that while she likes to dress sexily, her onstage dress "is absolutely for the stage".[311] Due to her curves and the term's catchiness, in the 2000s, the media often used the term "bootylicious" (a portmanteau of the words "booty" and "delicious") to describe Beyoncé,[312][313] the term popularized by Destiny's Child's single of the same name. In 2006, it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.[314] In September 2010, Beyoncé made her runway modelling debut at Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.[315] She was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People[316] and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex in 2012.[317] In January 2013, GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.[318][319] VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list.[320] Several wax figures of Beyoncé are found at Madame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities around the world, including New York,[321] Washington, D.C.,[322] Amsterdam,[323] Bangkok,[324] Hollywood[325] and Sydney.[326] According to Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, Beyoncé uses different fashion styles to work with her music while performing.[327] Her mother co-wrote a book, published in 2002, titled Destiny's Style,[328] an account of how fashion affected the trio's success.[329] The B'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles.[330] In 2007, Beyoncé was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the second African American woman after Tyra Banks,[331] and People magazine recognized Beyoncé as the best-dressed celebrity.[332] Beyoncé has been named "Queen Bey" from publications over the years. The term is a reference to the common phrase "queen bee", a term used for the leader of a group of females. The nickname also refers to the queen of a beehive, with her fan base being named "The BeyHive". The BeyHive was previously titled "The Beyontourage", (a portmanteau of Beyoncé and entourage), but was changed after online petitions on Twitter and online news reports during competitions.[333] In 2006, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized Beyoncé for wearing and using fur in her clothing line House of Deréon.[334] Emmett Price, a professor of music at Northeastern University, wrote in 2007 that he thinks race plays a role in many criticisms of Beyoncé's image, saying white celebrities who dress similarly do not attract as many comments.[335] In 2008, L'Oréal was accused of whitening her skin in their Feria hair color advertisements, responding that "it is categorically untrue",[336][337] and in 2013, Beyoncé herself criticized H&M for their proposed "retouching" of promotional images of her, and according to Vogue requested that only "natural pictures be used".[338] Beyoncé has been a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. The release of "Formation" on February 6, 2016, saw her celebrate her heritage, with the song's music video featuring pro-black imagery and a shot of wall graffiti that says "Stop shooting us". The day after the song's release she performed it at the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show with back up dancers dressed to represent the Black Panther Party. This incited criticism from politicians and police officers, with some police boycotting Beyoncé's then upcoming Formation World Tour.[339] Beyoncé responded to the backlash by releasing tour merchandise that said "Boycott Beyoncé",[340][341][342] and later clarified her sentiment, saying: "Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken. I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe," Beyoncé said. "But let's be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things."[343] Personal life Marriage and children A woman stands next to a man who is performing using a microphone Beyoncé performing on the I Am... Tour with Jay-Z, whom she married in 2008 In 2002, Beyoncé and Jay-Z collaborated on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde",[344] which appeared on his seventh album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002).[345] Beyoncé appeared as Jay-Z's girlfriend in the music video for the song, fueling speculation about their relationship.[346] On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married without publicity.[347] As of April 2014, the couple had sold a combined 300 million records together.[161] They are known for their private relationship, although they have appeared to become more relaxed since 2013.[348] Both have acknowledged difficulty that arose in their marriage after Jay-Z had an affair.[349][350] Beyoncé miscarried around 2010 or 2011, describing it as "the saddest thing" she had ever endured.[351] She returned to the studio and wrote music to cope with the loss. In April 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z traveled to Paris to shoot the album cover for 4, and she unexpectedly became pregnant in Paris.[352] In August, the couple attended the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, at which Beyoncé performed "Love on Top" and ended the performance by revealing she was pregnant.[353] Her appearance helped that year's MTV Video Music Awards become the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers;[354] the announcement was listed in Guinness World Records for "most tweets per second recorded for a single event" on Twitter,[355] receiving 8,868 tweets per second[356] and "Beyonce pregnant" was the most Googled phrase the week of August 29, 2011.[357] On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter, Blue Ivy, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.[358] Following the release of Lemonade, which included the single "Sorry", in 2016, speculations arose about Jay-Z's alleged infidelity with a mistress referred to as "Becky". Jon Pareles in The New York Times pointed out that many of the accusations were "aimed specifically and recognizably" at him.[359] Similarly, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine noted the lines "Suck on my balls, I've had enough" were an "unmistakable hint" that the lyrics revolve around Jay-Z.[360] On February 1, 2017, she revealed on her Instagram account that she was expecting twins. Her announcement gained over 6.3 million likes within eight hours, breaking the world record for the most liked image on the website at the time.[361] On July 13, 2017, Beyoncé uploaded the first image of herself and the twins onto her Instagram account, confirming their birth date as a month prior, on June 13, 2017,[362] with the post becoming the second most liked on Instagram, behind her own pregnancy announcement.[363] The twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir, were born at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in California. She wrote of her pregnancy and its aftermath in the September 2018 issue of Vogue, in which she had full control of the cover, shot at Hammerwood Park by photographer Tyler Mitchell.[364][365] Activism Beyoncé performed "America the Beautiful" at President Barack Obama's 2009 presidential inauguration, as well as "At Last" during the first inaugural dance at the Neighborhood Ball two days later.[366] The couple held a fundraiser at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan for President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign[367] which raised $4 million.[368] Beyoncé voted for Obama in the 2012 presidential election.[369] She performed the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" at his second inauguration in January 2013.[140] The Washington Post reported in May 2015, that Beyoncé attended a major celebrity fundraiser for 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.[370] She also headlined for Clinton in a concert held the weekend before Election Day the next year. In this performance, Beyoncé and her entourage of backup dancers wore pantsuits; a clear allusion to Clinton's frequent dress-of-choice. The backup dancers also wore "I'm with her" tee shirts, the campaign slogan for Clinton. In a brief speech at this performance Beyoncé said, "I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and knowing that her possibilities are limitless."[371] She endorsed the bid of Beto O'Rourke during the 2018 United States Senate election in Texas.[372] A woman performing using a microphone Beyoncé has conducted several fundraising and donation campaigns during her tours In 2013, Beyoncé stated in an interview in Vogue that she considered herself to be "a modern-day feminist".[373] She would later align herself more publicly with the movement, sampling "We should all be feminists", a speech delivered by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at a TEDx talk in April 2013, in her song "Flawless", released later that year.[374] The next year she performed live at the MTV Video Awards in front a giant backdrop reading "Feminist".[375] Her self-identification incited a circulation of opinions and debate about whether her feminism is aligned with older, more established feminist ideals. Annie Lennox, celebrated artist and feminist advocate, referred to Beyoncé's use of her word feminist as 'feminist lite'.[376] Bell hooks critiqued Beyoncé, referring to her as a "terrorist" towards feminism, harmfully impacting her audience of young girls.[377] Adichie responded with "her type of feminism is not mine, as it is the kind that, at the same time, gives quite a lot of space to the necessity of men."[378] Adichie expands upon what "feminist lite" means to her, referring that "more troubling is the idea, in Feminism Lite, that men are naturally superior but should be expected to 'treat women well'" and "we judge powerful women more harshly than we judge powerful men. And Feminism Lite enables this."[379] Beyoncé responded about her intent by utilizing the definition of feminist with her platform was to "give clarity to the true meaning" behind it.[380] She says to understand what being a feminist is, "it's very simple. It's someone who believes in equal rights for men and women."[380] She advocated to provide equal opportunities for young boys and girls, men and women must begin to understand the double standards that remain persistent in our societies and the issue must be illuminated in effort to start making changes.[380] She has also contributed to the Ban Bossy campaign, which uses TV and social media to encourage leadership in girls.[381] Following Beyoncé's public identification as a feminist, the sexualized nature of her performances and the fact that she championed her marriage was questioned.[382] In December 2012, Beyoncé along with a variety of other celebrities teamed up and produced a video campaign for "Demand A Plan", a bipartisan effort by a group of 950 U.S. mayors and others[383] designed to influence the federal government into rethinking its gun control laws, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[384] Beyoncé publicly endorsed same-sex marriage on March 26, 2013, after the Supreme Court debate on California's Proposition 8.[385] She spoke against North Carolina's Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, a bill passed (and later repealed) that discriminated against the LGBT community in public places in a statement during her concert in Raleigh as part of the Formation World Tour in 2016.[386] She has condemned police brutality against black Americans. She and Jay-Z attended a rally in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin.[387] The film for her sixth album Lemonade included the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, holding pictures of their sons in the video for "Freedom".[388] In a 2016 interview with Elle, Beyoncé responded to the controversy surrounding her song "Formation" which was perceived to be critical of the police. She clarified, "I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me".[389] In February 2017, Beyoncé spoke

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter born September 4, 1981 is an American singer, songwriter and businesswoman. Dubbed as "Queen Bey" and a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century, she has been recognized for her artistry and performances, with Rolling Stone naming her one of the greatest vocalists of all time. TWITTER / X - https://twitter.com/beyonce SHOP - https://amzn.to/41GeNEB Beyoncé started performing in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw the release of Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love (2003). She then followed with the US number-one solo albums B'Day (2006), I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), and 4 (2011). After creating her own management company Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé achieved critical acclaim for the experimental visual albums Beyoncé (2013) and Lemonade (2016), which explored themes such as feminism and womanism. With her queer-inspired dance album Renaissance (2022), she became the first solo artist to have their first seven studio albums debut at number one in the US. Beyoncé's most successful songs on the Billboard Hot 100 include "Crazy in Love", "Baby Boy", "Check On It", "Irreplaceable", "If I Were a Boy", "Halo", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Break My Soul" and "Cuff It". Her collaborative music ventures include Everything Is Love (2018), an album with her husband and rapper Jay-Z, released as the Carters, and the musical film Black Is King (2020), inspired by the music of the film soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift (2019). Homecoming: The Live Album (2019), which documents her 2018 Coachella performance, has been heralded as one of the best live albums for its tribute to black music history. Outside of music, she has starred as an actress in films such as Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), Obsessed (2009), and The Lion King (2019). Having sold 200 million records worldwide,[7] Beyoncé is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her accolades include a record 32 Grammy Awards, as well as 26 MTV Video Music Awards (including the 2014 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award), 24 NAACP Image Awards, 35 BET Awards, and 17 Soul Train Music Awards – all of which are more than any other artist in the music industry. Her success during the 2000s earned her recognition as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)'s Top Certified Artist of the Decade and Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade.[8] In 2014, Billboard named her the highest-earning black musician of all time. She is the most successful black touring act in history and received the Pollstar Touring Artist of the Decade award in 2021.[9][10] Time included her as one of the 100 women who defined the 21st century. Life and career 1981–1996: Early life and career beginnings Beyonce Giselle Knowles[a] was born on September 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, to Celestine "Tina" Knowles (née Beyonce), a hairdresser and salon owner, and Mathew Knowles, a Xerox sales manager.[12] Tina is Louisiana Creole, and Mathew is African American.[13][14][15][16] Beyoncé's younger sister, Solange Knowles, is also a singer and a former backup dancer for Destiny's Child. Solange and Beyoncé are the first sisters to have both had number one solo albums. Beyoncé's maternal grandparents, Lumas Beyince, and Agnez Dereon (daughter of Odilia Broussard and Eugene DeRouen),[18] were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles, with roots in New Iberia.[19] Beyoncé is considered a Creole, passed on to her by her grandparents.[18][20] She is a descendant of Acadian militia officer Joseph Broussard, who was exiled to French Louisiana after the expulsion of the Acadians. Her fourth great-grandmother, Marie-Françoise Trahan, was born in 1774 in Bangor, located on Belle Île, France. Trahan was a daughter of Acadians who had taken refuge on Belle Île after the Acadian expulsion. The Estates of Brittany had divided the lands of Belle Île to distribute them among 78 other Acadian families and the already settled inhabitants. The Trahan family lived on Belle Île for over ten years before immigrating to Louisiana, where she married a Broussard descendant. Beyoncé researched her ancestry and discovered that she is descended from a slave owner who married his slave. Her mother is also of distant Irish, Jewish, Spanish, Chinese and Indonesian ancestry. Beyoncé was raised Methodist and attended St. John's United Methodist Church. She went to St. Mary's Montessori School in Houston, and enrolled in dance classes there.[28] Her singing was discovered when dance instructor Darlette Johnson began humming a song and she finished it, able to hit the high-pitched notes.[29] Beyoncé's interest in music and performing continued after winning a school talent show at age seven, singing John Lennon's "Imagine" to beat 15/16-year-olds.[30][31] In the fall of 1990, Beyoncé enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she would perform with the school's choir.[32] She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts[33] and later Alief Elsik High School.[13][34] Beyoncé was also a member of the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church where she sang her first solo and was a soloist for two years. When Beyoncé was eight, she met LaTavia Roberson at an audition for an all-girl entertainment group.[36] They were placed into a group called Girl's Tyme with three other girls, and rapped and danced on the talent show circuit in Houston. After seeing the group, R&B producer Arne Frager brought them to his Northern California studio and placed them in Star Search, the largest talent show on national TV at the time. Girl's Tyme failed to win, and Beyoncé later said the song they performed was not good.[38][39] In 1995, Beyoncé's father resigned from his job to manage the group.[40] The move reduced the family's income by half, and Beyoncé's parents were forced to sell their house and cars and move into separated apartments. Mathew cut the original line-up to four and the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B girl groups.[36] The girls auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records, moving to Atlanta Records briefly to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the company.[13] This put further strain on the family, and Beyoncé's parents separated. On October 5, 1995, Dwayne Wiggins's Grass Roots Entertainment signed the group. In 1996, the girls began recording their debut album under an agreement with Sony Music, the Knowles family reunited, and shortly after, the group got a contract with Columbia Records with the assistance of Columbia talent scout Teresa LaBarbera Whites. 1997–2002: Destiny's Child Main article: Destiny's Child Beyoncé (center) at the final line-up of Destiny's Child, performing during their 2005 Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It concert tour The group changed their name to Destiny's Child in 1996, based upon a passage in the Book of Isaiah.[42] In 1997, Destiny's Child released their major label debut song "Killing Time" on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.[39] In November, the group released their debut single and first major hit, "No, No, No". They released their self-titled debut album in February 1998, which established the group as a viable act in the music industry, with moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, and Best R&B/Soul Single for "No, No, No".[36] The group released their Multi-Platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" and "Say My Name", which became their most successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B Song at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.[36] The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies worldwide.[38] During this time, Beyoncé recorded a duet with Marc Nelson, an original member of Boyz II Men, on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man. LeToya Luckett and Roberson became unhappy with Mathew's managing of the band and eventually were replaced by Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams.[36] Beyoncé experienced depression following the split with Luckett and Roberson after being publicly blamed by the media, critics, and blogs for its cause.[44] Her long-standing boyfriend left her at this time.[45] The depression was so severe it lasted for a couple of years, during which she occasionally kept herself in her bedroom for days and refused to eat anything.[46] Beyoncé stated that she struggled to speak about her depression because Destiny's Child had just won their first Grammy Award, and she feared no one would take her seriously.[47] Beyoncé would later speak of her mother as the person who helped her fight it. Franklin was then dismissed, leaving just Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams. The remaining band members recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks.[36] In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing their third album, Beyoncé landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th-century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet.[49] When the third album Survivor was released in May 2001, Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit claiming that the songs were aimed at them.[36] The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 663,000 copies sold.[50] The album spawned other number-one hits, "Bootylicious" and the title track, "Survivor", the latter of which earned the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[51] After releasing their holiday album 8 Days of Christmas in October 2001, the group announced a hiatus to further pursue solo careers. In July 2002, Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut, playing Foxxy Cleopatra alongside Mike Myers in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember,[52] which spent its first weekend atop the U.S. box office and grossed $73 million.[53] Beyoncé released "Work It Out" as the lead single from its soundtrack album which entered the top ten in the UK, Norway, and Belgium.[54] In 2003, Beyoncé starred opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in the musical comedy The Fighting Temptations as Lilly, a single mother with whom Gooding's character falls in love.[55] The film received mixed reviews from critics but grossed $30 million in the U.S.[56][57] Beyoncé released "Fighting Temptation" as the lead single from the film's soundtrack album, with Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Free which was also used to promote the film. Another of Beyoncé's contributions to the soundtrack, "Summertime", fared better on the U.S. charts. 2003–2007: Dangerously in Love, B'Day, and Dreamgirls A woman, flanked by two male dancers, holds a microphone in one hand as she dances. Beyoncé performing "Baby Boy", which spent nine consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart Beyoncé's first solo recording was a feature on Jay-Z's song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" that was released in October 2002, peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[61] On June 14, 2003, Beyoncé premiered songs from her first solo album Dangerously in Love during her first solo concert and the pay-per-view television special, "Ford Presents Beyoncé Knowles, Friends & Family, Live From Ford's 100th Anniversary Celebration in Dearborn, Michigan". The album was released on June 24, 2003, after Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland had released their solo efforts.[63] The album sold 317,000 copies in its first week, debuted atop the Billboard 200,[64] and has since sold 11 million copies worldwide. The album's lead single, "Crazy in Love", featuring Jay-Z, became Beyoncé's first number-one single as a solo artist in the US.[66] The single "Baby Boy" also reached number one,[60] and singles, "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl", both reached the top-five.[67] The album earned Beyoncé a then record-tying five awards at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards; Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Dangerously in Love 2", Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Crazy in Love", and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You" with Luther Vandross. During the ceremony, she performed with Prince. In November 2003, she embarked on the Dangerously in Love Tour in Europe and later toured alongside Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys for the Verizon Ladies First Tour in North America.[69] On February 1, 2004, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII, at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.[70] After the release of Dangerously in Love, Beyoncé had planned to produce a follow-up album using several of the left-over tracks. However, this was put on hold so she could concentrate on recording Destiny Fulfilled, the final studio album by Destiny's Child.[71] Released on November 15, 2004, in the US[72] and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200,[73][74] Destiny Fulfilled included the singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier", which reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[75] Destiny's Child embarked on a worldwide concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It sponsored by McDonald's Corporation,[76] and performed songs such as "No, No, No", "Survivor", "Say My Name", "Independent Women" and "Lose My Breath". In addition to renditions of the group's recorded material, they also performed songs from each singer's solo careers, including numbers from Dangerously in Love. and during the last stop of their European tour, in Barcelona on June 11, 2005, Rowland announced that Destiny's Child would disband following the North American leg of the tour.[77] The group released their first compilation album Number 1's on October 25, 2005, in the US[78] and accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March 2006.[79] The group has sold 60 million records worldwide. Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day was released on September 4, 2006, in the US, to coincide with her twenty-fifth birthday.[82] It sold 541,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming Beyoncé's second consecutive number-one album in the United States.[83] The album's lead single "Déjà Vu", featuring Jay-Z, reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[67] The second international single "Irreplaceable" was a commercial success worldwide, reaching number one in Australia, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.[67][84] B'Day also produced three other singles; "Ring the Alarm","Get Me Bodied",[86] and "Green Light" (released in the United Kingdom only). A woman stands with a microphone Beyoncé performing during The Beyoncé Experience tour in 2007 At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007), B'Day was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ring the Alarm" and Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration"for "Déjà Vu"; the Freemasons club mix of "Déjà Vu" without the rap was put forward in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category. B'Day won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.[88] The following year, B'Day received two nominations – for Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Beautiful Liar" (with Shakira), also receiving a nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Pictures, Television or Other Visual Media for her appearance on Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture (2006). Her first acting role of 2006 was in the comedy film The Pink Panther starring opposite Steve Martin,[90] grossing $158.8 million at the box office worldwide.[91] Her second film Dreamgirls, the film version of the 1981 Broadway musical[92] loosely based on The Supremes, received acclaim from critics and grossed $154 million internationally.[93][94][95] In it, she starred opposite Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy playing a pop singer based on Diana Ross.[96] To promote the film, Beyoncé released "Listen" as the lead single from the soundtrack album.[97] In April 2007, Beyoncé embarked on The Beyoncé Experience, her first worldwide concert tour, visiting 97 venues[98] and grossed over $24 million.[note 1] Beyoncé conducted pre-concert food donation drives during six major stops in conjunction with her pastor at St. John's and America's Second Harvest. At the same time, B'Day was re-released with five additional songs, including her duet with Shakira "Beautiful Liar".[100] 2008–2012: I Am... Sasha Fierce and 4 A woman stands looking out to a crowd Beyoncé performing during the I Am... Tour. I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in November 2008 and formally introduced Beyoncé's alter ego Sasha Fierce.[101] It was met with mixed reviews from critics,[102] but sold 482,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop the Billboard 200, and giving Beyoncé her third consecutive number-one album in the US.[103] The album featured her fourth UK number-one single "If I Were a Boy" and her fifth U.S. number-one song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[104] "Halo" achieved the accomplishment of becoming her longest-running Hot 100 single in her career,[105] "Halo"'s success in the U.S. helped Beyoncé attain more top-ten singles on the list than any other woman during the 2000s.[106] The music video for "Single Ladies" has been parodied and imitated around the world, spawning the "first major dance craze" of the Internet age according to the Toronto Star.[107] At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won three categories, including Video of the Year.[108] Its failure to win the Best Female Video category, which went to American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me", led to Kanye West interrupting the ceremony and Beyoncé improvising a re-presentation of Swift's award during her own acceptance speech.[108] In March 2009, Beyoncé embarked on the I Am... Tour, her second headlining worldwide concert tour, consisting of 108 shows, grossing $119.5 million.[109] Beyoncé further expanded her acting career, starring as blues singer Etta James in the 2008 musical biopic Cadillac Records. Her performance in the film received praise from critics,[110] and she garnered several nominations for her portrayal of James, including a Satellite Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress.[111][112] Beyoncé donated her entire salary from the film to Phoenix House, an organization of rehabilitation centers for heroin addicts around the country.[113] Beyoncé starred opposite Ali Larter and Idris Elba in the thriller, Obsessed. She played Sharon Charles, a mother and wife whose family is threatened by her husband's stalker. The film received negative reviews from critics,[114] and did well at the U.S. box office, grossing $68 million – $60 million more than Cadillac Records[115] – on a budget of $20 million.[116] At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé received ten nominations, tying with Lauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist.[117] Beyoncé went on to win six of those nominations, breaking a record she previously tied in 2004 for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist with six. In 2010, Beyoncé provide guest vocals on Lady Gaga's single "Telephone".[118][119] The song topped the U.S. Pop Songs chart, becoming the sixth number-one for both Beyoncé and Gaga, tying them with Mariah Carey for most number-ones since the Nielsen Top 40 airplay chart launched in 1992.[120] Beyoncé announced a hiatus from her music career in January 2010, heeding her mother's advice, "to live life, to be inspired by things again".[121][122] During the break she and her father parted ways as business partners.[123][124] Beyoncé's musical break lasted nine months and saw her visit multiple European cities, the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, Australia, English music festivals and various museums and ballet performances.[121][125] "Eat, Play, Love", a cover story written by Beyoncé for Essence that detailed her 2010 career break, won her a writing award from the New York Association of Black Journalists.[126] The upper body of a woman is shown as she sings into a microphone Beyoncé's performing during her 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concert residency in August 2011 On June 26, 2011, she became the first solo female artist to headline the main Pyramid stage at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival in over twenty years.[127][128] The performance was lauded, with several publications noting an ascension in Knowles' capabilities as a live performer. Other publications discussed the polarized attitude of the UK music establishment in response to a Black woman performing on the same stages and to the same crowd sizes that were past reserved for legacy rock acts.[129][130] Her fourth studio album 4 was released two days prior in the US.[131] 4 sold 310,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fourth consecutive number-one album in the US. The album was preceded by two of its singles "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had".[67][118][132] The fourth single "Love on Top" spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest peak from the album.[133] In late 2011, she took the stage at New York's Roseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances:[134] the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts saw the performance of her 4 album to a standing room only.[134] On August 1, 2011, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having shipped 1 million copies to retail stores.[135] By December 2015, it reached sales of 1.5 million copies in the US.[136] The album reached one billion Spotify streams on February 5, 2018, making Beyoncé the first female artist to have three of their albums surpass one billion streams on the platform.[137] In June 2012, she performed for four nights at Revel Atlantic City's Ovation Hall to celebrate the resort's opening, her first performances since giving birth to her daughter.[138][139] 2013–2017: Super Bowl XLVII, Beyoncé, and Lemonade Beyoncé performing at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show on February 3, 2013. In January 2013, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem singing along with a pre-recorded track at President Obama's second inauguration in Washington, D.C.[140][141] The following month, Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show, held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.[142] The performance stands as the second most tweeted about moment in history at 268,000 tweets per minute.[143] Her feature-length documentary film, Life Is But a Dream, first aired on HBO on February 16, 2013.[144] The film was co-directed by Beyoncé herself.[145] Beyoncé embarked on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour on April 15 in Belgrade, Serbia; the tour included 132 dates that ran through to March 2014. It became the most successful tour of her career and one of the most successful tours of all time.[146] In May, Beyoncé's cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" with André 3000 on The Great Gatsby soundtrack was released.[147] Beyoncé voiced Queen Tara in the 3D CGI animated film, Epic, released by 20th Century Fox on May 24,[148] and recorded an original song for the film, "Rise Up", co-written with Sia.[149] On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her eponymous fifth studio album on the iTunes Store without any prior announcement or promotion. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album in the US.[150] This made her the first woman in the chart's history to have her first five studio albums debut at number one.[151] Beyoncé received critical acclaim[152] and commercial success, selling one million digital copies worldwide in six days;[153] Musically an electro-R&B album, it concerns darker themes previously unexplored in her work, such as "bulimia, postnatal depression [and] the fears and insecurities of marriage and motherhood".[154] The single "Drunk in Love", featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[155] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Beyoncé sold 2.3 million units worldwide, becoming the tenth best-selling album of 2013.[156] The album also went on to become the twentieth best-selling album of 2014.[157] As of November 2014, Beyoncé has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and has generated over 1 billion streams, as of March 2015.[158] At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2015, Beyoncé was nominated for six awards, ultimately winning three: Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Drunk in Love", and Best Surround Sound Album for Beyoncé.[159][160] In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z officially announced their On the Run Tour. It served as the couple's first co-headlining stadium tour together.[161] On August 24, 2014, she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé also won home three competitive awards: Best Video with a Social Message and Best Cinematography for "Pretty Hurts", as well as best collaboration for "Drunk in Love".[162] In November, Forbes reported that Beyoncé was the top-earning woman in music for the second year in a row – earning $115 million in the year, more than double her earnings in 2013.[163] Beyoncé released "Formation" in on February 6, 2016, and performed it live for the first time during the NFL Super Bowl 50 halftime show. The appearance was considered controversial as it appeared to reference the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the NFL forbids political statements in its performances.[164][165][166] Immediately following the performance, Beyoncé announced The Formation World Tour, which highlighted stops in both North America and Europe.[167][168] It ended on October 7, with Beyoncé bringing out her husband Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Serena Williams for the last show.[169] The tour went on to win Tour of the Year at the 44th American Music Awards.[170] Beyoncé performing during The Formation World Tour in 2016. The tour grossed $256 million from 49 sold-out shows. In April 2016, Beyoncé released a teaser clip for a project called Lemonade. A one-hour film which aired on HBO on April 23, a corresponding album with the same title was released on the same day exclusively on Tidal.[171] Lemonade debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first act in Billboard history to have their first six studio albums debut atop the chart; she broke a record previously tied with DMX in 2013.[172] With all 12 tracks of Lemonade debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Beyoncé also became the first female act to chart 12 or more songs at the same time.[173] Lemonade was streamed 115 million times through Tidal, setting a record for the most-streamed album in a single week by a female artist in history.[174] It was 2016's third highest-selling album in the U.S. with 1.554 million copies sold in that time period within the country[175] as well as the best-selling album worldwide with global sales of 2.5 million throughout the year.[176] Lemonade became the most critically acclaimed work of her career.[177] Several music publications included the album among the best of 2016, including Rolling Stone, which listed Lemonade at number one.[178] The album's visuals were nominated in 11 categories at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, the most ever received by Beyoncé in a single year, and went on to win 8 awards, including Video of the Year for "Formation".[179][180] The eight wins made Beyoncé the most-awarded artist in the history of the VMAs (24), surpassing Madonna (20).[181] Beyoncé occupied the sixth place for Time magazine's 2016 Person of the Year.[182] In January 2017, it was announced that Beyoncé would headline the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. This would make Beyoncé only the second female headliner of the festival since it was founded in 1999.[183] It was later announced on February 23, 2017, that Beyoncé would no longer be able to perform at the festival due to doctor's concerns regarding her pregnancy. The festival owners announced that she will instead headline the 2018 festival.[184] Upon the announcement of Beyoncé's departure from the festival lineup, ticket prices dropped by 12%.[185] At the 59th Grammy Awards in February 2017, Lemonade led the nominations with nine, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year for Lemonade and "Formation" respectively.[186] and ultimately won two, Best Urban Contemporary Album for Lemonade and Best Music Video for "Formation".[187] In September 2017, Beyoncé collaborated with J Balvin and Willy William, to release a remix of the song "Mi Gente". Beyoncé donated all proceeds from the song to hurricane charities for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean Islands.[188] On November 10, Eminem released "Walk on Water" featuring Beyoncé as the lead single from his album Revival. On November 30, Ed Sheeran announced that Beyoncé would feature on the remix to his song "Perfect".[189] "Perfect Duet" was released on December 1, 2017. The song reached number-one in the United States, becoming Beyoncé's sixth song of her solo career to do so.[190] 2018–2021: Everything Is Love and The Lion King On January 4, 2018, the music video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 4:44 collaboration, "Family Feud" was released.[191] It was directed by Ava DuVernay. On March 1, 2018, DJ Khaled released "Top Off" as the first single from his forthcoming album Father of Asahd featuring Beyoncé, husband Jay-Z, and Future.[192] On March 5, 2018, a joint tour with Knowles's husband Jay-Z, was leaked on Facebook.[193] Information about the tour was later taken down. The couple announced the joint tour officially as On the Run II Tour on March 12[194] and simultaneously released a trailer for the tour on YouTube.[195] On April 14, 2018, Beyoncé played the first of two weekends as the headlining act of the Coachella Music Festival. Her performance of April 14, attended by 125,000 festival-goers, was immediately praised, with multiple media outlets describing it as historic. The performance became the most-tweeted-about performance of weekend one, as well as the most-watched live Coachella performance and the most-watched live performance on YouTube of all time. The show paid tribute to black culture, specifically historically black colleges and universities and featured a live band with over 100 dancers. Destiny's Child also reunited during the show.[196][197] On June 6, 2018, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z kicked-off the On the Run II Tour in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Ten days later, at their final London performance, the pair unveiled Everything Is Love, their joint studio album, credited under the name The Carters, and initially available exclusively on Tidal. The pair also released the video for the album's lead single, "Apeshit", on Beyoncé's official YouTube channel.[198][199] Everything Is Love received generally positive reviews,[200] and debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 123,000 album-equivalent units, of which 70,000 were pure album sales.[201] On December 2, 2018, Beyoncé alongside Jay-Z headlined the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 which was held at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.[202] Their 2-hour performance had concepts similar to the On the Run II Tour and Beyoncé was praised for her outfits, which paid tribute to Africa's diversity.[203] Beyoncé at The Lion King European premiere in 2019. Homecoming, a documentary and concert film focusing on Beyoncé's historic 2018 Coachella performances, was released by Netflix on April 17, 2019.[204][205] The film was accompanied by the surprise live album Homecoming: The Live Album.[206] It was later reported that Beyoncé and Netflix had signed a $60 million deal to produce three different projects, one of which is Homecoming.[207] Homecoming received six nominations at the 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[208] Beyoncé starred as the voice of Nala in the remake The Lion King, which was released in July 2019.[209] Beyoncé is featured on the film's soundtrack, released on July 11, 2019, with a remake of the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" alongside Donald Glover, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, which was originally composed by Elton John.[210] An original song from the film by Beyoncé, "Spirit", was released as the lead single from both the soundtrack and The Lion King: The Gift – a companion album released alongside the film, produced and curated by Beyoncé.[211][212] Beyoncé called The Lion King: The Gift a "sonic cinema". She stated that the album is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat.[211] The songs were produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set in Africa.[211] In September of the same year, a documentary chronicling the development, production and early music video filming of The Lion King: The Gift entitled "Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift" was aired on ABC. In March 2020, a photograph Beyoncé captured of her swimming pool was used as the album cover for rapper Jay Electronica's highly anticipated debut album A Written Testimony.[213] In April of the same year, Beyoncé was featured on the remix of Megan Thee Stallion's song "Savage", marking her first material of music for the year.[214] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Beyoncé's eleventh song to do so across all acts.[215] On June 19, 2020, Beyoncé released the nonprofit charity single "Black Parade".[216] On June 23, she followed up the release of its studio version with an a cappella version exclusively on Tidal.[217] Black Is King, a visual album based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, premiered globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020. Produced by Disney and Parkwood Entertainment, the film was written, directed and executively produced by Beyoncé. The film was described by Disney as "a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience".[218] Beyoncé received the most nominations (9) at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards and the most awards (4), which made her the most-awarded singer, most-awarded female artist, and second-most-awarded artist in Grammy history.[219] In 2021, Beyoncé wrote and recorded a song titled "Be Alive" for the biographical drama film King Richard.[220] She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 94th Academy Awards for the song, alongside co-writer DIXSON.[221] 2022–present: Renaissance Beyoncé performing at the Renaissance World Tour. On June 9, 2022, Beyoncé removed her profile pictures across various social media platforms causing speculation that she would be releasing new music.[222] Days later, Beyoncé caused further speculation via her nonprofit BeyGood's Twitter account hinting at her upcoming seventh studio album.[223] On June 15, 2022, Beyoncé officially announced her seventh studio album, titled Renaissance. The album was released on July 29, 2022.[224][225] The first single from Renaissance, "Break My Soul", was released on June 20, 2022.[226] The song became Beyoncé's 20th top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, and in doing so, Beyoncé joined Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson as the only artists in Hot 100 history to achieve at least twenty top tens as a solo artist and ten as a member of a group.[227] Upon release, Renaissance received universal acclaim from critics.[228] Renaissance debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and in doing so, Beyoncé became the first female artist to have her first seven studio albums debut at number one in the United States.[229] "Break My Soul" concurrently rose to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the twelfth song to do so across her career discography.[230] The song "Heated," which was co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, originally included the lyrics "Spazzin' on that ass / spazz on that ass". Critics, including a number of disability charities and activists, argued that the word "spaz" represented a derogatory term for spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. In response, in August 2022, a representative for Beyoncé issued a statement and explained that "The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced".[231][232] On January 21, 2023, Beyoncé performed in Dubai at a private show.[233] The performance, which was her first full concert in more than four years, was delivered to an audience of influencers and journalists.[234] Beyoncé was reportedly paid $24 million to perform.[235] Beyoncé faced criticism for her decision to perform in the United Arab Emirates where homosexuality is illegal.[235][234][236] On February 1, Beyoncé announced the Renaissance World Tour with dates in North America and Europe,[237] becoming for a short-span the highest-grossing tour by a female artist.[238] On July 28, Beyoncé appeared on "Delresto (Echoes)", the second single from rapper Travis Scott's album Utopia, eventually becoming her 100th career appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (encompassing Destiny's Child, her solo career, and musical duo The Carters).[239] Artistry Voice and musical style With "Single Ladies", clearly I'd just gotten married, and people want to get married every day – then there was the whole Justin Timberlake thing [recreating the video] on Saturday Night Live, and it was also the year YouTube blew up. With "Irreplaceable", the aggressive lyrics, the acoustic guitar, and the 808 drum machine – those things don't typically go together, and it sounded fresh. "Crazy in Love" was another one of those classic moments in pop culture that none of us expected. I asked Jay to get on the song the night before I had to turn my album in – thank God he did. It still never gets old, no matter how many times I sing it. —Beyoncé[240] Critics have described Beyoncé's voice as being mezzo-soprano.[241][242] Jody Rosen highlights her tone and timbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music".[243] Her vocal abilities mean she is identified as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.[244] Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that her voice is "velvety yet tart, with an insistent flutter and reserves of soul belting".[245] Rosen notes that the hip hop era highly influenced Beyoncé's unique rhythmic vocal style, but also finds her quite traditionalist in her use of balladry, gospel and falsetto.[243] Other critics praise her range and power, with Chris Richards of The Washington Post saying she was "capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars."[246] On the 2023 Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers of all time, Beyoncé ranked at number 8, with the publication noting that "in [her] voice lies the entire history of Black music".[247] Beyoncé's music is generally R&B,[248][249] pop[248][250] and hip hop[251] but she also incorporates soul and funk into her songs. 4 demonstrated Beyoncé's exploration of 1990s-style R&B, as well as further use of soul and hip hop than compared to previous releases.[240] While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Beyoncé recorded several Spanish songs for Irreemplazable (re-recordings of songs from B'Day for a Spanish-language audience), and the re-release of B'Day. To record these, Beyoncé was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.[252] Songwriting Beyoncé has received co-writing credits for most of her songs.[253] In regards to the way she approaches collaborative songwriting, Beyoncé explained: "I love being around great writers because I'm finding that a lot of the things I want to say, I don't articulate as good as maybe Amanda Ghost, so I want to keep collaborating with writers, and I love classics and I want to make sure years from now the song is still something that's relevant."[254] Her early songs with Destiny's Child were personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions like "Independent Women" and "Survivor", but after the start of her relationship with Jay-Z, she transitioned to more man-tending anthems such as "Cater 2 U".[255] Beyoncé's songwriting process is also notorious for combining parts of different tracks, resulting in alteration of song structures. Sia, who co-wrote "Pretty Hurts", called Beyoncé "very Frankenstein when she comes to songs";[256] Diana Gordon, who co-wrote "Don't Hurt Yourself" called her a "scientist of songs";[257] Caroline Polachek who co-wrote "No Angel", called her a "genius writer and producer for this reason. She's so good at seeing connections."[258] In 2001, she became the first Black woman and second female lyricist to win the Pop Songwriter of the Year award at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.[13][259] Beyoncé was the third woman to have writing credits on three number-one songs ("Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It") in the same year, after Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. She is tied with American lyricist Diane Warren at third with nine songwriting credits on number-one singles.[260] The latter wrote her 9/11-motivated song "I Was Here" for 4.[261] In May 2011, Billboard magazine listed Beyoncé at number 17 on their list of the Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She was one of only three women on that list, along with Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift.[262] Beyoncé has received criticism, including from journalists and musicians, for the extensive writing credits on her songs.[253] The controversy surrounding her songwriting credits began with interviews in which she attributed herself as the songwriter for songs in which she was a co-writer[263] or for which her contributions were marginal.[253] In a cover story for Vanity Fair in 2005, she claimed to have "written" several number-one songs for Destiny's Child, contrary to the credits, which list her as a co-writer among others.[263] During a 2007 interview with Barbara Walters, she claimed to have conceived the musical idea for the Destiny's Child song "Bootylicious",[264] which provoked the song's producer Rob Fusari to call her father and then-manager Mathew Knowles in protest over the claim. In 2010, Fusari told Billboard: "[Knowles] explained to me, in a nice way, he said, 'People don't want to hear about Rob Fusari, producer from Livingston, N.J. No offense, but that's not what sells records. What sells records is people believing that the artist is everything.'"[265] However, in an interview for Entertainment Weekly in 2016, Fusari said Beyoncé "had the 'Bootylicious' concept in her head. That was totally her. She knew what she wanted to say. It was very urban pop angle that they were taking on the record."[266] Influences Beyoncé's major influences include Michael Jackson (left) and Tina Turner (right). Beyoncé names Michael Jackson as her major musical influence.[267][268] Aged five, Beyoncé attended her first ever concert where Jackson performed and she claims to have realized her purpose.[269] When she presented him with a tribute award at the World Music Awards in 2006, Beyoncé said, "if it wasn't for Michael Jackson, I would never ever have performed."[270] Beyoncé was heavily influenced by Tina Turner, and once said "Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her strength feminine and sexy".[271][272] She admires Diana Ross as an "all-around entertainer",[273] and Whitney Houston, who she said "inspired me to get up there and do what she did."[274][275] Beyoncé cited Madonna as an influence "not only for her musical style, but also for her business sense",[276] saying that she wanted to "follow in the footsteps of Madonna and be a powerhouse and have my own empire."[277] She also credits Mariah Carey's singing and her song "Vision of Love" as influencing her to begin practicing vocal runs as a child.[278][279] Her other musical influences include Rachelle Ferrell,[280] Aaliyah,[281][282] Janet Jackson,[283][284] Prince,[285] Shakira,[286] Lauryn Hill,[273] Sade Adu,[287] Donna Summer,[288] Mary J. Blige,[289] Selena,[290] Anita Baker, and Toni Braxton.[273] The feminism and female empowerment themes on Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls[291] and by singer Josephine Baker.[292] Beyoncé paid homage to Baker by performing "Déjà Vu" at the 2006 Fashion Rocks concert wearing Baker's trademark mini-hula skirt embellished with fake bananas.[293] Beyoncé's third solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, was inspired by Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" inspired Beyoncé to explore other musical genres and styles.[294] Her fourth solo album, 4, was inspired by Fela Kuti, 1990s R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire, DeBarge, Lionel Richie, Teena Marie, The Jackson 5, New Edition, Adele, Florence and the Machine, and Prince.[240] Beyoncé has stated that she is personally inspired by Michelle Obama (the 44th First Lady of the United States), saying "she proves you can do it all",[295] and has described Oprah Winfrey as "the definition of inspiration and a strong woman."[273] She has also discussed how Jay-Z is a continuing inspiration to her, both with what she describes as his lyrical genius and in the obstacles he has overcome in his life.[296] Beyoncé has expressed admiration for the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, posting in a letter "what I find in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I search for in every day in music ... he is lyrical and raw".[297][298] Beyoncé also cited Cher as a fashion inspiration.[299] Music videos and stage Beyoncé performing during the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards In 2006, Beyoncé introduced her all-female tour band Suga Mama (also the name of a song on B'Day) which includes bassists, drummers, guitarists, horn players, keyboardists and percussionists.[300] Her background singers, The Mamas, consist of Montina Cooper-Donnell, Crystal Collins and Tiffany Moniqué Riddick. They made their debut appearance at the 2006 BET Awards and re-appeared in the music videos for "Irreplaceable" and "Green Light".[252] The band have supported Beyoncé in most subsequent live performances, including her 2007 concert tour The Beyoncé Experience, I Am... Tour (2009–2010), The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013–2014) and The Formation World Tour (2016). Beyoncé has received praise for her stage presence and voice during live performances. According to Barbara Ellen of The Guardian, Beyoncé is the most in-charge female artist she's seen onstage.[301] Similarly, Alice Jones of The Independent wrote she "takes her role as entertainer so seriously she's almost too good."[302] The ex-President of Def Jam L.A. Reid has described Beyoncé as the greatest entertainer alive.[303] Jim Farber of the Daily News and Stephanie Classen of The StarPhoenix both praised her strong voice and her stage presence.[304][305] Beyoncé's stage outfits have been met with criticism from many countries, such as Malaysia, where she has postponed or cancelled performances due to the country's strict laws banning revealing costumes.[306] Beyoncé has worked with numerous directors for her music videos throughout her career, including Melina Matsoukas, Jonas Åkerlund, and Jake Nava. Bill Condon, director of Beauty and the Beast, stated that the Lemonade visuals in particular served as inspiration for his film, commenting, "You look at Beyoncé's brilliant movie Lemonade, this genre is taking on so many different forms ... I do think that this very old-school break-out-into-song traditional musical is something that people understand again and really want."[307] Alter ego Described as being "sexy, seductive and provocative" when performing on stage, Beyoncé has said that she originally created the alter ego "Sasha Fierce" to keep that stage persona separate from who she really is. She described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating, "I'm not like her in real life at all."[46] Sasha was conceived during the making of "Crazy in Love", and Beyoncé introduced her with the release of her 2008 album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. In February 2010, she announced in an interview with Allure magazine that she was comfortable enough with herself to no longer need Sasha Fierce.[308] However, Beyoncé announced in May 2012 that she would bring her back for her Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live shows later that month.[309] Public image A woman waves to the crowd on a red-carpet Beyoncé at the premiere of her 2006 film Dreamgirls Beyoncé has been described as having a wide-ranging sex appeal, with music journalist Touré writing that since the release of Dangerously in Love, she has "become a crossover sex symbol".[310] Offstage Beyoncé says that while she likes to dress sexily, her onstage dress "is absolutely for the stage".[311] Due to her curves and the term's catchiness, in the 2000s, the media often used the term "bootylicious" (a portmanteau of the words "booty" and "delicious") to describe Beyoncé,[312][313] the term popularized by Destiny's Child's single of the same name. In 2006, it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.[314] In September 2010, Beyoncé made her runway modelling debut at Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.[315] She was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People[316] and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex in 2012.[317] In January 2013, GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.[318][319] VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list.[320] Several wax figures of Beyoncé are found at Madame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities around the world, including New York,[321] Washington, D.C.,[322] Amsterdam,[323] Bangkok,[324] Hollywood[325] and Sydney.[326] According to Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, Beyoncé uses different fashion styles to work with her music while performing.[327] Her mother co-wrote a book, published in 2002, titled Destiny's Style,[328] an account of how fashion affected the trio's success.[329] The B'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles.[330] In 2007, Beyoncé was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the second African American woman after Tyra Banks,[331] and People magazine recognized Beyoncé as the best-dressed celebrity.[332] Beyoncé has been named "Queen Bey" from publications over the years. The term is a reference to the common phrase "queen bee", a term used for the leader of a group of females. The nickname also refers to the queen of a beehive, with her fan base being named "The BeyHive". The BeyHive was previously titled "The Beyontourage", (a portmanteau of Beyoncé and entourage), but was changed after online petitions on Twitter and online news reports during competitions.[333] In 2006, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized Beyoncé for wearing and using fur in her clothing line House of Deréon.[334] Emmett Price, a professor of music at Northeastern University, wrote in 2007 that he thinks race plays a role in many criticisms of Beyoncé's image, saying white celebrities who dress similarly do not attract as many comments.[335] In 2008, L'Oréal was accused of whitening her skin in their Feria hair color advertisements, responding that "it is categorically untrue",[336][337] and in 2013, Beyoncé herself criticized H&M for their proposed "retouching" of promotional images of her, and according to Vogue requested that only "natural pictures be used".[338] Beyoncé has been a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. The release of "Formation" on February 6, 2016, saw her celebrate her heritage, with the song's music video featuring pro-black imagery and a shot of wall graffiti that says "Stop shooting us". The day after the song's release she performed it at the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show with back up dancers dressed to represent the Black Panther Party. This incited criticism from politicians and police officers, with some police boycotting Beyoncé's then upcoming Formation World Tour.[339] Beyoncé responded to the backlash by releasing tour merchandise that said "Boycott Beyoncé",[340][341][342] and later clarified her sentiment, saying: "Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken. I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe," Beyoncé said. "But let's be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things."[343] Personal life Marriage and children A woman stands next to a man who is performing using a microphone Beyoncé performing on the I Am... Tour with Jay-Z, whom she married in 2008 In 2002, Beyoncé and Jay-Z collaborated on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde",[344] which appeared on his seventh album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002).[345] Beyoncé appeared as Jay-Z's girlfriend in the music video for the song, fueling speculation about their relationship.[346] On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married without publicity.[347] As of April 2014, the couple had sold a combined 300 million records together.[161] They are known for their private relationship, although they have appeared to become more relaxed since 2013.[348] Both have acknowledged difficulty that arose in their marriage after Jay-Z had an affair.[349][350] Beyoncé miscarried around 2010 or 2011, describing it as "the saddest thing" she had ever endured.[351] She returned to the studio and wrote music to cope with the loss. In April 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z traveled to Paris to shoot the album cover for 4, and she unexpectedly became pregnant in Paris.[352] In August, the couple attended the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, at which Beyoncé performed "Love on Top" and ended the performance by revealing she was pregnant.[353] Her appearance helped that year's MTV Video Music Awards become the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers;[354] the announcement was listed in Guinness World Records for "most tweets per second recorded for a single event" on Twitter,[355] receiving 8,868 tweets per second[356] and "Beyonce pregnant" was the most Googled phrase the week of August 29, 2011.[357] On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter, Blue Ivy, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.[358] Following the release of Lemonade, which included the single "Sorry", in 2016, speculations arose about Jay-Z's alleged infidelity with a mistress referred to as "Becky". Jon Pareles in The New York Times pointed out that many of the accusations were "aimed specifically and recognizably" at him.[359] Similarly, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine noted the lines "Suck on my balls, I've had enough" were an "unmistakable hint" that the lyrics revolve around Jay-Z.[360] On February 1, 2017, she revealed on her Instagram account that she was expecting twins. Her announcement gained over 6.3 million likes within eight hours, breaking the world record for the most liked image on the website at the time.[361] On July 13, 2017, Beyoncé uploaded the first image of herself and the twins onto her Instagram account, confirming their birth date as a month prior, on June 13, 2017,[362] with the post becoming the second most liked on Instagram, behind her own pregnancy announcement.[363] The twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir, were born at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in California. She wrote of her pregnancy and its aftermath in the September 2018 issue of Vogue, in which she had full control of the cover, shot at Hammerwood Park by photographer Tyler Mitchell.[364][365] Activism Beyoncé performed "America the Beautiful" at President Barack Obama's 2009 presidential inauguration, as well as "At Last" during the first inaugural dance at the Neighborhood Ball two days later.[366] The couple held a fundraiser at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan for President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign[367] which raised $4 million.[368] Beyoncé voted for Obama in the 2012 presidential election.[369] She performed the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" at his second inauguration in January 2013.[140] The Washington Post reported in May 2015, that Beyoncé attended a major celebrity fundraiser for 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.[370] She also headlined for Clinton in a concert held the weekend before Election Day the next year. In this performance, Beyoncé and her entourage of backup dancers wore pantsuits; a clear allusion to Clinton's frequent dress-of-choice. The backup dancers also wore "I'm with her" tee shirts, the campaign slogan for Clinton. In a brief speech at this performance Beyoncé said, "I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and knowing that her possibilities are limitless."[371] She endorsed the bid of Beto O'Rourke during the 2018 United States Senate election in Texas.[372] A woman performing using a microphone Beyoncé has conducted several fundraising and donation campaigns during her tours In 2013, Beyoncé stated in an interview in Vogue that she considered herself to be "a modern-day feminist".[373] She would later align herself more publicly with the movement, sampling "We should all be feminists", a speech delivered by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at a TEDx talk in April 2013, in her song "Flawless", released later that year.[374] The next year she performed live at the MTV Video Awards in front a giant backdrop reading "Feminist".[375] Her self-identification incited a circulation of opinions and debate about whether her feminism is aligned with older, more established feminist ideals. Annie Lennox, celebrated artist and feminist advocate, referred to Beyoncé's use of her word feminist as 'feminist lite'.[376] Bell hooks critiqued Beyoncé, referring to her as a "terrorist" towards feminism, harmfully impacting her audience of young girls.[377] Adichie responded with "her type of feminism is not mine, as it is the kind that, at the same time, gives quite a lot of space to the necessity of men."[378] Adichie expands upon what "feminist lite" means to her, referring that "more troubling is the idea, in Feminism Lite, that men are naturally superior but should be expected to 'treat women well'" and "we judge powerful women more harshly than we judge powerful men. And Feminism Lite enables this."[379] Beyoncé responded about her intent by utilizing the definition of feminist with her platform was to "give clarity to the true meaning" behind it.[380] She says to understand what being a feminist is, "it's very simple. It's someone who believes in equal rights for men and women."[380] She advocated to provide equal opportunities for young boys and girls, men and women must begin to understand the double standards that remain persistent in our societies and the issue must be illuminated in effort to start making changes.[380] She has also contributed to the Ban Bossy campaign, which uses TV and social media to encourage leadership in girls.[381] Following Beyoncé's public identification as a feminist, the sexualized nature of her performances and the fact that she championed her marriage was questioned.[382] In December 2012, Beyoncé along with a variety of other celebrities teamed up and produced a video campaign for "Demand A Plan", a bipartisan effort by a group of 950 U.S. mayors and others[383] designed to influence the federal government into rethinking its gun control laws, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[384] Beyoncé publicly endorsed same-sex marriage on March 26, 2013, after the Supreme Court debate on California's Proposition 8.[385] She spoke against North Carolina's Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, a bill passed (and later repealed) that discriminated against the LGBT community in public places in a statement during her concert in Raleigh as part of the Formation World Tour in 2016.[386] She has condemned police brutality against black Americans. She and Jay-Z attended a rally in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin.[387] The film for her sixth album Lemonade included the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, holding pictures of their sons in the video for "Freedom".[388] In a 2016 interview with Elle, Beyoncé responded to the controversy surrounding her song "Formation" which was perceived to be critical of the police. She clarified, "I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me".[389] In February 2017, Beyoncé spoke out against the withdrawal of protections for transgender students in public schools by Donald T

Why do people think Beyoncé is so great? Her contributions to music and visual media have made her a prominent popstar of the 2000s and 2010s decades. She has even been described as the most important popular-musician of the 21st century. Several critics have credited Beyoncé's presence and success with empowering African-American woman artists. How did Beyoncé impact the world? Beyoncé rebranded herself through her highly publicized tour – not just as a global cultural icon, but as a magnate whose brand output perseveres in spite of the odds. The entire tour itself transcended borders and sparked a global conversation about the economic clout of Black women. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter born September 4, 1981 is an American singer, songwriter and businesswoman. Dubbed as "Queen Bey" and a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century, she has been recognized for her artistry and performances, with Rolling Stone naming her one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Beyoncé started performing in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw the release of Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love (2003). She then followed with the US number-one solo albums B'Day (2006), I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), and 4 (2011). After creating her own management company Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé achieved critical acclaim for the experimental visual albums Beyoncé (2013) and Lemonade (2016), which explored themes such as feminism and womanism. With her queer-inspired dance album Renaissance (2022), she became the first solo artist to have their first seven studio albums debut at number one in the US.[6] Beyoncé's most successful songs on the Billboard Hot 100 include "Crazy in Love", "Baby Boy", "Check On It", "Irreplaceable", "If I Were a Boy", "Halo", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Break My Soul" and "Cuff It". Her collaborative music ventures include Everything Is Love (2018), an album with her husband and rapper Jay-Z, released as the Carters, and the musical film Black Is King (2020), inspired by the music of the film soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift (2019). Homecoming: The Live Album (2019), which documents her 2018 Coachella performance, has been heralded as one of the best live albums for its tribute to black music history. Outside of music, she has starred as an actress in films such as Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), Obsessed (2009), and The Lion King (2019). Having sold 200 million records worldwide,[7] Beyoncé is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her accolades include a record 32 Grammy Awards, as well as 26 MTV Video Music Awards (including the 2014 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award), 24 NAACP Image Awards, 35 BET Awards, and 17 Soul Train Music Awards – all of which are more than any other artist in the music industry. Her success during the 2000s earned her recognition as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)'s Top Certified Artist of the Decade and Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade.[8] In 2014, Billboard named her the highest-earning black musician of all time. She is the most successful black touring act in history and received the Pollstar Touring Artist of the Decade award in 2021.[9][10] Time included her as one of the 100 women who defined the 21st century.[11] Life and career 1981–1996: Early life and career beginnings Beyonce Giselle Knowles[a] was born on September 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, to Celestine "Tina" Knowles (née Beyonce), a hairdresser and salon owner, and Mathew Knowles, a Xerox sales manager.[12] Tina is Louisiana Creole, and Mathew is African American.[13][14][15][16] Beyoncé's younger sister, Solange Knowles, is also a singer and a former backup dancer for Destiny's Child. Solange and Beyoncé are the first sisters to have both had number one solo albums.[17] Beyoncé's maternal grandparents, Lumas Beyince, and Agnez Dereon (daughter of Odilia Broussard and Eugene DeRouen),[18] were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles, with roots in New Iberia.[19] Beyoncé is considered a Creole, passed on to her by her grandparents.[18][20] She is a descendant of Acadian militia officer Joseph Broussard, who was exiled to French Louisiana after the expulsion of the Acadians.[14] Her fourth great-grandmother, Marie-Françoise Trahan, was born in 1774 in Bangor, located on Belle Île, France. Trahan was a daughter of Acadians who had taken refuge on Belle Île after the Acadian expulsion. The Estates of Brittany had divided the lands of Belle Île to distribute them among 78 other Acadian families and the already settled inhabitants. The Trahan family lived on Belle Île for over ten years before immigrating to Louisiana, where she married a Broussard descendant.[21] Beyoncé researched her ancestry and discovered that she is descended from a slave owner who married his slave.[22] Her mother is also of distant Irish, Jewish, Spanish, Chinese and Indonesian ancestry.[23][24][25][19] Beyoncé was raised Methodist and attended St. John's United Methodist Church.[26][27] She went to St. Mary's Montessori School in Houston, and enrolled in dance classes there.[28] Her singing was discovered when dance instructor Darlette Johnson began humming a song and she finished it, able to hit the high-pitched notes.[29] Beyoncé's interest in music and performing continued after winning a school talent show at age seven, singing John Lennon's "Imagine" to beat 15/16-year-olds.[30][31] In the fall of 1990, Beyoncé enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she would perform with the school's choir.[32] She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts[33] and later Alief Elsik High School.[13][34] Beyoncé was also a member of the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church where she sang her first solo and was a soloist for two years.[26][35] When Beyoncé was eight, she met LaTavia Roberson at an audition for an all-girl entertainment group.[36] They were placed into a group called Girl's Tyme with three other girls, and rapped and danced on the talent show circuit in Houston.[37] After seeing the group, R&B producer Arne Frager brought them to his Northern California studio and placed them in Star Search, the largest talent show on national TV at the time. Girl's Tyme failed to win, and Beyoncé later said the song they performed was not good.[38][39] In 1995, Beyoncé's father resigned from his job to manage the group.[40] The move reduced the family's income by half, and Beyoncé's parents were forced to sell their house and cars and move into separated apartments.[13][41] Mathew cut the original line-up to four and the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B girl groups.[36] The girls auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records, moving to Atlanta Records briefly to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the company.[13] This put further strain on the family, and Beyoncé's parents separated. On October 5, 1995, Dwayne Wiggins's Grass Roots Entertainment signed the group. In 1996, the girls began recording their debut album under an agreement with Sony Music, the Knowles family reunited, and shortly after, the group got a contract with Columbia Records with the assistance of Columbia talent scout Teresa LaBarbera Whites.[30] 1997–2002: Destiny's Child Main article: Destiny's Child Beyoncé (center) at the final line-up of Destiny's Child, performing during their 2005 Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It concert tour The group changed their name to Destiny's Child in 1996, based upon a passage in the Book of Isaiah.[42] In 1997, Destiny's Child released their major label debut song "Killing Time" on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.[39] In November, the group released their debut single and first major hit, "No, No, No". They released their self-titled debut album in February 1998, which established the group as a viable act in the music industry, with moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, and Best R&B/Soul Single for "No, No, No".[36] The group released their Multi-Platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" and "Say My Name", which became their most successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B Song at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.[36] The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies worldwide.[38] During this time, Beyoncé recorded a duet with Marc Nelson, an original member of Boyz II Men, on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man.[43] LeToya Luckett and Roberson became unhappy with Mathew's managing of the band and eventually were replaced by Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams.[36] Beyoncé experienced depression following the split with Luckett and Roberson after being publicly blamed by the media, critics, and blogs for its cause.[44] Her long-standing boyfriend left her at this time.[45] The depression was so severe it lasted for a couple of years, during which she occasionally kept herself in her bedroom for days and refused to eat anything.[46] Beyoncé stated that she struggled to speak about her depression because Destiny's Child had just won their first Grammy Award, and she feared no one would take her seriously.[47] Beyoncé would later speak of her mother as the person who helped her fight it.[46] Franklin was then dismissed, leaving just Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams.[48] The remaining band members recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks.[36] In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing their third album, Beyoncé landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th-century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet.[49] When the third album Survivor was released in May 2001, Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit claiming that the songs were aimed at them.[36] The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 663,000 copies sold.[50] The album spawned other number-one hits, "Bootylicious" and the title track, "Survivor", the latter of which earned the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[51] After releasing their holiday album 8 Days of Christmas in October 2001, the group announced a hiatus to further pursue solo careers.[36] In July 2002, Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut, playing Foxxy Cleopatra alongside Mike Myers in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember,[52] which spent its first weekend atop the U.S. box office and grossed $73 million.[53] Beyoncé released "Work It Out" as the lead single from its soundtrack album which entered the top ten in the UK, Norway, and Belgium.[54] In 2003, Beyoncé starred opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in the musical comedy The Fighting Temptations as Lilly, a single mother with whom Gooding's character falls in love.[55] The film received mixed reviews from critics but grossed $30 million in the U.S.[56][57] Beyoncé released "Fighting Temptation" as the lead single from the film's soundtrack album, with Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Free which was also used to promote the film.[58] Another of Beyoncé's contributions to the soundtrack, "Summertime", fared better on the U.S. charts.[59] 2003–2007: Dangerously in Love, B'Day, and Dreamgirls A woman, flanked by two male dancers, holds a microphone in one hand as she dances Beyoncé performing "Baby Boy", which spent nine consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[60] Beyoncé's first solo recording was a feature on Jay-Z's song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" that was released in October 2002, peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[61] On June 14, 2003, Beyoncé premiered songs from her first solo album Dangerously in Love during her first solo concert and the pay-per-view television special, "Ford Presents Beyoncé Knowles, Friends & Family, Live From Ford's 100th Anniversary Celebration in Dearborn, Michigan".[62] The album was released on June 24, 2003, after Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland had released their solo efforts.[63] The album sold 317,000 copies in its first week, debuted atop the Billboard 200,[64] and has since sold 11 million copies worldwide.[65] The album's lead single, "Crazy in Love", featuring Jay-Z, became Beyoncé's first number-one single as a solo artist in the US.[66] The single "Baby Boy" also reached number one,[60] and singles, "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl", both reached the top-five.[67] The album earned Beyoncé a then record-tying five awards at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards; Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Dangerously in Love 2", Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Crazy in Love", and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You" with Luther Vandross. During the ceremony, she performed with Prince.[68] In November 2003, she embarked on the Dangerously in Love Tour in Europe and later toured alongside Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys for the Verizon Ladies First Tour in North America.[69] On February 1, 2004, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII, at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.[70] After the release of Dangerously in Love, Beyoncé had planned to produce a follow-up album using several of the left-over tracks. However, this was put on hold so she could concentrate on recording Destiny Fulfilled, the final studio album by Destiny's Child.[71] Released on November 15, 2004, in the US[72] and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200,[73][74] Destiny Fulfilled included the singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier", which reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[75] Destiny's Child embarked on a worldwide concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It sponsored by McDonald's Corporation,[76] and performed songs such as "No, No, No", "Survivor", "Say My Name", "Independent Women" and "Lose My Breath". In addition to renditions of the group's recorded material, they also performed songs from each singer's solo careers, including numbers from Dangerously in Love. and during the last stop of their European tour, in Barcelona on June 11, 2005, Rowland announced that Destiny's Child would disband following the North American leg of the tour.[77] The group released their first compilation album Number 1's on October 25, 2005, in the US[78] and accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March 2006.[79] The group has sold 60 million records worldwide.[80][81] Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day was released on September 4, 2006, in the US, to coincide with her twenty-fifth birthday.[82] It sold 541,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming Beyoncé's second consecutive number-one album in the United States.[83] The album's lead single "Déjà Vu", featuring Jay-Z, reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[67] The second international single "Irreplaceable" was a commercial success worldwide, reaching number one in Australia, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.[67][84] B'Day also produced three other singles; "Ring the Alarm",[85] "Get Me Bodied",[86] and "Green Light" (released in the United Kingdom only).[87] A woman stands with a microphone Beyoncé performing during The Beyoncé Experience tour in 2007 At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007), B'Day was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ring the Alarm" and Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration"for "Déjà Vu"; the Freemasons club mix of "Déjà Vu" without the rap was put forward in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category. B'Day won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.[88] The following year, B'Day received two nominations – for Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Beautiful Liar" (with Shakira), also receiving a nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Pictures, Television or Other Visual Media for her appearance on Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture (2006).[89] Her first acting role of 2006 was in the comedy film The Pink Panther starring opposite Steve Martin,[90] grossing $158.8 million at the box office worldwide.[91] Her second film Dreamgirls, the film version of the 1981 Broadway musical[92] loosely based on The Supremes, received acclaim from critics and grossed $154 million internationally.[93][94][95] In it, she starred opposite Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy playing a pop singer based on Diana Ross.[96] To promote the film, Beyoncé released "Listen" as the lead single from the soundtrack album.[97] In April 2007, Beyoncé embarked on The Beyoncé Experience, her first worldwide concert tour, visiting 97 venues[98] and grossed over $24 million.[note 1] Beyoncé conducted pre-concert food donation drives during six major stops in conjunction with her pastor at St. John's and America's Second Harvest. At the same time, B'Day was re-released with five additional songs, including her duet with Shakira "Beautiful Liar".[100] 2008–2012: I Am... Sasha Fierce and 4 A woman stands looking out to a crowd Beyoncé performing during the I Am... Tour. I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in November 2008 and formally introduced Beyoncé's alter ego Sasha Fierce.[101] It was met with mixed reviews from critics,[102] but sold 482,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop the Billboard 200, and giving Beyoncé her third consecutive number-one album in the US.[103] The album featured her fourth UK number-one single "If I Were a Boy" and her fifth U.S. number-one song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[104] "Halo" achieved the accomplishment of becoming her longest-running Hot 100 single in her career,[105] "Halo"'s success in the U.S. helped Beyoncé attain more top-ten singles on the list than any other woman during the 2000s.[106] The music video for "Single Ladies" has been parodied and imitated around the world, spawning the "first major dance craze" of the Internet age according to the Toronto Star.[107] At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won three categories, including Video of the Year.[108] Its failure to win the Best Female Video category, which went to American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me", led to Kanye West interrupting the ceremony and Beyoncé improvising a re-presentation of Swift's award during her own acceptance speech.[108] In March 2009, Beyoncé embarked on the I Am... Tour, her second headlining worldwide concert tour, consisting of 108 shows, grossing $119.5 million.[109] Beyoncé further expanded her acting career, starring as blues singer Etta James in the 2008 musical biopic Cadillac Records. Her performance in the film received praise from critics,[110] and she garnered several nominations for her portrayal of James, including a Satellite Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress.[111][112] Beyoncé donated her entire salary from the film to Phoenix House, an organization of rehabilitation centers for heroin addicts around the country.[113] Beyoncé starred opposite Ali Larter and Idris Elba in the thriller, Obsessed. She played Sharon Charles, a mother and wife whose family is threatened by her husband's stalker. The film received negative reviews from critics,[114] and did well at the U.S. box office, grossing $68 million – $60 million more than Cadillac Records[115] – on a budget of $20 million.[116] At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé received ten nominations, tying with Lauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist.[117] Beyoncé went on to win six of those nominations, breaking a record she previously tied in 2004 for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist with six. In 2010, Beyoncé provide guest vocals on Lady Gaga's single "Telephone".[118][119] The song topped the U.S. Pop Songs chart, becoming the sixth number-one for both Beyoncé and Gaga, tying them with Mariah Carey for most number-ones since the Nielsen Top 40 airplay chart launched in 1992.[120] Beyoncé announced a hiatus from her music career in January 2010, heeding her mother's advice, "to live life, to be inspired by things again".[121][122] During the break she and her father parted ways as business partners.[123][124] Beyoncé's musical break lasted nine months and saw her visit multiple European cities, the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, Australia, English music festivals and various museums and ballet performances.[121][125] "Eat, Play, Love", a cover story written by Beyoncé for Essence that detailed her 2010 career break, won her a writing award from the New York Association of Black Journalists.[126] The upper body of a woman is shown as she sings into a microphone Beyoncé's performing during her 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concert residency in August 2011 On June 26, 2011, she became the first solo female artist to headline the main Pyramid stage at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival in over twenty years.[127][128] The performance was lauded, with several publications noting an ascension in Knowles' capabilities as a live performer. Other publications discussed the polarized attitude of the UK music establishment in response to a Black woman performing on the same stages and to the same crowd sizes that were past reserved for legacy rock acts.[129][130] Her fourth studio album 4 was released two days prior in the US.[131] 4 sold 310,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fourth consecutive number-one album in the US. The album was preceded by two of its singles "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had".[67][118][132] The fourth single "Love on Top" spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest peak from the album.[133] In late 2011, she took the stage at New York's Roseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances:[134] the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts saw the performance of her 4 album to a standing room only.[134] On August 1, 2011, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having shipped 1 million copies to retail stores.[135] By December 2015, it reached sales of 1.5 million copies in the US.[136] The album reached one billion Spotify streams on February 5, 2018, making Beyoncé the first female artist to have three of their albums surpass one billion streams on the platform.[137] In June 2012, she performed for four nights at Revel Atlantic City's Ovation Hall to celebrate the resort's opening, her first performances since giving birth to her daughter.[138][139] 2013–2017: Super Bowl XLVII, Beyoncé, and Lemonade Beyoncé performing at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show on February 3, 2013. In January 2013, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem singing along with a pre-recorded track at President Obama's second inauguration in Washington, D.C.[140][141] The following month, Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show, held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.[142] The performance stands as the second most tweeted about moment in history at 268,000 tweets per minute.[143] Her feature-length documentary film, Life Is But a Dream, first aired on HBO on February 16, 2013.[144] The film was co-directed by Beyoncé herself.[145] Beyoncé embarked on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour on April 15 in Belgrade, Serbia; the tour included 132 dates that ran through to March 2014. It became the most successful tour of her career and one of the most successful tours of all time.[146] In May, Beyoncé's cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" with André 3000 on The Great Gatsby soundtrack was released.[147] Beyoncé voiced Queen Tara in the 3D CGI animated film, Epic, released by 20th Century Fox on May 24,[148] and recorded an original song for the film, "Rise Up", co-written with Sia.[149] On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her eponymous fifth studio album on the iTunes Store without any prior announcement or promotion. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album in the US.[150] This made her the first woman in the chart's history to have her first five studio albums debut at number one.[151] Beyoncé received critical acclaim[152] and commercial success, selling one million digital copies worldwide in six days;[153] Musically an electro-R&B album, it concerns darker themes previously unexplored in her work, such as "bulimia, postnatal depression [and] the fears and insecurities of marriage and motherhood".[154] The single "Drunk in Love", featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[155] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Beyoncé sold 2.3 million units worldwide, becoming the tenth best-selling album of 2013.[156] The album also went on to become the twentieth best-selling album of 2014.[157] As of November 2014, Beyoncé has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and has generated over 1 billion streams, as of March 2015.[158] At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2015, Beyoncé was nominated for six awards, ultimately winning three: Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Drunk in Love", and Best Surround Sound Album for Beyoncé.[159][160] In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z officially announced their On the Run Tour. It served as the couple's first co-headlining stadium tour together.[161] On August 24, 2014, she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé also won home three competitive awards: Best Video with a Social Message and Best Cinematography for "Pretty Hurts", as well as best collaboration for "Drunk in Love".[162] In November, Forbes reported that Beyoncé was the top-earning woman in music for the second year in a row – earning $115 million in the year, more than double her earnings in 2013.[163] Beyoncé released "Formation" in on February 6, 2016, and performed it live for the first time during the NFL Super Bowl 50 halftime show. The appearance was considered controversial as it appeared to reference the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the NFL forbids political statements in its performances.[164][165][166] Immediately following the performance, Beyoncé announced The Formation World Tour, which highlighted stops in both North America and Europe.[167][168] It ended on October 7, with Beyoncé bringing out her husband Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Serena Williams for the last show.[169] The tour went on to win Tour of the Year at the 44th American Music Awards.[170] Beyoncé performing during The Formation World Tour in 2016. The tour grossed $256 million from 49 sold-out shows. In April 2016, Beyoncé released a teaser clip for a project called Lemonade. A one-hour film which aired on HBO on April 23, a corresponding album with the same title was released on the same day exclusively on Tidal.[171] Lemonade debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first act in Billboard history to have their first six studio albums debut atop the chart; she broke a record previously tied with DMX in 2013.[172] With all 12 tracks of Lemonade debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Beyoncé also became the first female act to chart 12 or more songs at the same time.[173] Lemonade was streamed 115 million times through Tidal, setting a record for the most-streamed album in a single week by a female artist in history.[174] It was 2016's third highest-selling album in the U.S. with 1.554 million copies sold in that time period within the country[175] as well as the best-selling album worldwide with global sales of 2.5 million throughout the year.[176] Lemonade became the most critically acclaimed work of her career.[177] Several music publications included the album among the best of 2016, including Rolling Stone, which listed Lemonade at number one.[178] The album's visuals were nominated in 11 categories at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, the most ever received by Beyoncé in a single year, and went on to win 8 awards, including Video of the Year for "Formation".[179][180] The eight wins made Beyoncé the most-awarded artist in the history of the VMAs (24), surpassing Madonna (20).[181] Beyoncé occupied the sixth place for Time magazine's 2016 Person of the Year.[182] In January 2017, it was announced that Beyoncé would headline the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. This would make Beyoncé only the second female headliner of the festival since it was founded in 1999.[183] It was later announced on February 23, 2017, that Beyoncé would no longer be able to perform at the festival due to doctor's concerns regarding her pregnancy. The festival owners announced that she will instead headline the 2018 festival.[184] Upon the announcement of Beyoncé's departure from the festival lineup, ticket prices dropped by 12%.[185] At the 59th Grammy Awards in February 2017, Lemonade led the nominations with nine, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year for Lemonade and "Formation" respectively.[186] and ultimately won two, Best Urban Contemporary Album for Lemonade and Best Music Video for "Formation".[187] In September 2017, Beyoncé collaborated with J Balvin and Willy William, to release a remix of the song "Mi Gente". Beyoncé donated all proceeds from the song to hurricane charities for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean Islands.[188] On November 10, Eminem released "Walk on Water" featuring Beyoncé as the lead single from his album Revival. On November 30, Ed Sheeran announced that Beyoncé would feature on the remix to his song "Perfect".[189] "Perfect Duet" was released on December 1, 2017. The song reached number-one in the United States, becoming Beyoncé's sixth song of her solo career to do so.[190] 2018–2021: Everything Is Love and The Lion King On January 4, 2018, the music video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 4:44 collaboration, "Family Feud" was released.[191] It was directed by Ava DuVernay. On March 1, 2018, DJ Khaled released "Top Off" as the first single from his forthcoming album Father of Asahd featuring Beyoncé, husband Jay-Z, and Future.[192] On March 5, 2018, a joint tour with Knowles's husband Jay-Z, was leaked on Facebook.[193] Information about the tour was later taken down. The couple announced the joint tour officially as On the Run II Tour on March 12[194] and simultaneously released a trailer for the tour on YouTube.[195] On April 14, 2018, Beyoncé played the first of two weekends as the headlining act of the Coachella Music Festival. Her performance of April 14, attended by 125,000 festival-goers, was immediately praised, with multiple media outlets describing it as historic. The performance became the most-tweeted-about performance of weekend one, as well as the most-watched live Coachella performance and the most-watched live performance on YouTube of all time. The show paid tribute to black culture, specifically historically black colleges and universities and featured a live band with over 100 dancers. Destiny's Child also reunited during the show.[196][197] On June 6, 2018, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z kicked-off the On the Run II Tour in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Ten days later, at their final London performance, the pair unveiled Everything Is Love, their joint studio album, credited under the name The Carters, and initially available exclusively on Tidal. The pair also released the video for the album's lead single, "Apeshit", on Beyoncé's official YouTube channel.[198][199] Everything Is Love received generally positive reviews,[200] and debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 123,000 album-equivalent units, of which 70,000 were pure album sales.[201] On December 2, 2018, Beyoncé alongside Jay-Z headlined the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 which was held at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.[202] Their 2-hour performance had concepts similar to the On the Run II Tour and Beyoncé was praised for her outfits, which paid tribute to Africa's diversity.[203] Beyoncé at The Lion King European premiere in 2019. Homecoming, a documentary and concert film focusing on Beyoncé's historic 2018 Coachella performances, was released by Netflix on April 17, 2019.[204][205] The film was accompanied by the surprise live album Homecoming: The Live Album.[206] It was later reported that Beyoncé and Netflix had signed a $60 million deal to produce three different projects, one of which is Homecoming.[207] Homecoming received six nominations at the 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[208] Beyoncé starred as the voice of Nala in the remake The Lion King, which was released in July 2019.[209] Beyoncé is featured on the film's soundtrack, released on July 11, 2019, with a remake of the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" alongside Donald Glover, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, which was originally composed by Elton John.[210] An original song from the film by Beyoncé, "Spirit", was released as the lead single from both the soundtrack and The Lion King: The Gift – a companion album released alongside the film, produced and curated by Beyoncé.[211][212] Beyoncé called The Lion King: The Gift a "sonic cinema". She stated that the album is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat.[211] The songs were produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set in Africa.[211] In September of the same year, a documentary chronicling the development, production and early music video filming of The Lion King: The Gift entitled "Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift" was aired on ABC. In March 2020, a photograph Beyoncé captured of her swimming pool was used as the album cover for rapper Jay Electronica's highly anticipated debut album A Written Testimony.[213] In April of the same year, Beyoncé was featured on the remix of Megan Thee Stallion's song "Savage", marking her first material of music for the year.[214] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Beyoncé's eleventh song to do so across all acts.[215] On June 19, 2020, Beyoncé released the nonprofit charity single "Black Parade".[216] On June 23, she followed up the release of its studio version with an a cappella version exclusively on Tidal.[217] Black Is King, a visual album based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, premiered globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020. Produced by Disney and Parkwood Entertainment, the film was written, directed and executively produced by Beyoncé. The film was described by Disney as "a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience".[218] Beyoncé received the most nominations (9) at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards and the most awards (4), which made her the most-awarded singer, most-awarded female artist, and second-most-awarded artist in Grammy history.[219] In 2021, Beyoncé wrote and recorded a song titled "Be Alive" for the biographical drama film King Richard.[220] She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 94th Academy Awards for the song, alongside co-writer DIXSON.[221] 2022–present: Renaissance Beyoncé performing at the Renaissance World Tour. On June 9, 2022, Beyoncé removed her profile pictures across various social media platforms causing speculation that she would be releasing new music.[222] Days later, Beyoncé caused further speculation via her nonprofit BeyGood's Twitter account hinting at her upcoming seventh studio album.[223] On June 15, 2022, Beyoncé officially announced her seventh studio album, titled Renaissance. The album was released on July 29, 2022.[224][225] The first single from Renaissance, "Break My Soul", was released on June 20, 2022.[226] The song became Beyoncé's 20th top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, and in doing so, Beyoncé joined Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson as the only artists in Hot 100 history to achieve at least twenty top tens as a solo artist and ten as a member of a group.[227] Upon release, Renaissance received universal acclaim from critics.[228] Renaissance debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and in doing so, Beyoncé became the first female artist to have her first seven studio albums debut at number one in the United States.[229] "Break My Soul" concurrently rose to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the twelfth song to do so across her career discography.[230] The song "Heated," which was co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, originally included the lyrics "Spazzin' on that ass / spazz on that ass". Critics, including a number of disability charities and activists, argued that the word "spaz" represented a derogatory term for spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. In response, in August 2022, a representative for Beyoncé issued a statement and explained that "The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced".[231][232] On January 21, 2023, Beyoncé performed in Dubai at a private show.[233] The performance, which was her first full concert in more than four years, was delivered to an audience of influencers and journalists.[234] Beyoncé was reportedly paid $24 million to perform.[235] Beyoncé faced criticism for her decision to perform in the United Arab Emirates where homosexuality is illegal.[235][234][236] On February 1, Beyoncé announced the Renaissance World Tour with dates in North America and Europe,[237] becoming for a short-span the highest-grossing tour by a female artist.[238] On July 28, Beyoncé appeared on "Delresto (Echoes)", the second single from rapper Travis Scott's album Utopia, eventually becoming her 100th career appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (encompassing Destiny's Child, her solo career, and musical duo The Carters).[239] Artistry Voice and musical style With "Single Ladies", clearly I'd just gotten married, and people want to get married every day – then there was the whole Justin Timberlake thing [recreating the video] on Saturday Night Live, and it was also the year YouTube blew up. With "Irreplaceable", the aggressive lyrics, the acoustic guitar, and the 808 drum machine – those things don't typically go together, and it sounded fresh. "Crazy in Love" was another one of those classic moments in pop culture that none of us expected. I asked Jay to get on the song the night before I had to turn my album in – thank God he did. It still never gets old, no matter how many times I sing it. —Beyoncé[240] Critics have described Beyoncé's voice as being mezzo-soprano.[241][242] Jody Rosen highlights her tone and timbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music".[243] Her vocal abilities mean she is identified as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.[244] Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that her voice is "velvety yet tart, with an insistent flutter and reserves of soul belting".[245] Rosen notes that the hip hop era highly influenced Beyoncé's unique rhythmic vocal style, but also finds her quite traditionalist in her use of balladry, gospel and falsetto.[243] Other critics praise her range and power, with Chris Richards of The Washington Post saying she was "capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars."[246] On the 2023 Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers of all time, Beyoncé ranked at number 8, with the publication noting that "in [her] voice lies the entire history of Black music".[247] Beyoncé's music is generally R&B,[248][249] pop[248][250] and hip hop[251] but she also incorporates soul and funk into her songs. 4 demonstrated Beyoncé's exploration of 1990s-style R&B, as well as further use of soul and hip hop than compared to previous releases.[240] While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Beyoncé recorded several Spanish songs for Irreemplazable (re-recordings of songs from B'Day for a Spanish-language audience), and the re-release of B'Day. To record these, Beyoncé was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.[252] Songwriting Beyoncé has received co-writing credits for most of her songs.[253] In regards to the way she approaches collaborative songwriting, Beyoncé explained: "I love being around great writers because I'm finding that a lot of the things I want to say, I don't articulate as good as maybe Amanda Ghost, so I want to keep collaborating with writers, and I love classics and I want to make sure years from now the song is still something that's relevant."[254] Her early songs with Destiny's Child were personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions like "Independent Women" and "Survivor", but after the start of her relationship with Jay-Z, she transitioned to more man-tending anthems such as "Cater 2 U".[255] Beyoncé's songwriting process is also notorious for combining parts of different tracks, resulting in alteration of song structures. Sia, who co-wrote "Pretty Hurts", called Beyoncé "very Frankenstein when she comes to songs";[256] Diana Gordon, who co-wrote "Don't Hurt Yourself" called her a "scientist of songs";[257] Caroline Polachek who co-wrote "No Angel", called her a "genius writer and producer for this reason. She's so good at seeing connections."[258] In 2001, she became the first Black woman and second female lyricist to win the Pop Songwriter of the Year award at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.[13][259] Beyoncé was the third woman to have writing credits on three number-one songs ("Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It") in the same year, after Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. She is tied with American lyricist Diane Warren at third with nine songwriting credits on number-one singles.[260] The latter wrote her 9/11-motivated song "I Was Here" for 4.[261] In May 2011, Billboard magazine listed Beyoncé at number 17 on their list of the Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She was one of only three women on that list, along with Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift.[262] Beyoncé has received criticism, including from journalists and musicians, for the extensive writing credits on her songs.[253] The controversy surrounding her songwriting credits began with interviews in which she attributed herself as the songwriter for songs in which she was a co-writer[263] or for which her contributions were marginal.[253] In a cover story for Vanity Fair in 2005, she claimed to have "written" several number-one songs for Destiny's Child, contrary to the credits, which list her as a co-writer among others.[263] During a 2007 interview with Barbara Walters, she claimed to have conceived the musical idea for the Destiny's Child song "Bootylicious",[264] which provoked the song's producer Rob Fusari to call her father and then-manager Mathew Knowles in protest over the claim. In 2010, Fusari told Billboard: "[Knowles] explained to me, in a nice way, he said, 'People don't want to hear about Rob Fusari, producer from Livingston, N.J. No offense, but that's not what sells records. What sells records is people believing that the artist is everything.'"[265] However, in an interview for Entertainment Weekly in 2016, Fusari said Beyoncé "had the 'Bootylicious' concept in her head. That was totally her. She knew what she wanted to say. It was very urban pop angle that they were taking on the record."[266] Influences Beyoncé's major influences include Michael Jackson (left) and Tina Turner (right). Beyoncé names Michael Jackson as her major musical influence.[267][268] Aged five, Beyoncé attended her first ever concert where Jackson performed and she claims to have realized her purpose.[269] When she presented him with a tribute award at the World Music Awards in 2006, Beyoncé said, "if it wasn't for Michael Jackson, I would never ever have performed."[270] Beyoncé was heavily influenced by Tina Turner, and once said "Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her strength feminine and sexy".[271][272] She admires Diana Ross as an "all-around entertainer",[273] and Whitney Houston, who she said "inspired me to get up there and do what she did."[274][275] Beyoncé cited Madonna as an influence "not only for her musical style, but also for her business sense",[276] saying that she wanted to "follow in the footsteps of Madonna and be a powerhouse and have my own empire."[277] She also credits Mariah Carey's singing and her song "Vision of Love" as influencing her to begin practicing vocal runs as a child.[278][279] Her other musical influences include Rachelle Ferrell,[280] Aaliyah,[281][282] Janet Jackson,[283][284] Prince,[285] Shakira,[286] Lauryn Hill,[273] Sade Adu,[287] Donna Summer,[288] Mary J. Blige,[289] Selena,[290] Anita Baker, and Toni Braxton.[273] The feminism and female empowerment themes on Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls[291] and by singer Josephine Baker.[292] Beyoncé paid homage to Baker by performing "Déjà Vu" at the 2006 Fashion Rocks concert wearing Baker's trademark mini-hula skirt embellished with fake bananas.[293] Beyoncé's third solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, was inspired by Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" inspired Beyoncé to explore other musical genres and styles.[294] Her fourth solo album, 4, was inspired by Fela Kuti, 1990s R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire, DeBarge, Lionel Richie, Teena Marie, The Jackson 5, New Edition, Adele, Florence and the Machine, and Prince.[240] Beyoncé has stated that she is personally inspired by Michelle Obama (the 44th First Lady of the United States), saying "she proves you can do it all",[295] and has described Oprah Winfrey as "the definition of inspiration and a strong woman."[273] She has also discussed how Jay-Z is a continuing inspiration to her, both with what she describes as his lyrical genius and in the obstacles he has overcome in his life.[296] Beyoncé has expressed admiration for the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, posting in a letter "what I find in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I search for in every day in music ... he is lyrical and raw".[297][298] Beyoncé also cited Cher as a fashion inspiration.[299] Music videos and stage Beyoncé performing during the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards In 2006, Beyoncé introduced her all-female tour band Suga Mama (also the name of a song on B'Day) which includes bassists, drummers, guitarists, horn players, keyboardists and percussionists.[300] Her background singers, The Mamas, consist of Montina Cooper-Donnell, Crystal Collins and Tiffany Moniqué Riddick. They made their debut appearance at the 2006 BET Awards and re-appeared in the music videos for "Irreplaceable" and "Green Light".[252] The band have supported Beyoncé in most subsequent live performances, including her 2007 concert tour The Beyoncé Experience, I Am... Tour (2009–2010), The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013–2014) and The Formation World Tour (2016). Beyoncé has received praise for her stage presence and voice during live performances. According to Barbara Ellen of The Guardian, Beyoncé is the most in-charge female artist she's seen onstage.[301] Similarly, Alice Jones of The Independent wrote she "takes her role as entertainer so seriously she's almost too good."[302] The ex-President of Def Jam L.A. Reid has described Beyoncé as the greatest entertainer alive.[303] Jim Farber of the Daily News and Stephanie Classen of The StarPhoenix both praised her strong voice and her stage presence.[304][305] Beyoncé's stage outfits have been met with criticism from many countries, such as Malaysia, where she has postponed or cancelled performances due to the country's strict laws banning revealing costumes.[306] Beyoncé has worked with numerous directors for her music videos throughout her career, including Melina Matsoukas, Jonas Åkerlund, and Jake Nava. Bill Condon, director of Beauty and the Beast, stated that the Lemonade visuals in particular served as inspiration for his film, commenting, "You look at Beyoncé's brilliant movie Lemonade, this genre is taking on so many different forms ... I do think that this very old-school break-out-into-song traditional musical is something that people understand again and really want."[307] Alter ego Described as being "sexy, seductive and provocative" when performing on stage, Beyoncé has said that she originally created the alter ego "Sasha Fierce" to keep that stage persona separate from who she really is. She described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating, "I'm not like her in real life at all."[46] Sasha was conceived during the making of "Crazy in Love", and Beyoncé introduced her with the release of her 2008 album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. In February 2010, she announced in an interview with Allure magazine that she was comfortable enough with herself to no longer need Sasha Fierce.[308] However, Beyoncé announced in May 2012 that she would bring her back for her Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live shows later that month.[309] Public image A woman waves to the crowd on a red-carpet Beyoncé at the premiere of her 2006 film Dreamgirls Beyoncé has been described as having a wide-ranging sex appeal, with music journalist Touré writing that since the release of Dangerously in Love, she has "become a crossover sex symbol".[310] Offstage Beyoncé says that while she likes to dress sexily, her onstage dress "is absolutely for the stage".[311] Due to her curves and the term's catchiness, in the 2000s, the media often used the term "bootylicious" (a portmanteau of the words "booty" and "delicious") to describe Beyoncé,[312][313] the term popularized by Destiny's Child's single of the same name. In 2006, it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.[314] In September 2010, Beyoncé made her runway modelling debut at Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.[315] She was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People[316] and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex in 2012.[317] In January 2013, GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.[318][319] VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list.[320] Several wax figures of Beyoncé are found at Madame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities around the world, including New York,[321] Washington, D.C.,[322] Amsterdam,[323] Bangkok,[324] Hollywood[325] and Sydney.[326] According to Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, Beyoncé uses different fashion styles to work with her music while performing.[327] Her mother co-wrote a book, published in 2002, titled Destiny's Style,[328] an account of how fashion affected the trio's success.[329] The B'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles.[330] In 2007, Beyoncé was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the second African American woman after Tyra Banks,[331] and People magazine recognized Beyoncé as the best-dressed celebrity.[332] Beyoncé has been named "Queen Bey" from publications over the years. The term is a reference to the common phrase "queen bee", a term used for the leader of a group of females. The nickname also refers to the queen of a beehive, with her fan base being named "The BeyHive". The BeyHive was previously titled "The Beyontourage", (a portmanteau of Beyoncé and entourage), but was changed after online petitions on Twitter and online news reports during competitions.[333] In 2006, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized Beyoncé for wearing and using fur in her clothing line House of Deréon.[334] Emmett Price, a professor of music at Northeastern University, wrote in 2007 that he thinks race plays a role in many criticisms of Beyoncé's image, saying white celebrities who dress similarly do not attract as many comments.[335] In 2008, L'Oréal was accused of whitening her skin in their Feria hair color advertisements, responding that "it is categorically untrue",[336][337] and in 2013, Beyoncé herself criticized H&M for their proposed "retouching" of promotional images of her, and according to Vogue requested that only "natural pictures be used".[338] Beyoncé has been a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. The release of "Formation" on February 6, 2016, saw her celebrate her heritage, with the song's music video featuring pro-black imagery and a shot of wall graffiti that says "Stop shooting us". The day after the song's release she performed it at the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show with back up dancers dressed to represent the Black Panther Party. This incited criticism from politicians and police officers, with some police boycotting Beyoncé's then upcoming Formation World Tour.[339] Beyoncé responded to the backlash by releasing tour merchandise that said "Boycott Beyoncé",[340][341][342] and later clarified her sentiment, saying: "Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken. I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe," Beyoncé said. "But let's be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things."[343] Personal life Marriage and children A woman stands next to a man who is performing using a microphone Beyoncé performing on the I Am... Tour with Jay-Z, whom she married in 2008 In 2002, Beyoncé and Jay-Z collaborated on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde",[344] which appeared on his seventh album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002).[345] Beyoncé appeared as Jay-Z's girlfriend in the music video for the song, fueling speculation about their relationship.[346] On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married without publicity.[347] As of April 2014, the couple had sold a combined 300 million records together.[161] They are known for their private relationship, although they have appeared to become more relaxed since 2013.[348] Both have acknowledged difficulty that arose in their marriage after Jay-Z had an affair.[349][350] Beyoncé miscarried around 2010 or 2011, describing it as "the saddest thing" she had ever endured.[351] She returned to the studio and wrote music to cope with the loss. In April 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z traveled to Paris to shoot the album cover for 4, and she unexpectedly became pregnant in Paris.[352] In August, the couple attended the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, at which Beyoncé performed "Love on Top" and ended the performance by revealing she was pregnant.[353] Her appearance helped that year's MTV Video Music Awards become the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers;[354] the announcement was listed in Guinness World Records for "most tweets per second recorded for a single event" on Twitter,[355] receiving 8,868 tweets per second[356] and "Beyonce pregnant" was the most Googled phrase the week of August 29, 2011.[357] On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter, Blue Ivy, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.[358] Following the release of Lemonade, which included the single "Sorry", in 2016, speculations arose about Jay-Z's alleged infidelity with a mistress referred to as "Becky". Jon Pareles in The New York Times pointed out that many of the accusations were "aimed specifically and recognizably" at him.[359] Similarly, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine noted the lines "Suck on my balls, I've had enough" were an "unmistakable hint" that the lyrics revolve around Jay-Z.[360] On February 1, 2017, she revealed on her Instagram account that she was expecting twins. Her announcement gained over 6.3 million likes within eight hours, breaking the world record for the most liked image on the website at the time.[361] On July 13, 2017, Beyoncé uploaded the first image of herself and the twins onto her Instagram account, confirming their birth date as a month prior, on June 13, 2017,[362] with the post becoming the second most liked on Instagram, behind her own pregnancy announcement.[363] The twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir, were born at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in California. She wrote of her pregnancy and its aftermath in the September 2018 issue of Vogue, in which she had full control of the cover, shot at Hammerwood Park by photographer Tyler Mitchell.[364][365] Activism Beyoncé performed "America the Beautiful" at President Barack Obama's 2009 presidential inauguration, as well as "At Last" during the first inaugural dance at the Neighborhood Ball two days later.[366] The couple held a fundraiser at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan for President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign[367] which raised $4 million.[368] Beyoncé voted for Obama in the 2012 presidential election.[369] She performed the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" at his second inauguration in January 2013.[140] The Washington Post reported in May 2015, that Beyoncé attended a major celebrity fundraiser for 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.[370] She also headlined for Clinton in a concert held the weekend before Election Day the next year. In this performance, Beyoncé and her entourage of backup dancers wore pantsuits; a clear allusion to Clinton's frequent dress-of-choice. The backup dancers also wore "I'm with her" tee shirts, the campaign slogan for Clinton. In a brief speech at this performance Beyoncé said, "I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and knowing that her possibilities are limitless."[371] She endorsed the bid of Beto O'Rourke during the 2018 United States Senate election in Texas.[372] A woman performing using a microphone Beyoncé has conducted several fundraising and donation campaigns during her tours In 2013, Beyoncé stated in an interview in Vogue that she considered herself to be "a modern-day feminist".[373] She would later align herself more publicly with the movement, sampling "We should all be feminists", a speech delivered by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at a TEDx talk in April 2013, in her song "Flawless", released later that year.[374] The next year she performed live at the MTV Video Awards in front a giant backdrop reading "Feminist".[375] Her self-identification incited a circulation of opinions and debate about whether her feminism is aligned with older, more established feminist ideals. Annie Lennox, celebrated artist and feminist advocate, referred to Beyoncé's use of her word feminist as 'feminist lite'.[376] Bell hooks critiqued Beyoncé, referring to her as a "terrorist" towards feminism, harmfully impacting her audience of young girls.[377] Adichie responded with "her type of feminism is not mine, as it is the kind that, at the same time, gives quite a lot of space to the necessity of men."[378] Adichie expands upon what "feminist lite" means to her, referring that "more troubling is the idea, in Feminism Lite, that men are naturally superior but should be expected to 'treat women well'" and "we judge powerful women more harshly than we judge powerful men. And Feminism Lite enables this."[379] Beyoncé responded about her intent by utilizing the definition of feminist with her platform was to "give clarity to the true meaning" behind it.[380] She says to understand what being a feminist is, "it's very simple. It's someone who believes in equal rights for men and women."[380] She advocated to provide equal opportunities for young boys and girls, men and women must begin to understand the double standards that remain persistent in our societies and the issue must be illuminated in effort to start making changes.[380] She has also contributed to the Ban Bossy campaign, which uses TV and social media to encourage leadership in girls.[381] Following Beyoncé's public identification as a feminist, the sexualized nature of her performances and the fact that she championed her marriage was questioned.[382] In December 2012, Beyoncé along with a variety of other celebrities teamed up and produced a video campaign for "Demand A Plan", a bipartisan effort by a group of 950 U.S. mayors and others[383] designed to influence the federal government into rethinking its gun control laws, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[384] Beyoncé publicly endorsed same-sex marriage on March 26, 2013, after the Supreme Court debate on California's Proposition 8.[385] She spoke against North Carolina's Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, a bill passed (and later repealed) that discriminated against the LGBT community in public places in a statement during her concert in Raleigh as part of the Formation World Tour in 2016.[386] She has condemned police brutality against black Americans. She and Jay-Z attended a rally in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin.[387] T

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (/biˈɒnseɪ/ ⓘ bee-ON-say)[4] (born September 4, 1981)[5] is an American singer, songwriter and businesswoman. Dubbed as "Queen Bey" and a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century, she has been recognized for her artistry and performances, with Rolling Stone naming her one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Beyoncé started performing in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw the release of Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love (2003). She then followed with the US number-one solo albums B'Day (2006), I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), and 4 (2011). After creating her own management company Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé achieved critical acclaim for the experimental visual albums Beyoncé (2013) and Lemonade (2016), which explored themes such as feminism and womanism. With her queer-inspired dance album Renaissance (2022), she became the first solo artist to have their first seven studio albums debut at number one in the US.[6] Beyoncé's most successful songs on the Billboard Hot 100 include "Crazy in Love", "Baby Boy", "Check On It", "Irreplaceable", "If I Were a Boy", "Halo", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Break My Soul" and "Cuff It". Her collaborative music ventures include Everything Is Love (2018), an album with her husband and rapper Jay-Z, released as the Carters, and the musical film Black Is King (2020), inspired by the music of the film soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift (2019). Homecoming: The Live Album (2019), which documents her 2018 Coachella performance, has been heralded as one of the best live albums for its tribute to black music history. Outside of music, she has starred as an actress in films such as Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), Obsessed (2009), and The Lion King (2019). Having sold 200 million records worldwide,[7] Beyoncé is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her accolades include a record 32 Grammy Awards, as well as 26 MTV Video Music Awards (including the 2014 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award), 24 NAACP Image Awards, 35 BET Awards, and 17 Soul Train Music Awards – all of which are more than any other artist in the music industry. Her success during the 2000s earned her recognition as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)'s Top Certified Artist of the Decade and Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade.[8] In 2014, Billboard named her the highest-earning black musician of all time. She is the most successful black touring act in history and received the Pollstar Touring Artist of the Decade award in 2021.[9][10] Time included her as one of the 100 women who defined the 21st century.[11] Life and career 1981–1996: Early life and career beginnings Beyonce Giselle Knowles[a] was born on September 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, to Celestine "Tina" Knowles (née Beyonce), a hairdresser and salon owner, and Mathew Knowles, a Xerox sales manager.[12] Tina is Louisiana Creole, and Mathew is African American.[13][14][15][16] Beyoncé's younger sister, Solange Knowles, is also a singer and a former backup dancer for Destiny's Child. Solange and Beyoncé are the first sisters to have both had number one solo albums.[17] Beyoncé's maternal grandparents, Lumas Beyince, and Agnez Dereon (daughter of Odilia Broussard and Eugene DeRouen),[18] were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles, with roots in New Iberia.[19] Beyoncé is considered a Creole, passed on to her by her grandparents.[18][20] She is a descendant of Acadian militia officer Joseph Broussard, who was exiled to French Louisiana after the expulsion of the Acadians.[14] Her fourth great-grandmother, Marie-Françoise Trahan, was born in 1774 in Bangor, located on Belle Île, France. Trahan was a daughter of Acadians who had taken refuge on Belle Île after the Acadian expulsion. The Estates of Brittany had divided the lands of Belle Île to distribute them among 78 other Acadian families and the already settled inhabitants. The Trahan family lived on Belle Île for over ten years before immigrating to Louisiana, where she married a Broussard descendant.[21] Beyoncé researched her ancestry and discovered that she is descended from a slave owner who married his slave.[22] Her mother is also of distant Irish, Jewish, Spanish, Chinese and Indonesian ancestry.[23][24][25][19] Beyoncé was raised Methodist and attended St. John's United Methodist Church.[26][27] She went to St. Mary's Montessori School in Houston, and enrolled in dance classes there.[28] Her singing was discovered when dance instructor Darlette Johnson began humming a song and she finished it, able to hit the high-pitched notes.[29] Beyoncé's interest in music and performing continued after winning a school talent show at age seven, singing John Lennon's "Imagine" to beat 15/16-year-olds.[30][31] In the fall of 1990, Beyoncé enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she would perform with the school's choir.[32] She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts[33] and later Alief Elsik High School.[13][34] Beyoncé was also a member of the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church where she sang her first solo and was a soloist for two years.[26][35] When Beyoncé was eight, she met LaTavia Roberson at an audition for an all-girl entertainment group.[36] They were placed into a group called Girl's Tyme with three other girls, and rapped and danced on the talent show circuit in Houston.[37] After seeing the group, R&B producer Arne Frager brought them to his Northern California studio and placed them in Star Search, the largest talent show on national TV at the time. Girl's Tyme failed to win, and Beyoncé later said the song they performed was not good.[38][39] In 1995, Beyoncé's father resigned from his job to manage the group.[40] The move reduced the family's income by half, and Beyoncé's parents were forced to sell their house and cars and move into separated apartments.[13][41] Mathew cut the original line-up to four and the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B girl groups.[36] The girls auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records, moving to Atlanta Records briefly to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the company.[13] This put further strain on the family, and Beyoncé's parents separated. On October 5, 1995, Dwayne Wiggins's Grass Roots Entertainment signed the group. In 1996, the girls began recording their debut album under an agreement with Sony Music, the Knowles family reunited, and shortly after, the group got a contract with Columbia Records with the assistance of Columbia talent scout Teresa LaBarbera Whites.[30] 1997–2002: Destiny's Child Main article: Destiny's Child Beyoncé (center) at the final line-up of Destiny's Child, performing during their 2005 Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It concert tour The group changed their name to Destiny's Child in 1996, based upon a passage in the Book of Isaiah.[42] In 1997, Destiny's Child released their major label debut song "Killing Time" on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.[39] In November, the group released their debut single and first major hit, "No, No, No". They released their self-titled debut album in February 1998, which established the group as a viable act in the music industry, with moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, and Best R&B/Soul Single for "No, No, No".[36] The group released their Multi-Platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" and "Say My Name", which became their most successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B Song at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.[36] The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies worldwide.[38] During this time, Beyoncé recorded a duet with Marc Nelson, an original member of Boyz II Men, on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man.[43] LeToya Luckett and Roberson became unhappy with Mathew's managing of the band and eventually were replaced by Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams.[36] Beyoncé experienced depression following the split with Luckett and Roberson after being publicly blamed by the media, critics, and blogs for its cause.[44] Her long-standing boyfriend left her at this time.[45] The depression was so severe it lasted for a couple of years, during which she occasionally kept herself in her bedroom for days and refused to eat anything.[46] Beyoncé stated that she struggled to speak about her depression because Destiny's Child had just won their first Grammy Award, and she feared no one would take her seriously.[47] Beyoncé would later speak of her mother as the person who helped her fight it.[46] Franklin was then dismissed, leaving just Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams.[48] The remaining band members recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks.[36] In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing their third album, Beyoncé landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th-century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet.[49] When the third album Survivor was released in May 2001, Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit claiming that the songs were aimed at them.[36] The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 663,000 copies sold.[50] The album spawned other number-one hits, "Bootylicious" and the title track, "Survivor", the latter of which earned the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[51] After releasing their holiday album 8 Days of Christmas in October 2001, the group announced a hiatus to further pursue solo careers.[36] In July 2002, Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut, playing Foxxy Cleopatra alongside Mike Myers in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember,[52] which spent its first weekend atop the U.S. box office and grossed $73 million.[53] Beyoncé released "Work It Out" as the lead single from its soundtrack album which entered the top ten in the UK, Norway, and Belgium.[54] In 2003, Beyoncé starred opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in the musical comedy The Fighting Temptations as Lilly, a single mother with whom Gooding's character falls in love.[55] The film received mixed reviews from critics but grossed $30 million in the U.S.[56][57] Beyoncé released "Fighting Temptation" as the lead single from the film's soundtrack album, with Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Free which was also used to promote the film.[58] Another of Beyoncé's contributions to the soundtrack, "Summertime", fared better on the U.S. charts.[59] 2003–2007: Dangerously in Love, B'Day, and Dreamgirls A woman, flanked by two male dancers, holds a microphone in one hand as she dances Beyoncé performing "Baby Boy", which spent nine consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[60] Beyoncé's first solo recording was a feature on Jay-Z's song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" that was released in October 2002, peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[61] On June 14, 2003, Beyoncé premiered songs from her first solo album Dangerously in Love during her first solo concert and the pay-per-view television special, "Ford Presents Beyoncé Knowles, Friends & Family, Live From Ford's 100th Anniversary Celebration in Dearborn, Michigan".[62] The album was released on June 24, 2003, after Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland had released their solo efforts.[63] The album sold 317,000 copies in its first week, debuted atop the Billboard 200,[64] and has since sold 11 million copies worldwide.[65] The album's lead single, "Crazy in Love", featuring Jay-Z, became Beyoncé's first number-one single as a solo artist in the US.[66] The single "Baby Boy" also reached number one,[60] and singles, "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl", both reached the top-five.[67] The album earned Beyoncé a then record-tying five awards at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards; Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Dangerously in Love 2", Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Crazy in Love", and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You" with Luther Vandross. During the ceremony, she performed with Prince.[68] In November 2003, she embarked on the Dangerously in Love Tour in Europe and later toured alongside Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys for the Verizon Ladies First Tour in North America.[69] On February 1, 2004, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII, at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.[70] After the release of Dangerously in Love, Beyoncé had planned to produce a follow-up album using several of the left-over tracks. However, this was put on hold so she could concentrate on recording Destiny Fulfilled, the final studio album by Destiny's Child.[71] Released on November 15, 2004, in the US[72] and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200,[73][74] Destiny Fulfilled included the singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier", which reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[75] Destiny's Child embarked on a worldwide concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It sponsored by McDonald's Corporation,[76] and performed songs such as "No, No, No", "Survivor", "Say My Name", "Independent Women" and "Lose My Breath". In addition to renditions of the group's recorded material, they also performed songs from each singer's solo careers, including numbers from Dangerously in Love. and during the last stop of their European tour, in Barcelona on June 11, 2005, Rowland announced that Destiny's Child would disband following the North American leg of the tour.[77] The group released their first compilation album Number 1's on October 25, 2005, in the US[78] and accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March 2006.[79] The group has sold 60 million records worldwide.[80][81] Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day was released on September 4, 2006, in the US, to coincide with her twenty-fifth birthday.[82] It sold 541,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming Beyoncé's second consecutive number-one album in the United States.[83] The album's lead single "Déjà Vu", featuring Jay-Z, reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[67] The second international single "Irreplaceable" was a commercial success worldwide, reaching number one in Australia, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.[67][84] B'Day also produced three other singles; "Ring the Alarm",[85] "Get Me Bodied",[86] and "Green Light" (released in the United Kingdom only).[87] A woman stands with a microphone Beyoncé performing during The Beyoncé Experience tour in 2007 At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007), B'Day was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ring the Alarm" and Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration"for "Déjà Vu"; the Freemasons club mix of "Déjà Vu" without the rap was put forward in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category. B'Day won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.[88] The following year, B'Day received two nominations – for Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Beautiful Liar" (with Shakira), also receiving a nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Pictures, Television or Other Visual Media for her appearance on Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture (2006).[89] Her first acting role of 2006 was in the comedy film The Pink Panther starring opposite Steve Martin,[90] grossing $158.8 million at the box office worldwide.[91] Her second film Dreamgirls, the film version of the 1981 Broadway musical[92] loosely based on The Supremes, received acclaim from critics and grossed $154 million internationally.[93][94][95] In it, she starred opposite Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy playing a pop singer based on Diana Ross.[96] To promote the film, Beyoncé released "Listen" as the lead single from the soundtrack album.[97] In April 2007, Beyoncé embarked on The Beyoncé Experience, her first worldwide concert tour, visiting 97 venues[98] and grossed over $24 million.[note 1] Beyoncé conducted pre-concert food donation drives during six major stops in conjunction with her pastor at St. John's and America's Second Harvest. At the same time, B'Day was re-released with five additional songs, including her duet with Shakira "Beautiful Liar".[100] 2008–2012: I Am... Sasha Fierce and 4 A woman stands looking out to a crowd Beyoncé performing during the I Am... Tour. I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in November 2008 and formally introduced Beyoncé's alter ego Sasha Fierce.[101] It was met with mixed reviews from critics,[102] but sold 482,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop the Billboard 200, and giving Beyoncé her third consecutive number-one album in the US.[103] The album featured her fourth UK number-one single "If I Were a Boy" and her fifth U.S. number-one song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[104] "Halo" achieved the accomplishment of becoming her longest-running Hot 100 single in her career,[105] "Halo"'s success in the U.S. helped Beyoncé attain more top-ten singles on the list than any other woman during the 2000s.[106] The music video for "Single Ladies" has been parodied and imitated around the world, spawning the "first major dance craze" of the Internet age according to the Toronto Star.[107] At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won three categories, including Video of the Year.[108] Its failure to win the Best Female Video category, which went to American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me", led to Kanye West interrupting the ceremony and Beyoncé improvising a re-presentation of Swift's award during her own acceptance speech.[108] In March 2009, Beyoncé embarked on the I Am... Tour, her second headlining worldwide concert tour, consisting of 108 shows, grossing $119.5 million.[109] Beyoncé further expanded her acting career, starring as blues singer Etta James in the 2008 musical biopic Cadillac Records. Her performance in the film received praise from critics,[110] and she garnered several nominations for her portrayal of James, including a Satellite Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress.[111][112] Beyoncé donated her entire salary from the film to Phoenix House, an organization of rehabilitation centers for heroin addicts around the country.[113] Beyoncé starred opposite Ali Larter and Idris Elba in the thriller, Obsessed. She played Sharon Charles, a mother and wife whose family is threatened by her husband's stalker. The film received negative reviews from critics,[114] and did well at the U.S. box office, grossing $68 million – $60 million more than Cadillac Records[115] – on a budget of $20 million.[116] At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé received ten nominations, tying with Lauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist.[117] Beyoncé went on to win six of those nominations, breaking a record she previously tied in 2004 for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist with six. In 2010, Beyoncé provide guest vocals on Lady Gaga's single "Telephone".[118][119] The song topped the U.S. Pop Songs chart, becoming the sixth number-one for both Beyoncé and Gaga, tying them with Mariah Carey for most number-ones since the Nielsen Top 40 airplay chart launched in 1992.[120] Beyoncé announced a hiatus from her music career in January 2010, heeding her mother's advice, "to live life, to be inspired by things again".[121][122] During the break she and her father parted ways as business partners.[123][124] Beyoncé's musical break lasted nine months and saw her visit multiple European cities, the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, Australia, English music festivals and various museums and ballet performances.[121][125] "Eat, Play, Love", a cover story written by Beyoncé for Essence that detailed her 2010 career break, won her a writing award from the New York Association of Black Journalists.[126] The upper body of a woman is shown as she sings into a microphone Beyoncé's performing during her 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concert residency in August 2011 On June 26, 2011, she became the first solo female artist to headline the main Pyramid stage at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival in over twenty years.[127][128] The performance was lauded, with several publications noting an ascension in Knowles' capabilities as a live performer. Other publications discussed the polarized attitude of the UK music establishment in response to a Black woman performing on the same stages and to the same crowd sizes that were past reserved for legacy rock acts.[129][130] Her fourth studio album 4 was released two days prior in the US.[131] 4 sold 310,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fourth consecutive number-one album in the US. The album was preceded by two of its singles "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had".[67][118][132] The fourth single "Love on Top" spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest peak from the album.[133] In late 2011, she took the stage at New York's Roseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances:[134] the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts saw the performance of her 4 album to a standing room only.[134] On August 1, 2011, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having shipped 1 million copies to retail stores.[135] By December 2015, it reached sales of 1.5 million copies in the US.[136] The album reached one billion Spotify streams on February 5, 2018, making Beyoncé the first female artist to have three of their albums surpass one billion streams on the platform.[137] In June 2012, she performed for four nights at Revel Atlantic City's Ovation Hall to celebrate the resort's opening, her first performances since giving birth to her daughter.[138][139] 2013–2017: Super Bowl XLVII, Beyoncé, and Lemonade Beyoncé performing at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show on February 3, 2013. In January 2013, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem singing along with a pre-recorded track at President Obama's second inauguration in Washington, D.C.[140][141] The following month, Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show, held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.[142] The performance stands as the second most tweeted about moment in history at 268,000 tweets per minute.[143] Her feature-length documentary film, Life Is But a Dream, first aired on HBO on February 16, 2013.[144] The film was co-directed by Beyoncé herself.[145] Beyoncé embarked on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour on April 15 in Belgrade, Serbia; the tour included 132 dates that ran through to March 2014. It became the most successful tour of her career and one of the most successful tours of all time.[146] In May, Beyoncé's cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" with André 3000 on The Great Gatsby soundtrack was released.[147] Beyoncé voiced Queen Tara in the 3D CGI animated film, Epic, released by 20th Century Fox on May 24,[148] and recorded an original song for the film, "Rise Up", co-written with Sia.[149] On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her eponymous fifth studio album on the iTunes Store without any prior announcement or promotion. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album in the US.[150] This made her the first woman in the chart's history to have her first five studio albums debut at number one.[151] Beyoncé received critical acclaim[152] and commercial success, selling one million digital copies worldwide in six days;[153] Musically an electro-R&B album, it concerns darker themes previously unexplored in her work, such as "bulimia, postnatal depression [and] the fears and insecurities of marriage and motherhood".[154] The single "Drunk in Love", featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[155] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Beyoncé sold 2.3 million units worldwide, becoming the tenth best-selling album of 2013.[156] The album also went on to become the twentieth best-selling album of 2014.[157] As of November 2014, Beyoncé has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and has generated over 1 billion streams, as of March 2015.[158] At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2015, Beyoncé was nominated for six awards, ultimately winning three: Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Drunk in Love", and Best Surround Sound Album for Beyoncé.[159][160] In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z officially announced their On the Run Tour. It served as the couple's first co-headlining stadium tour together.[161] On August 24, 2014, she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé also won home three competitive awards: Best Video with a Social Message and Best Cinematography for "Pretty Hurts", as well as best collaboration for "Drunk in Love".[162] In November, Forbes reported that Beyoncé was the top-earning woman in music for the second year in a row – earning $115 million in the year, more than double her earnings in 2013.[163] Beyoncé released "Formation" in on February 6, 2016, and performed it live for the first time during the NFL Super Bowl 50 halftime show. The appearance was considered controversial as it appeared to reference the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the NFL forbids political statements in its performances.[164][165][166] Immediately following the performance, Beyoncé announced The Formation World Tour, which highlighted stops in both North America and Europe.[167][168] It ended on October 7, with Beyoncé bringing out her husband Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Serena Williams for the last show.[169] The tour went on to win Tour of the Year at the 44th American Music Awards.[170] Beyoncé performing during The Formation World Tour in 2016. The tour grossed $256 million from 49 sold-out shows. In April 2016, Beyoncé released a teaser clip for a project called Lemonade. A one-hour film which aired on HBO on April 23, a corresponding album with the same title was released on the same day exclusively on Tidal.[171] Lemonade debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first act in Billboard history to have their first six studio albums debut atop the chart; she broke a record previously tied with DMX in 2013.[172] With all 12 tracks of Lemonade debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Beyoncé also became the first female act to chart 12 or more songs at the same time.[173] Lemonade was streamed 115 million times through Tidal, setting a record for the most-streamed album in a single week by a female artist in history.[174] It was 2016's third highest-selling album in the U.S. with 1.554 million copies sold in that time period within the country[175] as well as the best-selling album worldwide with global sales of 2.5 million throughout the year.[176] Lemonade became the most critically acclaimed work of her career.[177] Several music publications included the album among the best of 2016, including Rolling Stone, which listed Lemonade at number one.[178] The album's visuals were nominated in 11 categories at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, the most ever received by Beyoncé in a single year, and went on to win 8 awards, including Video of the Year for "Formation".[179][180] The eight wins made Beyoncé the most-awarded artist in the history of the VMAs (24), surpassing Madonna (20).[181] Beyoncé occupied the sixth place for Time magazine's 2016 Person of the Year.[182] In January 2017, it was announced that Beyoncé would headline the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. This would make Beyoncé only the second female headliner of the festival since it was founded in 1999.[183] It was later announced on February 23, 2017, that Beyoncé would no longer be able to perform at the festival due to doctor's concerns regarding her pregnancy. The festival owners announced that she will instead headline the 2018 festival.[184] Upon the announcement of Beyoncé's departure from the festival lineup, ticket prices dropped by 12%.[185] At the 59th Grammy Awards in February 2017, Lemonade led the nominations with nine, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year for Lemonade and "Formation" respectively.[186] and ultimately won two, Best Urban Contemporary Album for Lemonade and Best Music Video for "Formation".[187] In September 2017, Beyoncé collaborated with J Balvin and Willy William, to release a remix of the song "Mi Gente". Beyoncé donated all proceeds from the song to hurricane charities for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean Islands.[188] On November 10, Eminem released "Walk on Water" featuring Beyoncé as the lead single from his album Revival. On November 30, Ed Sheeran announced that Beyoncé would feature on the remix to his song "Perfect".[189] "Perfect Duet" was released on December 1, 2017. The song reached number-one in the United States, becoming Beyoncé's sixth song of her solo career to do so.[190] 2018–2021: Everything Is Love and The Lion King On January 4, 2018, the music video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 4:44 collaboration, "Family Feud" was released.[191] It was directed by Ava DuVernay. On March 1, 2018, DJ Khaled released "Top Off" as the first single from his forthcoming album Father of Asahd featuring Beyoncé, husband Jay-Z, and Future.[192] On March 5, 2018, a joint tour with Knowles's husband Jay-Z, was leaked on Facebook.[193] Information about the tour was later taken down. The couple announced the joint tour officially as On the Run II Tour on March 12[194] and simultaneously released a trailer for the tour on YouTube.[195] On April 14, 2018, Beyoncé played the first of two weekends as the headlining act of the Coachella Music Festival. Her performance of April 14, attended by 125,000 festival-goers, was immediately praised, with multiple media outlets describing it as historic. The performance became the most-tweeted-about performance of weekend one, as well as the most-watched live Coachella performance and the most-watched live performance on YouTube of all time. The show paid tribute to black culture, specifically historically black colleges and universities and featured a live band with over 100 dancers. Destiny's Child also reunited during the show.[196][197] On June 6, 2018, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z kicked-off the On the Run II Tour in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Ten days later, at their final London performance, the pair unveiled Everything Is Love, their joint studio album, credited under the name The Carters, and initially available exclusively on Tidal. The pair also released the video for the album's lead single, "Apeshit", on Beyoncé's official YouTube channel.[198][199] Everything Is Love received generally positive reviews,[200] and debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 123,000 album-equivalent units, of which 70,000 were pure album sales.[201] On December 2, 2018, Beyoncé alongside Jay-Z headlined the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 which was held at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.[202] Their 2-hour performance had concepts similar to the On the Run II Tour and Beyoncé was praised for her outfits, which paid tribute to Africa's diversity.[203] Beyoncé at The Lion King European premiere in 2019. Homecoming, a documentary and concert film focusing on Beyoncé's historic 2018 Coachella performances, was released by Netflix on April 17, 2019.[204][205] The film was accompanied by the surprise live album Homecoming: The Live Album.[206] It was later reported that Beyoncé and Netflix had signed a $60 million deal to produce three different projects, one of which is Homecoming.[207] Homecoming received six nominations at the 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[208] Beyoncé starred as the voice of Nala in the remake The Lion King, which was released in July 2019.[209] Beyoncé is featured on the film's soundtrack, released on July 11, 2019, with a remake of the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" alongside Donald Glover, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, which was originally composed by Elton John.[210] An original song from the film by Beyoncé, "Spirit", was released as the lead single from both the soundtrack and The Lion King: The Gift – a companion album released alongside the film, produced and curated by Beyoncé.[211][212] Beyoncé called The Lion King: The Gift a "sonic cinema". She stated that the album is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat.[211] The songs were produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set in Africa.[211] In September of the same year, a documentary chronicling the development, production and early music video filming of The Lion King: The Gift entitled "Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift" was aired on ABC. In March 2020, a photograph Beyoncé captured of her swimming pool was used as the album cover for rapper Jay Electronica's highly anticipated debut album A Written Testimony.[213] In April of the same year, Beyoncé was featured on the remix of Megan Thee Stallion's song "Savage", marking her first material of music for the year.[214] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Beyoncé's eleventh song to do so across all acts.[215] On June 19, 2020, Beyoncé released the nonprofit charity single "Black Parade".[216] On June 23, she followed up the release of its studio version with an a cappella version exclusively on Tidal.[217] Black Is King, a visual album based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, premiered globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020. Produced by Disney and Parkwood Entertainment, the film was written, directed and executively produced by Beyoncé. The film was described by Disney as "a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience".[218] Beyoncé received the most nominations (9) at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards and the most awards (4), which made her the most-awarded singer, most-awarded female artist, and second-most-awarded artist in Grammy history.[219] In 2021, Beyoncé wrote and recorded a song titled "Be Alive" for the biographical drama film King Richard.[220] She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 94th Academy Awards for the song, alongside co-writer DIXSON.[221] 2022–present: Renaissance Beyoncé performing at the Renaissance World Tour. On June 9, 2022, Beyoncé removed her profile pictures across various social media platforms causing speculation that she would be releasing new music.[222] Days later, Beyoncé caused further speculation via her nonprofit BeyGood's Twitter account hinting at her upcoming seventh studio album.[223] On June 15, 2022, Beyoncé officially announced her seventh studio album, titled Renaissance. The album was released on July 29, 2022.[224][225] The first single from Renaissance, "Break My Soul", was released on June 20, 2022.[226] The song became Beyoncé's 20th top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, and in doing so, Beyoncé joined Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson as the only artists in Hot 100 history to achieve at least twenty top tens as a solo artist and ten as a member of a group.[227] Upon release, Renaissance received universal acclaim from critics.[228] Renaissance debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and in doing so, Beyoncé became the first female artist to have her first seven studio albums debut at number one in the United States.[229] "Break My Soul" concurrently rose to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the twelfth song to do so across her career discography.[230] The song "Heated," which was co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, originally included the lyrics "Spazzin' on that ass / spazz on that ass". Critics, including a number of disability charities and activists, argued that the word "spaz" represented a derogatory term for spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. In response, in August 2022, a representative for Beyoncé issued a statement and explained that "The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced".[231][232] On January 21, 2023, Beyoncé performed in Dubai at a private show.[233] The performance, which was her first full concert in more than four years, was delivered to an audience of influencers and journalists.[234] Beyoncé was reportedly paid $24 million to perform.[235] Beyoncé faced criticism for her decision to perform in the United Arab Emirates where homosexuality is illegal.[235][234][236] On February 1, Beyoncé announced the Renaissance World Tour with dates in North America and Europe,[237] becoming for a short-span the highest-grossing tour by a female artist.[238] On July 28, Beyoncé appeared on "Delresto (Echoes)", the second single from rapper Travis Scott's album Utopia, eventually becoming her 100th career appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (encompassing Destiny's Child, her solo career, and musical duo The Carters).[239] Artistry Voice and musical style With "Single Ladies", clearly I'd just gotten married, and people want to get married every day – then there was the whole Justin Timberlake thing [recreating the video] on Saturday Night Live, and it was also the year YouTube blew up. With "Irreplaceable", the aggressive lyrics, the acoustic guitar, and the 808 drum machine – those things don't typically go together, and it sounded fresh. "Crazy in Love" was another one of those classic moments in pop culture that none of us expected. I asked Jay to get on the song the night before I had to turn my album in – thank God he did. It still never gets old, no matter how many times I sing it. —Beyoncé[240] Critics have described Beyoncé's voice as being mezzo-soprano.[241][242] Jody Rosen highlights her tone and timbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music".[243] Her vocal abilities mean she is identified as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.[244] Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that her voice is "velvety yet tart, with an insistent flutter and reserves of soul belting".[245] Rosen notes that the hip hop era highly influenced Beyoncé's unique rhythmic vocal style, but also finds her quite traditionalist in her use of balladry, gospel and falsetto.[243] Other critics praise her range and power, with Chris Richards of The Washington Post saying she was "capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars."[246] On the 2023 Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers of all time, Beyoncé ranked at number 8, with the publication noting that "in [her] voice lies the entire history of Black music".[247] Beyoncé's music is generally R&B,[248][249] pop[248][250] and hip hop[251] but she also incorporates soul and funk into her songs. 4 demonstrated Beyoncé's exploration of 1990s-style R&B, as well as further use of soul and hip hop than compared to previous releases.[240] While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Beyoncé recorded several Spanish songs for Irreemplazable (re-recordings of songs from B'Day for a Spanish-language audience), and the re-release of B'Day. To record these, Beyoncé was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.[252] Songwriting Beyoncé has received co-writing credits for most of her songs.[253] In regards to the way she approaches collaborative songwriting, Beyoncé explained: "I love being around great writers because I'm finding that a lot of the things I want to say, I don't articulate as good as maybe Amanda Ghost, so I want to keep collaborating with writers, and I love classics and I want to make sure years from now the song is still something that's relevant."[254] Her early songs with Destiny's Child were personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions like "Independent Women" and "Survivor", but after the start of her relationship with Jay-Z, she transitioned to more man-tending anthems such as "Cater 2 U".[255] Beyoncé's songwriting process is also notorious for combining parts of different tracks, resulting in alteration of song structures. Sia, who co-wrote "Pretty Hurts", called Beyoncé "very Frankenstein when she comes to songs";[256] Diana Gordon, who co-wrote "Don't Hurt Yourself" called her a "scientist of songs";[257] Caroline Polachek who co-wrote "No Angel", called her a "genius writer and producer for this reason. She's so good at seeing connections."[258] In 2001, she became the first Black woman and second female lyricist to win the Pop Songwriter of the Year award at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.[13][259] Beyoncé was the third woman to have writing credits on three number-one songs ("Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It") in the same year, after Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. She is tied with American lyricist Diane Warren at third with nine songwriting credits on number-one singles.[260] The latter wrote her 9/11-motivated song "I Was Here" for 4.[261] In May 2011, Billboard magazine listed Beyoncé at number 17 on their list of the Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She was one of only three women on that list, along with Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift.[262] Beyoncé has received criticism, including from journalists and musicians, for the extensive writing credits on her songs.[253] The controversy surrounding her songwriting credits began with interviews in which she attributed herself as the songwriter for songs in which she was a co-writer[263] or for which her contributions were marginal.[253] In a cover story for Vanity Fair in 2005, she claimed to have "written" several number-one songs for Destiny's Child, contrary to the credits, which list her as a co-writer among others.[263] During a 2007 interview with Barbara Walters, she claimed to have conceived the musical idea for the Destiny's Child song "Bootylicious",[264] which provoked the song's producer Rob Fusari to call her father and then-manager Mathew Knowles in protest over the claim. In 2010, Fusari told Billboard: "[Knowles] explained to me, in a nice way, he said, 'People don't want to hear about Rob Fusari, producer from Livingston, N.J. No offense, but that's not what sells records. What sells records is people believing that the artist is everything.'"[265] However, in an interview for Entertainment Weekly in 2016, Fusari said Beyoncé "had the 'Bootylicious' concept in her head. That was totally her. She knew what she wanted to say. It was very urban pop angle that they were taking on the record."[266] Influences Beyoncé's major influences include Michael Jackson (left) and Tina Turner (right). Beyoncé names Michael Jackson as her major musical influence.[267][268] Aged five, Beyoncé attended her first ever concert where Jackson performed and she claims to have realized her purpose.[269] When she presented him with a tribute award at the World Music Awards in 2006, Beyoncé said, "if it wasn't for Michael Jackson, I would never ever have performed."[270] Beyoncé was heavily influenced by Tina Turner, and once said "Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her strength feminine and sexy".[271][272] She admires Diana Ross as an "all-around entertainer",[273] and Whitney Houston, who she said "inspired me to get up there and do what she did."[274][275] Beyoncé cited Madonna as an influence "not only for her musical style, but also for her business sense",[276] saying that she wanted to "follow in the footsteps of Madonna and be a powerhouse and have my own empire."[277] She also credits Mariah Carey's singing and her song "Vision of Love" as influencing her to begin practicing vocal runs as a child.[278][279] Her other musical influences include Rachelle Ferrell,[280] Aaliyah,[281][282] Janet Jackson,[283][284] Prince,[285] Shakira,[286] Lauryn Hill,[273] Sade Adu,[287] Donna Summer,[288] Mary J. Blige,[289] Selena,[290] Anita Baker, and Toni Braxton.[273] The feminism and female empowerment themes on Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls[291] and by singer Josephine Baker.[292] Beyoncé paid homage to Baker by performing "Déjà Vu" at the 2006 Fashion Rocks concert wearing Baker's trademark mini-hula skirt embellished with fake bananas.[293] Beyoncé's third solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, was inspired by Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" inspired Beyoncé to explore other musical genres and styles.[294] Her fourth solo album, 4, was inspired by Fela Kuti, 1990s R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire, DeBarge, Lionel Richie, Teena Marie, The Jackson 5, New Edition, Adele, Florence and the Machine, and Prince.[240] Beyoncé has stated that she is personally inspired by Michelle Obama (the 44th First Lady of the United States), saying "she proves you can do it all",[295] and has described Oprah Winfrey as "the definition of inspiration and a strong woman."[273] She has also discussed how Jay-Z is a continuing inspiration to her, both with what she describes as his lyrical genius and in the obstacles he has overcome in his life.[296] Beyoncé has expressed admiration for the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, posting in a letter "what I find in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I search for in every day in music ... he is lyrical and raw".[297][298] Beyoncé also cited Cher as a fashion inspiration.[299] Music videos and stage Beyoncé performing during the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards In 2006, Beyoncé introduced her all-female tour band Suga Mama (also the name of a song on B'Day) which includes bassists, drummers, guitarists, horn players, keyboardists and percussionists.[300] Her background singers, The Mamas, consist of Montina Cooper-Donnell, Crystal Collins and Tiffany Moniqué Riddick. They made their debut appearance at the 2006 BET Awards and re-appeared in the music videos for "Irreplaceable" and "Green Light".[252] The band have supported Beyoncé in most subsequent live performances, including her 2007 concert tour The Beyoncé Experience, I Am... Tour (2009–2010), The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013–2014) and The Formation World Tour (2016). Beyoncé has received praise for her stage presence and voice during live performances. According to Barbara Ellen of The Guardian, Beyoncé is the most in-charge female artist she's seen onstage.[301] Similarly, Alice Jones of The Independent wrote she "takes her role as entertainer so seriously she's almost too good."[302] The ex-President of Def Jam L.A. Reid has described Beyoncé as the greatest entertainer alive.[303] Jim Farber of the Daily News and Stephanie Classen of The StarPhoenix both praised her strong voice and her stage presence.[304][305] Beyoncé's stage outfits have been met with criticism from many countries, such as Malaysia, where she has postponed or cancelled performances due to the country's strict laws banning revealing costumes.[306] Beyoncé has worked with numerous directors for her music videos throughout her career, including Melina Matsoukas, Jonas Åkerlund, and Jake Nava. Bill Condon, director of Beauty and the Beast, stated that the Lemonade visuals in particular served as inspiration for his film, commenting, "You look at Beyoncé's brilliant movie Lemonade, this genre is taking on so many different forms ... I do think that this very old-school break-out-into-song traditional musical is something that people understand again and really want."[307] Alter ego Described as being "sexy, seductive and provocative" when performing on stage, Beyoncé has said that she originally created the alter ego "Sasha Fierce" to keep that stage persona separate from who she really is. She described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating, "I'm not like her in real life at all."[46] Sasha was conceived during the making of "Crazy in Love", and Beyoncé introduced her with the release of her 2008 album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. In February 2010, she announced in an interview with Allure magazine that she was comfortable enough with herself to no longer need Sasha Fierce.[308] However, Beyoncé announced in May 2012 that she would bring her back for her Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live shows later that month.[309] Public image A woman waves to the crowd on a red-carpet Beyoncé at the premiere of her 2006 film Dreamgirls Beyoncé has been described as having a wide-ranging sex appeal, with music journalist Touré writing that since the release of Dangerously in Love, she has "become a crossover sex symbol".[310] Offstage Beyoncé says that while she likes to dress sexily, her onstage dress "is absolutely for the stage".[311] Due to her curves and the term's catchiness, in the 2000s, the media often used the term "bootylicious" (a portmanteau of the words "booty" and "delicious") to describe Beyoncé,[312][313] the term popularized by Destiny's Child's single of the same name. In 2006, it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.[314] In September 2010, Beyoncé made her runway modelling debut at Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.[315] She was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People[316] and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex in 2012.[317] In January 2013, GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.[318][319] VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list.[320] Several wax figures of Beyoncé are found at Madame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities around the world, including New York,[321] Washington, D.C.,[322] Amsterdam,[323] Bangkok,[324] Hollywood[325] and Sydney.[326] According to Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, Beyoncé uses different fashion styles to work with her music while performing.[327] Her mother co-wrote a book, published in 2002, titled Destiny's Style,[328] an account of how fashion affected the trio's success.[329] The B'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles.[330] In 2007, Beyoncé was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the second African American woman after Tyra Banks,[331] and People magazine recognized Beyoncé as the best-dressed celebrity.[332] Beyoncé has been named "Queen Bey" from publications over the years. The term is a reference to the common phrase "queen bee", a term used for the leader of a group of females. The nickname also refers to the queen of a beehive, with her fan base being named "The BeyHive". The BeyHive was previously titled "The Beyontourage", (a portmanteau of Beyoncé and entourage), but was changed after online petitions on Twitter and online news reports during competitions.[333] In 2006, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized Beyoncé for wearing and using fur in her clothing line House of Deréon.[334] Emmett Price, a professor of music at Northeastern University, wrote in 2007 that he thinks race plays a role in many criticisms of Beyoncé's image, saying white celebrities who dress similarly do not attract as many comments.[335] In 2008, L'Oréal was accused of whitening her skin in their Feria hair color advertisements, responding that "it is categorically untrue",[336][337] and in 2013, Beyoncé herself criticized H&M for their proposed "retouching" of promotional images of her, and according to Vogue requested that only "natural pictures be used".[338] Beyoncé has been a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. The release of "Formation" on February 6, 2016, saw her celebrate her heritage, with the song's music video featuring pro-black imagery and a shot of wall graffiti that says "Stop shooting us". The day after the song's release she performed it at the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show with back up dancers dressed to represent the Black Panther Party. This incited criticism from politicians and police officers, with some police boycotting Beyoncé's then upcoming Formation World Tour.[339] Beyoncé responded to the backlash by releasing tour merchandise that said "Boycott Beyoncé",[340][341][342] and later clarified her sentiment, saying: "Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken. I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe," Beyoncé said. "But let's be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things."[343] Personal life Marriage and children A woman stands next to a man who is performing using a microphone Beyoncé performing on the I Am... Tour with Jay-Z, whom she married in 2008 In 2002, Beyoncé and Jay-Z collaborated on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde",[344] which appeared on his seventh album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002).[345] Beyoncé appeared as Jay-Z's girlfriend in the music video for the song, fueling speculation about their relationship.[346] On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married without publicity.[347] As of April 2014, the couple had sold a combined 300 million records together.[161] They are known for their private relationship, although they have appeared to become more relaxed since 2013.[348] Both have acknowledged difficulty that arose in their marriage after Jay-Z had an affair.[349][350] Beyoncé miscarried around 2010 or 2011, describing it as "the saddest thing" she had ever endured.[351] She returned to the studio and wrote music to cope with the loss. In April 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z traveled to Paris to shoot the album cover for 4, and she unexpectedly became pregnant in Paris.[352] In August, the couple attended the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, at which Beyoncé performed "Love on Top" and ended the performance by revealing she was pregnant.[353] Her appearance helped that year's MTV Video Music Awards become the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers;[354] the announcement was listed in Guinness World Records for "most tweets per second recorded for a single event" on Twitter,[355] receiving 8,868 tweets per second[356] and "Beyonce pregnant" was the most Googled phrase the week of August 29, 2011.[357] On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter, Blue Ivy, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.[358] Following the release of Lemonade, which included the single "Sorry", in 2016, speculations arose about Jay-Z's alleged infidelity with a mistress referred to as "Becky". Jon Pareles in The New York Times pointed out that many of the accusations were "aimed specifically and recognizably" at him.[359] Similarly, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine noted the lines "Suck on my balls, I've had enough" were an "unmistakable hint" that the lyrics revolve around Jay-Z.[360] On February 1, 2017, she revealed on her Instagram account that she was expecting twins. Her announcement gained over 6.3 million likes within eight hours, breaking the world record for the most liked image on the website at the time.[361] On July 13, 2017, Beyoncé uploaded the first image of herself and the twins onto her Instagram account, confirming their birth date as a month prior, on June 13, 2017,[362] with the post becoming the second most liked on Instagram, behind her own pregnancy announcement.[363] The twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir, were born at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in California. She wrote of her pregnancy and its aftermath in the September 2018 issue of Vogue, in which she had full control of the cover, shot at Hammerwood Park by photographer Tyler Mitchell.[364][365] Activism Beyoncé performed "America the Beautiful" at President Barack Obama's 2009 presidential inauguration, as well as "At Last" during the first inaugural dance at the Neighborhood Ball two days later.[366] The couple held a fundraiser at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan for President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign[367] which raised $4 million.[368] Beyoncé voted for Obama in the 2012 presidential election.[369] She performed the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" at his second inauguration in January 2013.[140] The Washington Post reported in May 2015, that Beyoncé attended a major celebrity fundraiser for 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.[370] She also headlined for Clinton in a concert held the weekend before Election Day the next year. In this performance, Beyoncé and her entourage of backup dancers wore pantsuits; a clear allusion to Clinton's frequent dress-of-choice. The backup dancers also wore "I'm with her" tee shirts, the campaign slogan for Clinton. In a brief speech at this performance Beyoncé said, "I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and knowing that her possibilities are limitless."[371] She endorsed the bid of Beto O'Rourke during the 2018 United States Senate election in Texas.[372] A woman performing using a microphone Beyoncé has conducted several fundraising and donation campaigns during her tours In 2013, Beyoncé stated in an interview in Vogue that she considered herself to be "a modern-day feminist".[373] She would later align herself more publicly with the movement, sampling "We should all be feminists", a speech delivered by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at a TEDx talk in April 2013, in her song "Flawless", released later that year.[374] The next year she performed live at the MTV Video Awards in front a giant backdrop reading "Feminist".[375] Her self-identification incited a circulation of opinions and debate about whether her feminism is aligned with older, more established feminist ideals. Annie Lennox, celebrated artist and feminist advocate, referred to Beyoncé's use of her word feminist as 'feminist lite'.[376] Bell hooks critiqued Beyoncé, referring to her as a "terrorist" towards feminism, harmfully impacting her audience of young girls.[377] Adichie responded with "her type of feminism is not mine, as it is the kind that, at the same time, gives quite a lot of space to the necessity of men."[378] Adichie expands upon what "feminist lite" means to her, referring that "more troubling is the idea, in Feminism Lite, that men are naturally superior but should be expected to 'treat women well'" and "we judge powerful women more harshly than we judge powerful men. And Feminism Lite enables this."[379] Beyoncé responded about her intent by utilizing the definition of feminist with her platform was to "give clarity to the true meaning" behind it.[380] She says to understand what being a feminist is, "it's very simple. It's someone who believes in equal rights for men and women."[380] She advocated to provide equal opportunities for young boys and girls, men and women must begin to understand the double standards that remain persistent in our societies and the issue must be illuminated in effort to start making changes.[380] She has also contributed to the Ban Bossy campaign, which uses TV and social media to encourage leadership in girls.[381] Following Beyoncé's public identification as a feminist, the sexualized nature of her performances and the fact that she championed her marriage was questioned.[382] In December 2012, Beyoncé along with a variety of other celebrities teamed up and produced a video campaign for "Demand A Plan", a bipartisan effort by a group of 950 U.S. mayors and others[383] designed to influence the federal government into rethinking its gun control laws, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[384] Beyoncé publicly endorsed same-sex marriage on March 26, 2013, after the Supreme Court debate on California's Proposition 8.[385] She spoke against North Carolina's Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, a bill passed (and later repealed) that discriminated against the LGBT community in public places in a statement during her concert in Raleigh as part of the Formation World Tour in 2016.[386] She has condemned police brutality against black Americans. She and Jay-Z attended a rally in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin.[387] The film for her sixth album Lemonade included the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, holding pictures of their sons in the video for "Freedom".[388] In a 2016 interview with Elle, Beyoncé responded to the controversy surrounding her song "Formation" which was perceived to be critical of the police. She clarified, "I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me".[389] In February 2017, Beyoncé spoke

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (/biˈɒnseɪ/ ⓘ bee-ON-say)[4] (born September 4, 1981)[5] is an American singer, songwriter and businesswoman. Dubbed as "Queen Bey" and a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century, she has been recognized for her artistry and performances, with Rolling Stone naming her one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Beyoncé started performing in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw the release of Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love (2003). She then followed with the US number-one solo albums B'Day (2006), I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), and 4 (2011). After creating her own management company Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé achieved critical acclaim for the experimental visual albums Beyoncé (2013) and Lemonade (2016), which explored themes such as feminism and womanism. With her queer-inspired dance album Renaissance (2022), she became the first solo artist to have their first seven studio albums debut at number one in the US.[6] Beyoncé's most successful songs on the Billboard Hot 100 include "Crazy in Love", "Baby Boy", "Check On It", "Irreplaceable", "If I Were a Boy", "Halo", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Break My Soul" and "Cuff It". Her collaborative music ventures include Everything Is Love (2018), an album with her husband and rapper Jay-Z, released as the Carters, and the musical film Black Is King (2020), inspired by the music of the film soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift (2019). Homecoming: The Live Album (2019), which documents her 2018 Coachella performance, has been heralded as one of the best live albums for its tribute to black music history. Outside of music, she has starred as an actress in films such as Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), Obsessed (2009), and The Lion King (2019). Having sold 200 million records worldwide,[7] Beyoncé is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her accolades include a record 32 Grammy Awards, as well as 26 MTV Video Music Awards (including the 2014 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award), 24 NAACP Image Awards, 35 BET Awards, and 17 Soul Train Music Awards – all of which are more than any other artist in the music industry. Her success during the 2000s earned her recognition as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)'s Top Certified Artist of the Decade and Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade.[8] In 2014, Billboard named her the highest-earning black musician of all time. She is the most successful black touring act in history and received the Pollstar Touring Artist of the Decade award in 2021.[9][10] Time included her as one of the 100 women who defined the 21st century.[11] Life and career 1981–1996: Early life and career beginnings Beyonce Giselle Knowles[a] was born on September 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, to Celestine "Tina" Knowles (née Beyonce), a hairdresser and salon owner, and Mathew Knowles, a Xerox sales manager.[12] Tina is Louisiana Creole, and Mathew is African American.[13][14][15][16] Beyoncé's younger sister, Solange Knowles, is also a singer and a former backup dancer for Destiny's Child. Solange and Beyoncé are the first sisters to have both had number one solo albums.[17] Beyoncé's maternal grandparents, Lumas Beyince, and Agnez Dereon (daughter of Odilia Broussard and Eugene DeRouen),[18] were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles, with roots in New Iberia.[19] Beyoncé is considered a Creole, passed on to her by her grandparents.[18][20] She is a descendant of Acadian militia officer Joseph Broussard, who was exiled to French Louisiana after the expulsion of the Acadians.[14] Her fourth great-grandmother, Marie-Françoise Trahan, was born in 1774 in Bangor, located on Belle Île, France. Trahan was a daughter of Acadians who had taken refuge on Belle Île after the Acadian expulsion. The Estates of Brittany had divided the lands of Belle Île to distribute them among 78 other Acadian families and the already settled inhabitants. The Trahan family lived on Belle Île for over ten years before immigrating to Louisiana, where she married a Broussard descendant.[21] Beyoncé researched her ancestry and discovered that she is descended from a slave owner who married his slave.[22] Her mother is also of distant Irish, Jewish, Spanish, Chinese and Indonesian ancestry.[23][24][25][19] Beyoncé was raised Methodist and attended St. John's United Methodist Church.[26][27] She went to St. Mary's Montessori School in Houston, and enrolled in dance classes there.[28] Her singing was discovered when dance instructor Darlette Johnson began humming a song and she finished it, able to hit the high-pitched notes.[29] Beyoncé's interest in music and performing continued after winning a school talent show at age seven, singing John Lennon's "Imagine" to beat 15/16-year-olds.[30][31] In the fall of 1990, Beyoncé enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she would perform with the school's choir.[32] She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts[33] and later Alief Elsik High School.[13][34] Beyoncé was also a member of the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church where she sang her first solo and was a soloist for two years.[26][35] When Beyoncé was eight, she met LaTavia Roberson at an audition for an all-girl entertainment group.[36] They were placed into a group called Girl's Tyme with three other girls, and rapped and danced on the talent show circuit in Houston.[37] After seeing the group, R&B producer Arne Frager brought them to his Northern California studio and placed them in Star Search, the largest talent show on national TV at the time. Girl's Tyme failed to win, and Beyoncé later said the song they performed was not good.[38][39] In 1995, Beyoncé's father resigned from his job to manage the group.[40] The move reduced the family's income by half, and Beyoncé's parents were forced to sell their house and cars and move into separated apartments.[13][41] Mathew cut the original line-up to four and the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B girl groups.[36] The girls auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records, moving to Atlanta Records briefly to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the company.[13] This put further strain on the family, and Beyoncé's parents separated. On October 5, 1995, Dwayne Wiggins's Grass Roots Entertainment signed the group. In 1996, the girls began recording their debut album under an agreement with Sony Music, the Knowles family reunited, and shortly after, the group got a contract with Columbia Records with the assistance of Columbia talent scout Teresa LaBarbera Whites.[30] 1997–2002: Destiny's Child Main article: Destiny's Child Beyoncé (center) at the final line-up of Destiny's Child, performing during their 2005 Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It concert tour The group changed their name to Destiny's Child in 1996, based upon a passage in the Book of Isaiah.[42] In 1997, Destiny's Child released their major label debut song "Killing Time" on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.[39] In November, the group released their debut single and first major hit, "No, No, No". They released their self-titled debut album in February 1998, which established the group as a viable act in the music industry, with moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, and Best R&B/Soul Single for "No, No, No".[36] The group released their Multi-Platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" and "Say My Name", which became their most successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B Song at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.[36] The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies worldwide.[38] During this time, Beyoncé recorded a duet with Marc Nelson, an original member of Boyz II Men, on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man.[43] LeToya Luckett and Roberson became unhappy with Mathew's managing of the band and eventually were replaced by Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams.[36] Beyoncé experienced depression following the split with Luckett and Roberson after being publicly blamed by the media, critics, and blogs for its cause.[44] Her long-standing boyfriend left her at this time.[45] The depression was so severe it lasted for a couple of years, during which she occasionally kept herself in her bedroom for days and refused to eat anything.[46] Beyoncé stated that she struggled to speak about her depression because Destiny's Child had just won their first Grammy Award, and she feared no one would take her seriously.[47] Beyoncé would later speak of her mother as the person who helped her fight it.[46] Franklin was then dismissed, leaving just Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams.[48] The remaining band members recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks.[36] In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing their third album, Beyoncé landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th-century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet.[49] When the third album Survivor was released in May 2001, Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit claiming that the songs were aimed at them.[36] The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 663,000 copies sold.[50] The album spawned other number-one hits, "Bootylicious" and the title track, "Survivor", the latter of which earned the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[51] After releasing their holiday album 8 Days of Christmas in October 2001, the group announced a hiatus to further pursue solo careers.[36] In July 2002, Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut, playing Foxxy Cleopatra alongside Mike Myers in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember,[52] which spent its first weekend atop the U.S. box office and grossed $73 million.[53] Beyoncé released "Work It Out" as the lead single from its soundtrack album which entered the top ten in the UK, Norway, and Belgium.[54] In 2003, Beyoncé starred opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in the musical comedy The Fighting Temptations as Lilly, a single mother with whom Gooding's character falls in love.[55] The film received mixed reviews from critics but grossed $30 million in the U.S.[56][57] Beyoncé released "Fighting Temptation" as the lead single from the film's soundtrack album, with Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Free which was also used to promote the film.[58] Another of Beyoncé's contributions to the soundtrack, "Summertime", fared better on the U.S. charts.[59] 2003–2007: Dangerously in Love, B'Day, and Dreamgirls A woman, flanked by two male dancers, holds a microphone in one hand as she dances Beyoncé performing "Baby Boy", which spent nine consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[60] Beyoncé's first solo recording was a feature on Jay-Z's song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" that was released in October 2002, peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[61] On June 14, 2003, Beyoncé premiered songs from her first solo album Dangerously in Love during her first solo concert and the pay-per-view television special, "Ford Presents Beyoncé Knowles, Friends & Family, Live From Ford's 100th Anniversary Celebration in Dearborn, Michigan".[62] The album was released on June 24, 2003, after Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland had released their solo efforts.[63] The album sold 317,000 copies in its first week, debuted atop the Billboard 200,[64] and has since sold 11 million copies worldwide.[65] The album's lead single, "Crazy in Love", featuring Jay-Z, became Beyoncé's first number-one single as a solo artist in the US.[66] The single "Baby Boy" also reached number one,[60] and singles, "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl", both reached the top-five.[67] The album earned Beyoncé a then record-tying five awards at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards; Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Dangerously in Love 2", Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Crazy in Love", and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You" with Luther Vandross. During the ceremony, she performed with Prince.[68] In November 2003, she embarked on the Dangerously in Love Tour in Europe and later toured alongside Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys for the Verizon Ladies First Tour in North America.[69] On February 1, 2004, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII, at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.[70] After the release of Dangerously in Love, Beyoncé had planned to produce a follow-up album using several of the left-over tracks. However, this was put on hold so she could concentrate on recording Destiny Fulfilled, the final studio album by Destiny's Child.[71] Released on November 15, 2004, in the US[72] and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200,[73][74] Destiny Fulfilled included the singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier", which reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[75] Destiny's Child embarked on a worldwide concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It sponsored by McDonald's Corporation,[76] and performed songs such as "No, No, No", "Survivor", "Say My Name", "Independent Women" and "Lose My Breath". In addition to renditions of the group's recorded material, they also performed songs from each singer's solo careers, including numbers from Dangerously in Love. and during the last stop of their European tour, in Barcelona on June 11, 2005, Rowland announced that Destiny's Child would disband following the North American leg of the tour.[77] The group released their first compilation album Number 1's on October 25, 2005, in the US[78] and accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March 2006.[79] The group has sold 60 million records worldwide.[80][81] Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day was released on September 4, 2006, in the US, to coincide with her twenty-fifth birthday.[82] It sold 541,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming Beyoncé's second consecutive number-one album in the United States.[83] The album's lead single "Déjà Vu", featuring Jay-Z, reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[67] The second international single "Irreplaceable" was a commercial success worldwide, reaching number one in Australia, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.[67][84] B'Day also produced three other singles; "Ring the Alarm",[85] "Get Me Bodied",[86] and "Green Light" (released in the United Kingdom only).[87] A woman stands with a microphone Beyoncé performing during The Beyoncé Experience tour in 2007 At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007), B'Day was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ring the Alarm" and Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration"for "Déjà Vu"; the Freemasons club mix of "Déjà Vu" without the rap was put forward in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category. B'Day won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.[88] The following year, B'Day received two nominations – for Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Beautiful Liar" (with Shakira), also receiving a nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Pictures, Television or Other Visual Media for her appearance on Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture (2006).[89] Her first acting role of 2006 was in the comedy film The Pink Panther starring opposite Steve Martin,[90] grossing $158.8 million at the box office worldwide.[91] Her second film Dreamgirls, the film version of the 1981 Broadway musical[92] loosely based on The Supremes, received acclaim from critics and grossed $154 million internationally.[93][94][95] In it, she starred opposite Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy playing a pop singer based on Diana Ross.[96] To promote the film, Beyoncé released "Listen" as the lead single from the soundtrack album.[97] In April 2007, Beyoncé embarked on The Beyoncé Experience, her first worldwide concert tour, visiting 97 venues[98] and grossed over $24 million.[note 1] Beyoncé conducted pre-concert food donation drives during six major stops in conjunction with her pastor at St. John's and America's Second Harvest. At the same time, B'Day was re-released with five additional songs, including her duet with Shakira "Beautiful Liar".[100] 2008–2012: I Am... Sasha Fierce and 4 A woman stands looking out to a crowd Beyoncé performing during the I Am... Tour. I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in November 2008 and formally introduced Beyoncé's alter ego Sasha Fierce.[101] It was met with mixed reviews from critics,[102] but sold 482,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop the Billboard 200, and giving Beyoncé her third consecutive number-one album in the US.[103] The album featured her fourth UK number-one single "If I Were a Boy" and her fifth U.S. number-one song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[104] "Halo" achieved the accomplishment of becoming her longest-running Hot 100 single in her career,[105] "Halo"'s success in the U.S. helped Beyoncé attain more top-ten singles on the list than any other woman during the 2000s.[106] The music video for "Single Ladies" has been parodied and imitated around the world, spawning the "first major dance craze" of the Internet age according to the Toronto Star.[107] At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won three categories, including Video of the Year.[108] Its failure to win the Best Female Video category, which went to American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me", led to Kanye West interrupting the ceremony and Beyoncé improvising a re-presentation of Swift's award during her own acceptance speech.[108] In March 2009, Beyoncé embarked on the I Am... Tour, her second headlining worldwide concert tour, consisting of 108 shows, grossing $119.5 million.[109] Beyoncé further expanded her acting career, starring as blues singer Etta James in the 2008 musical biopic Cadillac Records. Her performance in the film received praise from critics,[110] and she garnered several nominations for her portrayal of James, including a Satellite Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress.[111][112] Beyoncé donated her entire salary from the film to Phoenix House, an organization of rehabilitation centers for heroin addicts around the country.[113] Beyoncé starred opposite Ali Larter and Idris Elba in the thriller, Obsessed. She played Sharon Charles, a mother and wife whose family is threatened by her husband's stalker. The film received negative reviews from critics,[114] and did well at the U.S. box office, grossing $68 million – $60 million more than Cadillac Records[115] – on a budget of $20 million.[116] At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé received ten nominations, tying with Lauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist.[117] Beyoncé went on to win six of those nominations, breaking a record she previously tied in 2004 for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist with six. In 2010, Beyoncé provide guest vocals on Lady Gaga's single "Telephone".[118][119] The song topped the U.S. Pop Songs chart, becoming the sixth number-one for both Beyoncé and Gaga, tying them with Mariah Carey for most number-ones since the Nielsen Top 40 airplay chart launched in 1992.[120] Beyoncé announced a hiatus from her music career in January 2010, heeding her mother's advice, "to live life, to be inspired by things again".[121][122] During the break she and her father parted ways as business partners.[123][124] Beyoncé's musical break lasted nine months and saw her visit multiple European cities, the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, Australia, English music festivals and various museums and ballet performances.[121][125] "Eat, Play, Love", a cover story written by Beyoncé for Essence that detailed her 2010 career break, won her a writing award from the New York Association of Black Journalists.[126] The upper body of a woman is shown as she sings into a microphone Beyoncé's performing during her 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concert residency in August 2011 On June 26, 2011, she became the first solo female artist to headline the main Pyramid stage at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival in over twenty years.[127][128] The performance was lauded, with several publications noting an ascension in Knowles' capabilities as a live performer. Other publications discussed the polarized attitude of the UK music establishment in response to a Black woman performing on the same stages and to the same crowd sizes that were past reserved for legacy rock acts.[129][130] Her fourth studio album 4 was released two days prior in the US.[131] 4 sold 310,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fourth consecutive number-one album in the US. The album was preceded by two of its singles "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had".[67][118][132] The fourth single "Love on Top" spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest peak from the album.[133] In late 2011, she took the stage at New York's Roseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances:[134] the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts saw the performance of her 4 album to a standing room only.[134] On August 1, 2011, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having shipped 1 million copies to retail stores.[135] By December 2015, it reached sales of 1.5 million copies in the US.[136] The album reached one billion Spotify streams on February 5, 2018, making Beyoncé the first female artist to have three of their albums surpass one billion streams on the platform.[137] In June 2012, she performed for four nights at Revel Atlantic City's Ovation Hall to celebrate the resort's opening, her first performances since giving birth to her daughter.[138][139] 2013–2017: Super Bowl XLVII, Beyoncé, and Lemonade Beyoncé performing at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show on February 3, 2013. In January 2013, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem singing along with a pre-recorded track at President Obama's second inauguration in Washington, D.C.[140][141] The following month, Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show, held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.[142] The performance stands as the second most tweeted about moment in history at 268,000 tweets per minute.[143] Her feature-length documentary film, Life Is But a Dream, first aired on HBO on February 16, 2013.[144] The film was co-directed by Beyoncé herself.[145] Beyoncé embarked on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour on April 15 in Belgrade, Serbia; the tour included 132 dates that ran through to March 2014. It became the most successful tour of her career and one of the most successful tours of all time.[146] In May, Beyoncé's cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" with André 3000 on The Great Gatsby soundtrack was released.[147] Beyoncé voiced Queen Tara in the 3D CGI animated film, Epic, released by 20th Century Fox on May 24,[148] and recorded an original song for the film, "Rise Up", co-written with Sia.[149] On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her eponymous fifth studio album on the iTunes Store without any prior announcement or promotion. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album in the US.[150] This made her the first woman in the chart's history to have her first five studio albums debut at number one.[151] Beyoncé received critical acclaim[152] and commercial success, selling one million digital copies worldwide in six days;[153] Musically an electro-R&B album, it concerns darker themes previously unexplored in her work, such as "bulimia, postnatal depression [and] the fears and insecurities of marriage and motherhood".[154] The single "Drunk in Love", featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[155] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Beyoncé sold 2.3 million units worldwide, becoming the tenth best-selling album of 2013.[156] The album also went on to become the twentieth best-selling album of 2014.[157] As of November 2014, Beyoncé has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and has generated over 1 billion streams, as of March 2015.[158] At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2015, Beyoncé was nominated for six awards, ultimately winning three: Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Drunk in Love", and Best Surround Sound Album for Beyoncé.[159][160] In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z officially announced their On the Run Tour. It served as the couple's first co-headlining stadium tour together.[161] On August 24, 2014, she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé also won home three competitive awards: Best Video with a Social Message and Best Cinematography for "Pretty Hurts", as well as best collaboration for "Drunk in Love".[162] In November, Forbes reported that Beyoncé was the top-earning woman in music for the second year in a row – earning $115 million in the year, more than double her earnings in 2013.[163] Beyoncé released "Formation" in on February 6, 2016, and performed it live for the first time during the NFL Super Bowl 50 halftime show. The appearance was considered controversial as it appeared to reference the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the NFL forbids political statements in its performances.[164][165][166] Immediately following the performance, Beyoncé announced The Formation World Tour, which highlighted stops in both North America and Europe.[167][168] It ended on October 7, with Beyoncé bringing out her husband Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Serena Williams for the last show.[169] The tour went on to win Tour of the Year at the 44th American Music Awards.[170] Beyoncé performing during The Formation World Tour in 2016. The tour grossed $256 million from 49 sold-out shows. In April 2016, Beyoncé released a teaser clip for a project called Lemonade. A one-hour film which aired on HBO on April 23, a corresponding album with the same title was released on the same day exclusively on Tidal.[171] Lemonade debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first act in Billboard history to have their first six studio albums debut atop the chart; she broke a record previously tied with DMX in 2013.[172] With all 12 tracks of Lemonade debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Beyoncé also became the first female act to chart 12 or more songs at the same time.[173] Lemonade was streamed 115 million times through Tidal, setting a record for the most-streamed album in a single week by a female artist in history.[174] It was 2016's third highest-selling album in the U.S. with 1.554 million copies sold in that time period within the country[175] as well as the best-selling album worldwide with global sales of 2.5 million throughout the year.[176] Lemonade became the most critically acclaimed work of her career.[177] Several music publications included the album among the best of 2016, including Rolling Stone, which listed Lemonade at number one.[178] The album's visuals were nominated in 11 categories at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, the most ever received by Beyoncé in a single year, and went on to win 8 awards, including Video of the Year for "Formation".[179][180] The eight wins made Beyoncé the most-awarded artist in the history of the VMAs (24), surpassing Madonna (20).[181] Beyoncé occupied the sixth place for Time magazine's 2016 Person of the Year.[182] In January 2017, it was announced that Beyoncé would headline the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. This would make Beyoncé only the second female headliner of the festival since it was founded in 1999.[183] It was later announced on February 23, 2017, that Beyoncé would no longer be able to perform at the festival due to doctor's concerns regarding her pregnancy. The festival owners announced that she will instead headline the 2018 festival.[184] Upon the announcement of Beyoncé's departure from the festival lineup, ticket prices dropped by 12%.[185] At the 59th Grammy Awards in February 2017, Lemonade led the nominations with nine, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year for Lemonade and "Formation" respectively.[186] and ultimately won two, Best Urban Contemporary Album for Lemonade and Best Music Video for "Formation".[187] In September 2017, Beyoncé collaborated with J Balvin and Willy William, to release a remix of the song "Mi Gente". Beyoncé donated all proceeds from the song to hurricane charities for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean Islands.[188] On November 10, Eminem released "Walk on Water" featuring Beyoncé as the lead single from his album Revival. On November 30, Ed Sheeran announced that Beyoncé would feature on the remix to his song "Perfect".[189] "Perfect Duet" was released on December 1, 2017. The song reached number-one in the United States, becoming Beyoncé's sixth song of her solo career to do so.[190] 2018–2021: Everything Is Love and The Lion King On January 4, 2018, the music video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 4:44 collaboration, "Family Feud" was released.[191] It was directed by Ava DuVernay. On March 1, 2018, DJ Khaled released "Top Off" as the first single from his forthcoming album Father of Asahd featuring Beyoncé, husband Jay-Z, and Future.[192] On March 5, 2018, a joint tour with Knowles's husband Jay-Z, was leaked on Facebook.[193] Information about the tour was later taken down. The couple announced the joint tour officially as On the Run II Tour on March 12[194] and simultaneously released a trailer for the tour on YouTube.[195] On April 14, 2018, Beyoncé played the first of two weekends as the headlining act of the Coachella Music Festival. Her performance of April 14, attended by 125,000 festival-goers, was immediately praised, with multiple media outlets describing it as historic. The performance became the most-tweeted-about performance of weekend one, as well as the most-watched live Coachella performance and the most-watched live performance on YouTube of all time. The show paid tribute to black culture, specifically historically black colleges and universities and featured a live band with over 100 dancers. Destiny's Child also reunited during the show.[196][197] On June 6, 2018, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z kicked-off the On the Run II Tour in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Ten days later, at their final London performance, the pair unveiled Everything Is Love, their joint studio album, credited under the name The Carters, and initially available exclusively on Tidal. The pair also released the video for the album's lead single, "Apeshit", on Beyoncé's official YouTube channel.[198][199] Everything Is Love received generally positive reviews,[200] and debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 123,000 album-equivalent units, of which 70,000 were pure album sales.[201] On December 2, 2018, Beyoncé alongside Jay-Z headlined the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 which was held at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.[202] Their 2-hour performance had concepts similar to the On the Run II Tour and Beyoncé was praised for her outfits, which paid tribute to Africa's diversity.[203] Beyoncé at The Lion King European premiere in 2019. Homecoming, a documentary and concert film focusing on Beyoncé's historic 2018 Coachella performances, was released by Netflix on April 17, 2019.[204][205] The film was accompanied by the surprise live album Homecoming: The Live Album.[206] It was later reported that Beyoncé and Netflix had signed a $60 million deal to produce three different projects, one of which is Homecoming.[207] Homecoming received six nominations at the 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[208] Beyoncé starred as the voice of Nala in the remake The Lion King, which was released in July 2019.[209] Beyoncé is featured on the film's soundtrack, released on July 11, 2019, with a remake of the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" alongside Donald Glover, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, which was originally composed by Elton John.[210] An original song from the film by Beyoncé, "Spirit", was released as the lead single from both the soundtrack and The Lion King: The Gift – a companion album released alongside the film, produced and curated by Beyoncé.[211][212] Beyoncé called The Lion King: The Gift a "sonic cinema". She stated that the album is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat.[211] The songs were produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set in Africa.[211] In September of the same year, a documentary chronicling the development, production and early music video filming of The Lion King: The Gift entitled "Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift" was aired on ABC. In March 2020, a photograph Beyoncé captured of her swimming pool was used as the album cover for rapper Jay Electronica's highly anticipated debut album A Written Testimony.[213] In April of the same year, Beyoncé was featured on the remix of Megan Thee Stallion's song "Savage", marking her first material of music for the year.[214] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Beyoncé's eleventh song to do so across all acts.[215] On June 19, 2020, Beyoncé released the nonprofit charity single "Black Parade".[216] On June 23, she followed up the release of its studio version with an a cappella version exclusively on Tidal.[217] Black Is King, a visual album based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, premiered globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020. Produced by Disney and Parkwood Entertainment, the film was written, directed and executively produced by Beyoncé. The film was described by Disney as "a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience".[218] Beyoncé received the most nominations (9) at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards and the most awards (4), which made her the most-awarded singer, most-awarded female artist, and second-most-awarded artist in Grammy history.[219] In 2021, Beyoncé wrote and recorded a song titled "Be Alive" for the biographical drama film King Richard.[220] She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 94th Academy Awards for the song, alongside co-writer DIXSON.[221] 2022–present: Renaissance Beyoncé performing at the Renaissance World Tour. On June 9, 2022, Beyoncé removed her profile pictures across various social media platforms causing speculation that she would be releasing new music.[222] Days later, Beyoncé caused further speculation via her nonprofit BeyGood's Twitter account hinting at her upcoming seventh studio album.[223] On June 15, 2022, Beyoncé officially announced her seventh studio album, titled Renaissance. The album was released on July 29, 2022.[224][225] The first single from Renaissance, "Break My Soul", was released on June 20, 2022.[226] The song became Beyoncé's 20th top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, and in doing so, Beyoncé joined Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson as the only artists in Hot 100 history to achieve at least twenty top tens as a solo artist and ten as a member of a group.[227] Upon release, Renaissance received universal acclaim from critics.[228] Renaissance debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and in doing so, Beyoncé became the first female artist to have her first seven studio albums debut at number one in the United States.[229] "Break My Soul" concurrently rose to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the twelfth song to do so across her career discography.[230] The song "Heated," which was co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, originally included the lyrics "Spazzin' on that ass / spazz on that ass". Critics, including a number of disability charities and activists, argued that the word "spaz" represented a derogatory term for spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. In response, in August 2022, a representative for Beyoncé issued a statement and explained that "The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced".[231][232] On January 21, 2023, Beyoncé performed in Dubai at a private show.[233] The performance, which was her first full concert in more than four years, was delivered to an audience of influencers and journalists.[234] Beyoncé was reportedly paid $24 million to perform.[235] Beyoncé faced criticism for her decision to perform in the United Arab Emirates where homosexuality is illegal.[235][234][236] On February 1, Beyoncé announced the Renaissance World Tour with dates in North America and Europe,[237] becoming for a short-span the highest-grossing tour by a female artist.[238] On July 28, Beyoncé appeared on "Delresto (Echoes)", the second single from rapper Travis Scott's album Utopia, eventually becoming her 100th career appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (encompassing Destiny's Child, her solo career, and musical duo The Carters).[239] Artistry Voice and musical style With "Single Ladies", clearly I'd just gotten married, and people want to get married every day – then there was the whole Justin Timberlake thing [recreating the video] on Saturday Night Live, and it was also the year YouTube blew up. With "Irreplaceable", the aggressive lyrics, the acoustic guitar, and the 808 drum machine – those things don't typically go together, and it sounded fresh. "Crazy in Love" was another one of those classic moments in pop culture that none of us expected. I asked Jay to get on the song the night before I had to turn my album in – thank God he did. It still never gets old, no matter how many times I sing it. —Beyoncé[240] Critics have described Beyoncé's voice as being mezzo-soprano.[241][242] Jody Rosen highlights her tone and timbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music".[243] Her vocal abilities mean she is identified as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.[244] Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that her voice is "velvety yet tart, with an insistent flutter and reserves of soul belting".[245] Rosen notes that the hip hop era highly influenced Beyoncé's unique rhythmic vocal style, but also finds her quite traditionalist in her use of balladry, gospel and falsetto.[243] Other critics praise her range and power, with Chris Richards of The Washington Post saying she was "capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars."[246] On the 2023 Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers of all time, Beyoncé ranked at number 8, with the publication noting that "in [her] voice lies the entire history of Black music".[247] Beyoncé's music is generally R&B,[248][249] pop[248][250] and hip hop[251] but she also incorporates soul and funk into her songs. 4 demonstrated Beyoncé's exploration of 1990s-style R&B, as well as further use of soul and hip hop than compared to previous releases.[240] While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Beyoncé recorded several Spanish songs for Irreemplazable (re-recordings of songs from B'Day for a Spanish-language audience), and the re-release of B'Day. To record these, Beyoncé was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.[252] Songwriting Beyoncé has received co-writing credits for most of her songs.[253] In regards to the way she approaches collaborative songwriting, Beyoncé explained: "I love being around great writers because I'm finding that a lot of the things I want to say, I don't articulate as good as maybe Amanda Ghost, so I want to keep collaborating with writers, and I love classics and I want to make sure years from now the song is still something that's relevant."[254] Her early songs with Destiny's Child were personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions like "Independent Women" and "Survivor", but after the start of her relationship with Jay-Z, she transitioned to more man-tending anthems such as "Cater 2 U".[255] Beyoncé's songwriting process is also notorious for combining parts of different tracks, resulting in alteration of song structures. Sia, who co-wrote "Pretty Hurts", called Beyoncé "very Frankenstein when she comes to songs";[256] Diana Gordon, who co-wrote "Don't Hurt Yourself" called her a "scientist of songs";[257] Caroline Polachek who co-wrote "No Angel", called her a "genius writer and producer for this reason. She's so good at seeing connections."[258] In 2001, she became the first Black woman and second female lyricist to win the Pop Songwriter of the Year award at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.[13][259] Beyoncé was the third woman to have writing credits on three number-one songs ("Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It") in the same year, after Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. She is tied with American lyricist Diane Warren at third with nine songwriting credits on number-one singles.[260] The latter wrote her 9/11-motivated song "I Was Here" for 4.[261] In May 2011, Billboard magazine listed Beyoncé at number 17 on their list of the Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She was one of only three women on that list, along with Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift.[262] Beyoncé has received criticism, including from journalists and musicians, for the extensive writing credits on her songs.[253] The controversy surrounding her songwriting credits began with interviews in which she attributed herself as the songwriter for songs in which she was a co-writer[263] or for which her contributions were marginal.[253] In a cover story for Vanity Fair in 2005, she claimed to have "written" several number-one songs for Destiny's Child, contrary to the credits, which list her as a co-writer among others.[263] During a 2007 interview with Barbara Walters, she claimed to have conceived the musical idea for the Destiny's Child song "Bootylicious",[264] which provoked the song's producer Rob Fusari to call her father and then-manager Mathew Knowles in protest over the claim. In 2010, Fusari told Billboard: "[Knowles] explained to me, in a nice way, he said, 'People don't want to hear about Rob Fusari, producer from Livingston, N.J. No offense, but that's not what sells records. What sells records is people believing that the artist is everything.'"[265] However, in an interview for Entertainment Weekly in 2016, Fusari said Beyoncé "had the 'Bootylicious' concept in her head. That was totally her. She knew what she wanted to say. It was very urban pop angle that they were taking on the record."[266] Influences Beyoncé's major influences include Michael Jackson (left) and Tina Turner (right). Beyoncé names Michael Jackson as her major musical influence.[267][268] Aged five, Beyoncé attended her first ever concert where Jackson performed and she claims to have realized her purpose.[269] When she presented him with a tribute award at the World Music Awards in 2006, Beyoncé said, "if it wasn't for Michael Jackson, I would never ever have performed."[270] Beyoncé was heavily influenced by Tina Turner, and once said "Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her strength feminine and sexy".[271][272] She admires Diana Ross as an "all-around entertainer",[273] and Whitney Houston, who she said "inspired me to get up there and do what she did."[274][275] Beyoncé cited Madonna as an influence "not only for her musical style, but also for her business sense",[276] saying that she wanted to "follow in the footsteps of Madonna and be a powerhouse and have my own empire."[277] She also credits Mariah Carey's singing and her song "Vision of Love" as influencing her to begin practicing vocal runs as a child.[278][279] Her other musical influences include Rachelle Ferrell,[280] Aaliyah,[281][282] Janet Jackson,[283][284] Prince,[285] Shakira,[286] Lauryn Hill,[273] Sade Adu,[287] Donna Summer,[288] Mary J. Blige,[289] Selena,[290] Anita Baker, and Toni Braxton.[273] The feminism and female empowerment themes on Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls[291] and by singer Josephine Baker.[292] Beyoncé paid homage to Baker by performing "Déjà Vu" at the 2006 Fashion Rocks concert wearing Baker's trademark mini-hula skirt embellished with fake bananas.[293] Beyoncé's third solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, was inspired by Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" inspired Beyoncé to explore other musical genres and styles.[294] Her fourth solo album, 4, was inspired by Fela Kuti, 1990s R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire, DeBarge, Lionel Richie, Teena Marie, The Jackson 5, New Edition, Adele, Florence and the Machine, and Prince.[240] Beyoncé has stated that she is personally inspired by Michelle Obama (the 44th First Lady of the United States), saying "she proves you can do it all",[295] and has described Oprah Winfrey as "the definition of inspiration and a strong woman."[273] She has also discussed how Jay-Z is a continuing inspiration to her, both with what she describes as his lyrical genius and in the obstacles he has overcome in his life.[296] Beyoncé has expressed admiration for the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, posting in a letter "what I find in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I search for in every day in music ... he is lyrical and raw".[297][298] Beyoncé also cited Cher as a fashion inspiration.[299] Music videos and stage Beyoncé performing during the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards In 2006, Beyoncé introduced her all-female tour band Suga Mama (also the name of a song on B'Day) which includes bassists, drummers, guitarists, horn players, keyboardists and percussionists.[300] Her background singers, The Mamas, consist of Montina Cooper-Donnell, Crystal Collins and Tiffany Moniqué Riddick. They made their debut appearance at the 2006 BET Awards and re-appeared in the music videos for "Irreplaceable" and "Green Light".[252] The band have supported Beyoncé in most subsequent live performances, including her 2007 concert tour The Beyoncé Experience, I Am... Tour (2009–2010), The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013–2014) and The Formation World Tour (2016). Beyoncé has received praise for her stage presence and voice during live performances. According to Barbara Ellen of The Guardian, Beyoncé is the most in-charge female artist she's seen onstage.[301] Similarly, Alice Jones of The Independent wrote she "takes her role as entertainer so seriously she's almost too good."[302] The ex-President of Def Jam L.A. Reid has described Beyoncé as the greatest entertainer alive.[303] Jim Farber of the Daily News and Stephanie Classen of The StarPhoenix both praised her strong voice and her stage presence.[304][305] Beyoncé's stage outfits have been met with criticism from many countries, such as Malaysia, where she has postponed or cancelled performances due to the country's strict laws banning revealing costumes.[306] Beyoncé has worked with numerous directors for her music videos throughout her career, including Melina Matsoukas, Jonas Åkerlund, and Jake Nava. Bill Condon, director of Beauty and the Beast, stated that the Lemonade visuals in particular served as inspiration for his film, commenting, "You look at Beyoncé's brilliant movie Lemonade, this genre is taking on so many different forms ... I do think that this very old-school break-out-into-song traditional musical is something that people understand again and really want."[307] Alter ego Described as being "sexy, seductive and provocative" when performing on stage, Beyoncé has said that she originally created the alter ego "Sasha Fierce" to keep that stage persona separate from who she really is. She described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating, "I'm not like her in real life at all."[46] Sasha was conceived during the making of "Crazy in Love", and Beyoncé introduced her with the release of her 2008 album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. In February 2010, she announced in an interview with Allure magazine that she was comfortable enough with herself to no longer need Sasha Fierce.[308] However, Beyoncé announced in May 2012 that she would bring her back for her Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live shows later that month.[309] Public image A woman waves to the crowd on a red-carpet Beyoncé at the premiere of her 2006 film Dreamgirls Beyoncé has been described as having a wide-ranging sex appeal, with music journalist Touré writing that since the release of Dangerously in Love, she has "become a crossover sex symbol".[310] Offstage Beyoncé says that while she likes to dress sexily, her onstage dress "is absolutely for the stage".[311] Due to her curves and the term's catchiness, in the 2000s, the media often used the term "bootylicious" (a portmanteau of the words "booty" and "delicious") to describe Beyoncé,[312][313] the term popularized by Destiny's Child's single of the same name. In 2006, it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.[314] In September 2010, Beyoncé made her runway modelling debut at Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.[315] She was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People[316] and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex in 2012.[317] In January 2013, GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.[318][319] VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list.[320] Several wax figures of Beyoncé are found at Madame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities around the world, including New York,[321] Washington, D.C.,[322] Amsterdam,[323] Bangkok,[324] Hollywood[325] and Sydney.[326] According to Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, Beyoncé uses different fashion styles to work with her music while performing.[327] Her mother co-wrote a book, published in 2002, titled Destiny's Style,[328] an account of how fashion affected the trio's success.[329] The B'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles.[330] In 2007, Beyoncé was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the second African American woman after Tyra Banks,[331] and People magazine recognized Beyoncé as the best-dressed celebrity.[332] Beyoncé has been named "Queen Bey" from publications over the years. The term is a reference to the common phrase "queen bee", a term used for the leader of a group of females. The nickname also refers to the queen of a beehive, with her fan base being named "The BeyHive". The BeyHive was previously titled "The Beyontourage", (a portmanteau of Beyoncé and entourage), but was changed after online petitions on Twitter and online news reports during competitions.[333] In 2006, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized Beyoncé for wearing and using fur in her clothing line House of Deréon.[334] Emmett Price, a professor of music at Northeastern University, wrote in 2007 that he thinks race plays a role in many criticisms of Beyoncé's image, saying white celebrities who dress similarly do not attract as many comments.[335] In 2008, L'Oréal was accused of whitening her skin in their Feria hair color advertisements, responding that "it is categorically untrue",[336][337] and in 2013, Beyoncé herself criticized H&M for their proposed "retouching" of promotional images of her, and according to Vogue requested that only "natural pictures be used".[338] Beyoncé has been a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. The release of "Formation" on February 6, 2016, saw her celebrate her heritage, with the song's music video featuring pro-black imagery and a shot of wall graffiti that says "Stop shooting us". The day after the song's release she performed it at the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show with back up dancers dressed to represent the Black Panther Party. This incited criticism from politicians and police officers, with some police boycotting Beyoncé's then upcoming Formation World Tour.[339] Beyoncé responded to the backlash by releasing tour merchandise that said "Boycott Beyoncé",[340][341][342] and later clarified her sentiment, saying: "Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken. I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe," Beyoncé said. "But let's be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things."[343] Personal life Marriage and children A woman stands next to a man who is performing using a microphone Beyoncé performing on the I Am... Tour with Jay-Z, whom she married in 2008 In 2002, Beyoncé and Jay-Z collaborated on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde",[344] which appeared on his seventh album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002).[345] Beyoncé appeared as Jay-Z's girlfriend in the music video for the song, fueling speculation about their relationship.[346] On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married without publicity.[347] As of April 2014, the couple had sold a combined 300 million records together.[161] They are known for their private relationship, although they have appeared to become more relaxed since 2013.[348] Both have acknowledged difficulty that arose in their marriage after Jay-Z had an affair.[349][350] Beyoncé miscarried around 2010 or 2011, describing it as "the saddest thing" she had ever endured.[351] She returned to the studio and wrote music to cope with the loss. In April 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z traveled to Paris to shoot the album cover for 4, and she unexpectedly became pregnant in Paris.[352] In August, the couple attended the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, at which Beyoncé performed "Love on Top" and ended the performance by revealing she was pregnant.[353] Her appearance helped that year's MTV Video Music Awards become the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers;[354] the announcement was listed in Guinness World Records for "most tweets per second recorded for a single event" on Twitter,[355] receiving 8,868 tweets per second[356] and "Beyonce pregnant" was the most Googled phrase the week of August 29, 2011.[357] On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter, Blue Ivy, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.[358] Following the release of Lemonade, which included the single "Sorry", in 2016, speculations arose about Jay-Z's alleged infidelity with a mistress referred to as "Becky". Jon Pareles in The New York Times pointed out that many of the accusations were "aimed specifically and recognizably" at him.[359] Similarly, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine noted the lines "Suck on my balls, I've had enough" were an "unmistakable hint" that the lyrics revolve around Jay-Z.[360] On February 1, 2017, she revealed on her Instagram account that she was expecting twins. Her announcement gained over 6.3 million likes within eight hours, breaking the world record for the most liked image on the website at the time.[361] On July 13, 2017, Beyoncé uploaded the first image of herself and the twins onto her Instagram account, confirming their birth date as a month prior, on June 13, 2017,[362] with the post becoming the second most liked on Instagram, behind her own pregnancy announcement.[363] The twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir, were born at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in California. She wrote of her pregnancy and its aftermath in the September 2018 issue of Vogue, in which she had full control of the cover, shot at Hammerwood Park by photographer Tyler Mitchell.[364][365] Activism Beyoncé performed "America the Beautiful" at President Barack Obama's 2009 presidential inauguration, as well as "At Last" during the first inaugural dance at the Neighborhood Ball two days later.[366] The couple held a fundraiser at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan for President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign[367] which raised $4 million.[368] Beyoncé voted for Obama in the 2012 presidential election.[369] She performed the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" at his second inauguration in January 2013.[140] The Washington Post reported in May 2015, that Beyoncé attended a major celebrity fundraiser for 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.[370] She also headlined for Clinton in a concert held the weekend before Election Day the next year. In this performance, Beyoncé and her entourage of backup dancers wore pantsuits; a clear allusion to Clinton's frequent dress-of-choice. The backup dancers also wore "I'm with her" tee shirts, the campaign slogan for Clinton. In a brief speech at this performance Beyoncé said, "I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and knowing that her possibilities are limitless."[371] She endorsed the bid of Beto O'Rourke during the 2018 United States Senate election in Texas.[372] A woman performing using a microphone Beyoncé has conducted several fundraising and donation campaigns during her tours In 2013, Beyoncé stated in an interview in Vogue that she considered herself to be "a modern-day feminist".[373] She would later align herself more publicly with the movement, sampling "We should all be feminists", a speech delivered by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at a TEDx talk in April 2013, in her song "Flawless", released later that year.[374] The next year she performed live at the MTV Video Awards in front a giant backdrop reading "Feminist".[375] Her self-identification incited a circulation of opinions and debate about whether her feminism is aligned with older, more established feminist ideals. Annie Lennox, celebrated artist and feminist advocate, referred to Beyoncé's use of her word feminist as 'feminist lite'.[376] Bell hooks critiqued Beyoncé, referring to her as a "terrorist" towards feminism, harmfully impacting her audience of young girls.[377] Adichie responded with "her type of feminism is not mine, as it is the kind that, at the same time, gives quite a lot of space to the necessity of men."[378] Adichie expands upon what "feminist lite" means to her, referring that "more troubling is the idea, in Feminism Lite, that men are naturally superior but should be expected to 'treat women well'" and "we judge powerful women more harshly than we judge powerful men. And Feminism Lite enables this."[379] Beyoncé responded about her intent by utilizing the definition of feminist with her platform was to "give clarity to the true meaning" behind it.[380] She says to understand what being a feminist is, "it's very simple. It's someone who believes in equal rights for men and women."[380] She advocated to provide equal opportunities for young boys and girls, men and women must begin to understand the double standards that remain persistent in our societies and the issue must be illuminated in effort to start making changes.[380] She has also contributed to the Ban Bossy campaign, which uses TV and social media to encourage leadership in girls.[381] Following Beyoncé's public identification as a feminist, the sexualized nature of her performances and the fact that she championed her marriage was questioned.[382] In December 2012, Beyoncé along with a variety of other celebrities teamed up and produced a video campaign for "Demand A Plan", a bipartisan effort by a group of 950 U.S. mayors and others[383] designed to influence the federal government into rethinking its gun control laws, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[384] Beyoncé publicly endorsed same-sex marriage on March 26, 2013, after the Supreme Court debate on California's Proposition 8.[385] She spoke against North Carolina's Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, a bill passed (and later repealed) that discriminated against the LGBT community in public places in a statement during her concert in Raleigh as part of the Formation World Tour in 2016.[386] She has condemned police brutality against black Americans. She and Jay-Z attended a rally in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin.[387] The film for her sixth album Lemonade included the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, holding pictures of their sons in the video for "Freedom".[388] In a 2016 interview with Elle, Beyoncé responded to the controversy surrounding her song "Formation" which was perceived to be critical of the police. She clarified, "I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me".[389] In February 2017, Beyoncé spoke

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (/biˈɒnseɪ/ ⓘ bee-ON-say)[4] (born September 4, 1981)[5] is an American singer, songwriter and businesswoman. Dubbed as "Queen Bey" and a prominent cultural figure of the 21st century, she has been recognized for her artistry and performances, with Rolling Stone naming her one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Beyoncé started performing in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw the release of Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love (2003). She then followed with the US number-one solo albums B'Day (2006), I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), and 4 (2011). After creating her own management company Parkwood Entertainment, Beyoncé achieved critical acclaim for the experimental visual albums Beyoncé (2013) and Lemonade (2016), which explored themes such as feminism and womanism. With her queer-inspired dance album Renaissance (2022), she became the first solo artist to have their first seven studio albums debut at number one in the US.[6] Beyoncé's most successful songs on the Billboard Hot 100 include "Crazy in Love", "Baby Boy", "Check On It", "Irreplaceable", "If I Were a Boy", "Halo", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", "Break My Soul" and "Cuff It". Her collaborative music ventures include Everything Is Love (2018), an album with her husband and rapper Jay-Z, released as the Carters, and the musical film Black Is King (2020), inspired by the music of the film soundtrack The Lion King: The Gift (2019). Homecoming: The Live Album (2019), which documents her 2018 Coachella performance, has been heralded as one of the best live albums for its tribute to black music history. Outside of music, she has starred as an actress in films such as Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), Obsessed (2009), and The Lion King (2019). Having sold 200 million records worldwide,[7] Beyoncé is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her accolades include a record 32 Grammy Awards, as well as 26 MTV Video Music Awards (including the 2014 Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award), 24 NAACP Image Awards, 35 BET Awards, and 17 Soul Train Music Awards – all of which are more than any other artist in the music industry. Her success during the 2000s earned her recognition as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)'s Top Certified Artist of the Decade and Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade.[8] In 2014, Billboard named her the highest-earning black musician of all time. She is the most successful black touring act in history and received the Pollstar Touring Artist of the Decade award in 2021.[9][10] Time included her as one of the 100 women who defined the 21st century.[11] Life and career 1981–1996: Early life and career beginnings Beyonce Giselle Knowles[a] was born on September 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas, to Celestine "Tina" Knowles (née Beyonce), a hairdresser and salon owner, and Mathew Knowles, a Xerox sales manager.[12] Tina is Louisiana Creole, and Mathew is African American.[13][14][15][16] Beyoncé's younger sister, Solange Knowles, is also a singer and a former backup dancer for Destiny's Child. Solange and Beyoncé are the first sisters to have both had number one solo albums.[17] Beyoncé's maternal grandparents, Lumas Beyince, and Agnez Dereon (daughter of Odilia Broussard and Eugene DeRouen),[18] were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles, with roots in New Iberia.[19] Beyoncé is considered a Creole, passed on to her by her grandparents.[18][20] She is a descendant of Acadian militia officer Joseph Broussard, who was exiled to French Louisiana after the expulsion of the Acadians.[14] Her fourth great-grandmother, Marie-Françoise Trahan, was born in 1774 in Bangor, located on Belle Île, France. Trahan was a daughter of Acadians who had taken refuge on Belle Île after the Acadian expulsion. The Estates of Brittany had divided the lands of Belle Île to distribute them among 78 other Acadian families and the already settled inhabitants. The Trahan family lived on Belle Île for over ten years before immigrating to Louisiana, where she married a Broussard descendant.[21] Beyoncé researched her ancestry and discovered that she is descended from a slave owner who married his slave.[22] Her mother is also of distant Irish, Jewish, Spanish, Chinese and Indonesian ancestry.[23][24][25][19] Beyoncé was raised Methodist and attended St. John's United Methodist Church.[26][27] She went to St. Mary's Montessori School in Houston, and enrolled in dance classes there.[28] Her singing was discovered when dance instructor Darlette Johnson began humming a song and she finished it, able to hit the high-pitched notes.[29] Beyoncé's interest in music and performing continued after winning a school talent show at age seven, singing John Lennon's "Imagine" to beat 15/16-year-olds.[30][31] In the fall of 1990, Beyoncé enrolled in Parker Elementary School, a music magnet school in Houston, where she would perform with the school's choir.[32] She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts[33] and later Alief Elsik High School.[13][34] Beyoncé was also a member of the choir at St. John's United Methodist Church where she sang her first solo and was a soloist for two years.[26][35] When Beyoncé was eight, she met LaTavia Roberson at an audition for an all-girl entertainment group.[36] They were placed into a group called Girl's Tyme with three other girls, and rapped and danced on the talent show circuit in Houston.[37] After seeing the group, R&B producer Arne Frager brought them to his Northern California studio and placed them in Star Search, the largest talent show on national TV at the time. Girl's Tyme failed to win, and Beyoncé later said the song they performed was not good.[38][39] In 1995, Beyoncé's father resigned from his job to manage the group.[40] The move reduced the family's income by half, and Beyoncé's parents were forced to sell their house and cars and move into separated apartments.[13][41] Mathew cut the original line-up to four and the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B girl groups.[36] The girls auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records, moving to Atlanta Records briefly to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the company.[13] This put further strain on the family, and Beyoncé's parents separated. On October 5, 1995, Dwayne Wiggins's Grass Roots Entertainment signed the group. In 1996, the girls began recording their debut album under an agreement with Sony Music, the Knowles family reunited, and shortly after, the group got a contract with Columbia Records with the assistance of Columbia talent scout Teresa LaBarbera Whites.[30] 1997–2002: Destiny's Child Main article: Destiny's Child Beyoncé (center) at the final line-up of Destiny's Child, performing during their 2005 Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It concert tour The group changed their name to Destiny's Child in 1996, based upon a passage in the Book of Isaiah.[42] In 1997, Destiny's Child released their major label debut song "Killing Time" on the soundtrack to the 1997 film Men in Black.[39] In November, the group released their debut single and first major hit, "No, No, No". They released their self-titled debut album in February 1998, which established the group as a viable act in the music industry, with moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year, Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, and Best R&B/Soul Single for "No, No, No".[36] The group released their Multi-Platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" and "Say My Name", which became their most successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B Song at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.[36] The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies worldwide.[38] During this time, Beyoncé recorded a duet with Marc Nelson, an original member of Boyz II Men, on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man.[43] LeToya Luckett and Roberson became unhappy with Mathew's managing of the band and eventually were replaced by Farrah Franklin and Michelle Williams.[36] Beyoncé experienced depression following the split with Luckett and Roberson after being publicly blamed by the media, critics, and blogs for its cause.[44] Her long-standing boyfriend left her at this time.[45] The depression was so severe it lasted for a couple of years, during which she occasionally kept herself in her bedroom for days and refused to eat anything.[46] Beyoncé stated that she struggled to speak about her depression because Destiny's Child had just won their first Grammy Award, and she feared no one would take her seriously.[47] Beyoncé would later speak of her mother as the person who helped her fight it.[46] Franklin was then dismissed, leaving just Beyoncé, Rowland, and Williams.[48] The remaining band members recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks.[36] In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing their third album, Beyoncé landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, Carmen: A Hip Hopera, starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th-century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet.[49] When the third album Survivor was released in May 2001, Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit claiming that the songs were aimed at them.[36] The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 663,000 copies sold.[50] The album spawned other number-one hits, "Bootylicious" and the title track, "Survivor", the latter of which earned the group a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.[51] After releasing their holiday album 8 Days of Christmas in October 2001, the group announced a hiatus to further pursue solo careers.[36] In July 2002, Beyoncé made her theatrical film debut, playing Foxxy Cleopatra alongside Mike Myers in the comedy film Austin Powers in Goldmember,[52] which spent its first weekend atop the U.S. box office and grossed $73 million.[53] Beyoncé released "Work It Out" as the lead single from its soundtrack album which entered the top ten in the UK, Norway, and Belgium.[54] In 2003, Beyoncé starred opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in the musical comedy The Fighting Temptations as Lilly, a single mother with whom Gooding's character falls in love.[55] The film received mixed reviews from critics but grossed $30 million in the U.S.[56][57] Beyoncé released "Fighting Temptation" as the lead single from the film's soundtrack album, with Missy Elliott, MC Lyte, and Free which was also used to promote the film.[58] Another of Beyoncé's contributions to the soundtrack, "Summertime", fared better on the U.S. charts.[59] 2003–2007: Dangerously in Love, B'Day, and Dreamgirls A woman, flanked by two male dancers, holds a microphone in one hand as she dances Beyoncé performing "Baby Boy", which spent nine consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[60] Beyoncé's first solo recording was a feature on Jay-Z's song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" that was released in October 2002, peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[61] On June 14, 2003, Beyoncé premiered songs from her first solo album Dangerously in Love during her first solo concert and the pay-per-view television special, "Ford Presents Beyoncé Knowles, Friends & Family, Live From Ford's 100th Anniversary Celebration in Dearborn, Michigan".[62] The album was released on June 24, 2003, after Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland had released their solo efforts.[63] The album sold 317,000 copies in its first week, debuted atop the Billboard 200,[64] and has since sold 11 million copies worldwide.[65] The album's lead single, "Crazy in Love", featuring Jay-Z, became Beyoncé's first number-one single as a solo artist in the US.[66] The single "Baby Boy" also reached number one,[60] and singles, "Me, Myself and I" and "Naughty Girl", both reached the top-five.[67] The album earned Beyoncé a then record-tying five awards at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards; Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Dangerously in Love 2", Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Crazy in Love", and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Closer I Get to You" with Luther Vandross. During the ceremony, she performed with Prince.[68] In November 2003, she embarked on the Dangerously in Love Tour in Europe and later toured alongside Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys for the Verizon Ladies First Tour in North America.[69] On February 1, 2004, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII, at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.[70] After the release of Dangerously in Love, Beyoncé had planned to produce a follow-up album using several of the left-over tracks. However, this was put on hold so she could concentrate on recording Destiny Fulfilled, the final studio album by Destiny's Child.[71] Released on November 15, 2004, in the US[72] and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200,[73][74] Destiny Fulfilled included the singles "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier", which reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[75] Destiny's Child embarked on a worldwide concert tour, Destiny Fulfilled... and Lovin' It sponsored by McDonald's Corporation,[76] and performed songs such as "No, No, No", "Survivor", "Say My Name", "Independent Women" and "Lose My Breath". In addition to renditions of the group's recorded material, they also performed songs from each singer's solo careers, including numbers from Dangerously in Love. and during the last stop of their European tour, in Barcelona on June 11, 2005, Rowland announced that Destiny's Child would disband following the North American leg of the tour.[77] The group released their first compilation album Number 1's on October 25, 2005, in the US[78] and accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March 2006.[79] The group has sold 60 million records worldwide.[80][81] Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day was released on September 4, 2006, in the US, to coincide with her twenty-fifth birthday.[82] It sold 541,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200, becoming Beyoncé's second consecutive number-one album in the United States.[83] The album's lead single "Déjà Vu", featuring Jay-Z, reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[67] The second international single "Irreplaceable" was a commercial success worldwide, reaching number one in Australia, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States.[67][84] B'Day also produced three other singles; "Ring the Alarm",[85] "Get Me Bodied",[86] and "Green Light" (released in the United Kingdom only).[87] A woman stands with a microphone Beyoncé performing during The Beyoncé Experience tour in 2007 At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007), B'Day was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary R&B Album, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Ring the Alarm" and Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration"for "Déjà Vu"; the Freemasons club mix of "Déjà Vu" without the rap was put forward in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category. B'Day won the award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.[88] The following year, B'Day received two nominations – for Record of the Year for "Irreplaceable" and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Beautiful Liar" (with Shakira), also receiving a nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Pictures, Television or Other Visual Media for her appearance on Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture (2006).[89] Her first acting role of 2006 was in the comedy film The Pink Panther starring opposite Steve Martin,[90] grossing $158.8 million at the box office worldwide.[91] Her second film Dreamgirls, the film version of the 1981 Broadway musical[92] loosely based on The Supremes, received acclaim from critics and grossed $154 million internationally.[93][94][95] In it, she starred opposite Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, and Eddie Murphy playing a pop singer based on Diana Ross.[96] To promote the film, Beyoncé released "Listen" as the lead single from the soundtrack album.[97] In April 2007, Beyoncé embarked on The Beyoncé Experience, her first worldwide concert tour, visiting 97 venues[98] and grossed over $24 million.[note 1] Beyoncé conducted pre-concert food donation drives during six major stops in conjunction with her pastor at St. John's and America's Second Harvest. At the same time, B'Day was re-released with five additional songs, including her duet with Shakira "Beautiful Liar".[100] 2008–2012: I Am... Sasha Fierce and 4 A woman stands looking out to a crowd Beyoncé performing during the I Am... Tour. I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in November 2008 and formally introduced Beyoncé's alter ego Sasha Fierce.[101] It was met with mixed reviews from critics,[102] but sold 482,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop the Billboard 200, and giving Beyoncé her third consecutive number-one album in the US.[103] The album featured her fourth UK number-one single "If I Were a Boy" and her fifth U.S. number-one song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".[104] "Halo" achieved the accomplishment of becoming her longest-running Hot 100 single in her career,[105] "Halo"'s success in the U.S. helped Beyoncé attain more top-ten singles on the list than any other woman during the 2000s.[106] The music video for "Single Ladies" has been parodied and imitated around the world, spawning the "first major dance craze" of the Internet age according to the Toronto Star.[107] At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the video won three categories, including Video of the Year.[108] Its failure to win the Best Female Video category, which went to American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me", led to Kanye West interrupting the ceremony and Beyoncé improvising a re-presentation of Swift's award during her own acceptance speech.[108] In March 2009, Beyoncé embarked on the I Am... Tour, her second headlining worldwide concert tour, consisting of 108 shows, grossing $119.5 million.[109] Beyoncé further expanded her acting career, starring as blues singer Etta James in the 2008 musical biopic Cadillac Records. Her performance in the film received praise from critics,[110] and she garnered several nominations for her portrayal of James, including a Satellite Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress.[111][112] Beyoncé donated her entire salary from the film to Phoenix House, an organization of rehabilitation centers for heroin addicts around the country.[113] Beyoncé starred opposite Ali Larter and Idris Elba in the thriller, Obsessed. She played Sharon Charles, a mother and wife whose family is threatened by her husband's stalker. The film received negative reviews from critics,[114] and did well at the U.S. box office, grossing $68 million – $60 million more than Cadillac Records[115] – on a budget of $20 million.[116] At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Beyoncé received ten nominations, tying with Lauryn Hill for most Grammy nominations in a single year by a female artist.[117] Beyoncé went on to win six of those nominations, breaking a record she previously tied in 2004 for the most Grammy awards won in a single night by a female artist with six. In 2010, Beyoncé provide guest vocals on Lady Gaga's single "Telephone".[118][119] The song topped the U.S. Pop Songs chart, becoming the sixth number-one for both Beyoncé and Gaga, tying them with Mariah Carey for most number-ones since the Nielsen Top 40 airplay chart launched in 1992.[120] Beyoncé announced a hiatus from her music career in January 2010, heeding her mother's advice, "to live life, to be inspired by things again".[121][122] During the break she and her father parted ways as business partners.[123][124] Beyoncé's musical break lasted nine months and saw her visit multiple European cities, the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, Australia, English music festivals and various museums and ballet performances.[121][125] "Eat, Play, Love", a cover story written by Beyoncé for Essence that detailed her 2010 career break, won her a writing award from the New York Association of Black Journalists.[126] The upper body of a woman is shown as she sings into a microphone Beyoncé's performing during her 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concert residency in August 2011 On June 26, 2011, she became the first solo female artist to headline the main Pyramid stage at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival in over twenty years.[127][128] The performance was lauded, with several publications noting an ascension in Knowles' capabilities as a live performer. Other publications discussed the polarized attitude of the UK music establishment in response to a Black woman performing on the same stages and to the same crowd sizes that were past reserved for legacy rock acts.[129][130] Her fourth studio album 4 was released two days prior in the US.[131] 4 sold 310,000 copies in its first week and debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fourth consecutive number-one album in the US. The album was preceded by two of its singles "Run the World (Girls)" and "Best Thing I Never Had".[67][118][132] The fourth single "Love on Top" spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest peak from the album.[133] In late 2011, she took the stage at New York's Roseland Ballroom for four nights of special performances:[134] the 4 Intimate Nights with Beyoncé concerts saw the performance of her 4 album to a standing room only.[134] On August 1, 2011, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having shipped 1 million copies to retail stores.[135] By December 2015, it reached sales of 1.5 million copies in the US.[136] The album reached one billion Spotify streams on February 5, 2018, making Beyoncé the first female artist to have three of their albums surpass one billion streams on the platform.[137] In June 2012, she performed for four nights at Revel Atlantic City's Ovation Hall to celebrate the resort's opening, her first performances since giving birth to her daughter.[138][139] 2013–2017: Super Bowl XLVII, Beyoncé, and Lemonade Beyoncé performing at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show on February 3, 2013. In January 2013, Beyoncé performed the American national anthem singing along with a pre-recorded track at President Obama's second inauguration in Washington, D.C.[140][141] The following month, Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show, held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.[142] The performance stands as the second most tweeted about moment in history at 268,000 tweets per minute.[143] Her feature-length documentary film, Life Is But a Dream, first aired on HBO on February 16, 2013.[144] The film was co-directed by Beyoncé herself.[145] Beyoncé embarked on The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour on April 15 in Belgrade, Serbia; the tour included 132 dates that ran through to March 2014. It became the most successful tour of her career and one of the most successful tours of all time.[146] In May, Beyoncé's cover of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" with André 3000 on The Great Gatsby soundtrack was released.[147] Beyoncé voiced Queen Tara in the 3D CGI animated film, Epic, released by 20th Century Fox on May 24,[148] and recorded an original song for the film, "Rise Up", co-written with Sia.[149] On December 13, 2013, Beyoncé unexpectedly released her eponymous fifth studio album on the iTunes Store without any prior announcement or promotion. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, giving Beyoncé her fifth consecutive number-one album in the US.[150] This made her the first woman in the chart's history to have her first five studio albums debut at number one.[151] Beyoncé received critical acclaim[152] and commercial success, selling one million digital copies worldwide in six days;[153] Musically an electro-R&B album, it concerns darker themes previously unexplored in her work, such as "bulimia, postnatal depression [and] the fears and insecurities of marriage and motherhood".[154] The single "Drunk in Love", featuring Jay-Z, peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[155] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), Beyoncé sold 2.3 million units worldwide, becoming the tenth best-selling album of 2013.[156] The album also went on to become the twentieth best-selling album of 2014.[157] As of November 2014, Beyoncé has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and has generated over 1 billion streams, as of March 2015.[158] At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2015, Beyoncé was nominated for six awards, ultimately winning three: Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song for "Drunk in Love", and Best Surround Sound Album for Beyoncé.[159][160] In April 2014, Beyoncé and Jay-Z officially announced their On the Run Tour. It served as the couple's first co-headlining stadium tour together.[161] On August 24, 2014, she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. Beyoncé also won home three competitive awards: Best Video with a Social Message and Best Cinematography for "Pretty Hurts", as well as best collaboration for "Drunk in Love".[162] In November, Forbes reported that Beyoncé was the top-earning woman in music for the second year in a row – earning $115 million in the year, more than double her earnings in 2013.[163] Beyoncé released "Formation" in on February 6, 2016, and performed it live for the first time during the NFL Super Bowl 50 halftime show. The appearance was considered controversial as it appeared to reference the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the NFL forbids political statements in its performances.[164][165][166] Immediately following the performance, Beyoncé announced The Formation World Tour, which highlighted stops in both North America and Europe.[167][168] It ended on October 7, with Beyoncé bringing out her husband Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Serena Williams for the last show.[169] The tour went on to win Tour of the Year at the 44th American Music Awards.[170] Beyoncé performing during The Formation World Tour in 2016. The tour grossed $256 million from 49 sold-out shows. In April 2016, Beyoncé released a teaser clip for a project called Lemonade. A one-hour film which aired on HBO on April 23, a corresponding album with the same title was released on the same day exclusively on Tidal.[171] Lemonade debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, making Beyoncé the first act in Billboard history to have their first six studio albums debut atop the chart; she broke a record previously tied with DMX in 2013.[172] With all 12 tracks of Lemonade debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Beyoncé also became the first female act to chart 12 or more songs at the same time.[173] Lemonade was streamed 115 million times through Tidal, setting a record for the most-streamed album in a single week by a female artist in history.[174] It was 2016's third highest-selling album in the U.S. with 1.554 million copies sold in that time period within the country[175] as well as the best-selling album worldwide with global sales of 2.5 million throughout the year.[176] Lemonade became the most critically acclaimed work of her career.[177] Several music publications included the album among the best of 2016, including Rolling Stone, which listed Lemonade at number one.[178] The album's visuals were nominated in 11 categories at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, the most ever received by Beyoncé in a single year, and went on to win 8 awards, including Video of the Year for "Formation".[179][180] The eight wins made Beyoncé the most-awarded artist in the history of the VMAs (24), surpassing Madonna (20).[181] Beyoncé occupied the sixth place for Time magazine's 2016 Person of the Year.[182] In January 2017, it was announced that Beyoncé would headline the Coachella Music and Arts Festival. This would make Beyoncé only the second female headliner of the festival since it was founded in 1999.[183] It was later announced on February 23, 2017, that Beyoncé would no longer be able to perform at the festival due to doctor's concerns regarding her pregnancy. The festival owners announced that she will instead headline the 2018 festival.[184] Upon the announcement of Beyoncé's departure from the festival lineup, ticket prices dropped by 12%.[185] At the 59th Grammy Awards in February 2017, Lemonade led the nominations with nine, including Album, Record, and Song of the Year for Lemonade and "Formation" respectively.[186] and ultimately won two, Best Urban Contemporary Album for Lemonade and Best Music Video for "Formation".[187] In September 2017, Beyoncé collaborated with J Balvin and Willy William, to release a remix of the song "Mi Gente". Beyoncé donated all proceeds from the song to hurricane charities for those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in Texas, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean Islands.[188] On November 10, Eminem released "Walk on Water" featuring Beyoncé as the lead single from his album Revival. On November 30, Ed Sheeran announced that Beyoncé would feature on the remix to his song "Perfect".[189] "Perfect Duet" was released on December 1, 2017. The song reached number-one in the United States, becoming Beyoncé's sixth song of her solo career to do so.[190] 2018–2021: Everything Is Love and The Lion King On January 4, 2018, the music video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's 4:44 collaboration, "Family Feud" was released.[191] It was directed by Ava DuVernay. On March 1, 2018, DJ Khaled released "Top Off" as the first single from his forthcoming album Father of Asahd featuring Beyoncé, husband Jay-Z, and Future.[192] On March 5, 2018, a joint tour with Knowles's husband Jay-Z, was leaked on Facebook.[193] Information about the tour was later taken down. The couple announced the joint tour officially as On the Run II Tour on March 12[194] and simultaneously released a trailer for the tour on YouTube.[195] On April 14, 2018, Beyoncé played the first of two weekends as the headlining act of the Coachella Music Festival. Her performance of April 14, attended by 125,000 festival-goers, was immediately praised, with multiple media outlets describing it as historic. The performance became the most-tweeted-about performance of weekend one, as well as the most-watched live Coachella performance and the most-watched live performance on YouTube of all time. The show paid tribute to black culture, specifically historically black colleges and universities and featured a live band with over 100 dancers. Destiny's Child also reunited during the show.[196][197] On June 6, 2018, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z kicked-off the On the Run II Tour in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Ten days later, at their final London performance, the pair unveiled Everything Is Love, their joint studio album, credited under the name The Carters, and initially available exclusively on Tidal. The pair also released the video for the album's lead single, "Apeshit", on Beyoncé's official YouTube channel.[198][199] Everything Is Love received generally positive reviews,[200] and debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 123,000 album-equivalent units, of which 70,000 were pure album sales.[201] On December 2, 2018, Beyoncé alongside Jay-Z headlined the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 which was held at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa.[202] Their 2-hour performance had concepts similar to the On the Run II Tour and Beyoncé was praised for her outfits, which paid tribute to Africa's diversity.[203] Beyoncé at The Lion King European premiere in 2019. Homecoming, a documentary and concert film focusing on Beyoncé's historic 2018 Coachella performances, was released by Netflix on April 17, 2019.[204][205] The film was accompanied by the surprise live album Homecoming: The Live Album.[206] It was later reported that Beyoncé and Netflix had signed a $60 million deal to produce three different projects, one of which is Homecoming.[207] Homecoming received six nominations at the 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards.[208] Beyoncé starred as the voice of Nala in the remake The Lion King, which was released in July 2019.[209] Beyoncé is featured on the film's soundtrack, released on July 11, 2019, with a remake of the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" alongside Donald Glover, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, which was originally composed by Elton John.[210] An original song from the film by Beyoncé, "Spirit", was released as the lead single from both the soundtrack and The Lion King: The Gift – a companion album released alongside the film, produced and curated by Beyoncé.[211][212] Beyoncé called The Lion King: The Gift a "sonic cinema". She stated that the album is influenced by everything from R&B, pop, hip hop and Afro Beat.[211] The songs were produced by African producers, which Beyoncé said was because "authenticity and heart were important to [her]", since the film is set in Africa.[211] In September of the same year, a documentary chronicling the development, production and early music video filming of The Lion King: The Gift entitled "Beyoncé Presents: Making The Gift" was aired on ABC. In March 2020, a photograph Beyoncé captured of her swimming pool was used as the album cover for rapper Jay Electronica's highly anticipated debut album A Written Testimony.[213] In April of the same year, Beyoncé was featured on the remix of Megan Thee Stallion's song "Savage", marking her first material of music for the year.[214] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Beyoncé's eleventh song to do so across all acts.[215] On June 19, 2020, Beyoncé released the nonprofit charity single "Black Parade".[216] On June 23, she followed up the release of its studio version with an a cappella version exclusively on Tidal.[217] Black Is King, a visual album based on the music of The Lion King: The Gift, premiered globally on Disney+ on July 31, 2020. Produced by Disney and Parkwood Entertainment, the film was written, directed and executively produced by Beyoncé. The film was described by Disney as "a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience".[218] Beyoncé received the most nominations (9) at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards and the most awards (4), which made her the most-awarded singer, most-awarded female artist, and second-most-awarded artist in Grammy history.[219] In 2021, Beyoncé wrote and recorded a song titled "Be Alive" for the biographical drama film King Richard.[220] She received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 94th Academy Awards for the song, alongside co-writer DIXSON.[221] 2022–present: Renaissance Beyoncé performing at the Renaissance World Tour. On June 9, 2022, Beyoncé removed her profile pictures across various social media platforms causing speculation that she would be releasing new music.[222] Days later, Beyoncé caused further speculation via her nonprofit BeyGood's Twitter account hinting at her upcoming seventh studio album.[223] On June 15, 2022, Beyoncé officially announced her seventh studio album, titled Renaissance. The album was released on July 29, 2022.[224][225] The first single from Renaissance, "Break My Soul", was released on June 20, 2022.[226] The song became Beyoncé's 20th top ten single on the Billboard Hot 100, and in doing so, Beyoncé joined Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson as the only artists in Hot 100 history to achieve at least twenty top tens as a solo artist and ten as a member of a group.[227] Upon release, Renaissance received universal acclaim from critics.[228] Renaissance debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and in doing so, Beyoncé became the first female artist to have her first seven studio albums debut at number one in the United States.[229] "Break My Soul" concurrently rose to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the twelfth song to do so across her career discography.[230] The song "Heated," which was co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, originally included the lyrics "Spazzin' on that ass / spazz on that ass". Critics, including a number of disability charities and activists, argued that the word "spaz" represented a derogatory term for spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy. In response, in August 2022, a representative for Beyoncé issued a statement and explained that "The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced".[231][232] On January 21, 2023, Beyoncé performed in Dubai at a private show.[233] The performance, which was her first full concert in more than four years, was delivered to an audience of influencers and journalists.[234] Beyoncé was reportedly paid $24 million to perform.[235] Beyoncé faced criticism for her decision to perform in the United Arab Emirates where homosexuality is illegal.[235][234][236] On February 1, Beyoncé announced the Renaissance World Tour with dates in North America and Europe,[237] becoming for a short-span the highest-grossing tour by a female artist.[238] On July 28, Beyoncé appeared on "Delresto (Echoes)", the second single from rapper Travis Scott's album Utopia, eventually becoming her 100th career appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (encompassing Destiny's Child, her solo career, and musical duo The Carters).[239] Artistry Voice and musical style With "Single Ladies", clearly I'd just gotten married, and people want to get married every day – then there was the whole Justin Timberlake thing [recreating the video] on Saturday Night Live, and it was also the year YouTube blew up. With "Irreplaceable", the aggressive lyrics, the acoustic guitar, and the 808 drum machine – those things don't typically go together, and it sounded fresh. "Crazy in Love" was another one of those classic moments in pop culture that none of us expected. I asked Jay to get on the song the night before I had to turn my album in – thank God he did. It still never gets old, no matter how many times I sing it. —Beyoncé[240] Critics have described Beyoncé's voice as being mezzo-soprano.[241][242] Jody Rosen highlights her tone and timbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music".[243] Her vocal abilities mean she is identified as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.[244] Jon Pareles of The New York Times commented that her voice is "velvety yet tart, with an insistent flutter and reserves of soul belting".[245] Rosen notes that the hip hop era highly influenced Beyoncé's unique rhythmic vocal style, but also finds her quite traditionalist in her use of balladry, gospel and falsetto.[243] Other critics praise her range and power, with Chris Richards of The Washington Post saying she was "capable of punctuating any beat with goose-bump-inducing whispers or full-bore diva-roars."[246] On the 2023 Rolling Stone's list of the 200 Greatest Singers of all time, Beyoncé ranked at number 8, with the publication noting that "in [her] voice lies the entire history of Black music".[247] Beyoncé's music is generally R&B,[248][249] pop[248][250] and hip hop[251] but she also incorporates soul and funk into her songs. 4 demonstrated Beyoncé's exploration of 1990s-style R&B, as well as further use of soul and hip hop than compared to previous releases.[240] While she almost exclusively releases English songs, Beyoncé recorded several Spanish songs for Irreemplazable (re-recordings of songs from B'Day for a Spanish-language audience), and the re-release of B'Day. To record these, Beyoncé was coached phonetically by American record producer Rudy Perez.[252] Songwriting Beyoncé has received co-writing credits for most of her songs.[253] In regards to the way she approaches collaborative songwriting, Beyoncé explained: "I love being around great writers because I'm finding that a lot of the things I want to say, I don't articulate as good as maybe Amanda Ghost, so I want to keep collaborating with writers, and I love classics and I want to make sure years from now the song is still something that's relevant."[254] Her early songs with Destiny's Child were personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions like "Independent Women" and "Survivor", but after the start of her relationship with Jay-Z, she transitioned to more man-tending anthems such as "Cater 2 U".[255] Beyoncé's songwriting process is also notorious for combining parts of different tracks, resulting in alteration of song structures. Sia, who co-wrote "Pretty Hurts", called Beyoncé "very Frankenstein when she comes to songs";[256] Diana Gordon, who co-wrote "Don't Hurt Yourself" called her a "scientist of songs";[257] Caroline Polachek who co-wrote "No Angel", called her a "genius writer and producer for this reason. She's so good at seeing connections."[258] In 2001, she became the first Black woman and second female lyricist to win the Pop Songwriter of the Year award at the ASCAP Pop Music Awards.[13][259] Beyoncé was the third woman to have writing credits on three number-one songs ("Irreplaceable", "Grillz" and "Check on It") in the same year, after Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. She is tied with American lyricist Diane Warren at third with nine songwriting credits on number-one singles.[260] The latter wrote her 9/11-motivated song "I Was Here" for 4.[261] In May 2011, Billboard magazine listed Beyoncé at number 17 on their list of the Top 20 Hot 100 Songwriters for having co-written eight singles that hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She was one of only three women on that list, along with Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift.[262] Beyoncé has received criticism, including from journalists and musicians, for the extensive writing credits on her songs.[253] The controversy surrounding her songwriting credits began with interviews in which she attributed herself as the songwriter for songs in which she was a co-writer[263] or for which her contributions were marginal.[253] In a cover story for Vanity Fair in 2005, she claimed to have "written" several number-one songs for Destiny's Child, contrary to the credits, which list her as a co-writer among others.[263] During a 2007 interview with Barbara Walters, she claimed to have conceived the musical idea for the Destiny's Child song "Bootylicious",[264] which provoked the song's producer Rob Fusari to call her father and then-manager Mathew Knowles in protest over the claim. In 2010, Fusari told Billboard: "[Knowles] explained to me, in a nice way, he said, 'People don't want to hear about Rob Fusari, producer from Livingston, N.J. No offense, but that's not what sells records. What sells records is people believing that the artist is everything.'"[265] However, in an interview for Entertainment Weekly in 2016, Fusari said Beyoncé "had the 'Bootylicious' concept in her head. That was totally her. She knew what she wanted to say. It was very urban pop angle that they were taking on the record."[266] Influences Beyoncé's major influences include Michael Jackson (left) and Tina Turner (right). Beyoncé names Michael Jackson as her major musical influence.[267][268] Aged five, Beyoncé attended her first ever concert where Jackson performed and she claims to have realized her purpose.[269] When she presented him with a tribute award at the World Music Awards in 2006, Beyoncé said, "if it wasn't for Michael Jackson, I would never ever have performed."[270] Beyoncé was heavily influenced by Tina Turner, and once said "Tina Turner is someone that I admire, because she made her strength feminine and sexy".[271][272] She admires Diana Ross as an "all-around entertainer",[273] and Whitney Houston, who she said "inspired me to get up there and do what she did."[274][275] Beyoncé cited Madonna as an influence "not only for her musical style, but also for her business sense",[276] saying that she wanted to "follow in the footsteps of Madonna and be a powerhouse and have my own empire."[277] She also credits Mariah Carey's singing and her song "Vision of Love" as influencing her to begin practicing vocal runs as a child.[278][279] Her other musical influences include Rachelle Ferrell,[280] Aaliyah,[281][282] Janet Jackson,[283][284] Prince,[285] Shakira,[286] Lauryn Hill,[273] Sade Adu,[287] Donna Summer,[288] Mary J. Blige,[289] Selena,[290] Anita Baker, and Toni Braxton.[273] The feminism and female empowerment themes on Beyoncé's second solo album B'Day were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls[291] and by singer Josephine Baker.[292] Beyoncé paid homage to Baker by performing "Déjà Vu" at the 2006 Fashion Rocks concert wearing Baker's trademark mini-hula skirt embellished with fake bananas.[293] Beyoncé's third solo album, I Am... Sasha Fierce, was inspired by Jay-Z and especially by Etta James, whose "boldness" inspired Beyoncé to explore other musical genres and styles.[294] Her fourth solo album, 4, was inspired by Fela Kuti, 1990s R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire, DeBarge, Lionel Richie, Teena Marie, The Jackson 5, New Edition, Adele, Florence and the Machine, and Prince.[240] Beyoncé has stated that she is personally inspired by Michelle Obama (the 44th First Lady of the United States), saying "she proves you can do it all",[295] and has described Oprah Winfrey as "the definition of inspiration and a strong woman."[273] She has also discussed how Jay-Z is a continuing inspiration to her, both with what she describes as his lyrical genius and in the obstacles he has overcome in his life.[296] Beyoncé has expressed admiration for the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, posting in a letter "what I find in the work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, I search for in every day in music ... he is lyrical and raw".[297][298] Beyoncé also cited Cher as a fashion inspiration.[299] Music videos and stage Beyoncé performing during the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards In 2006, Beyoncé introduced her all-female tour band Suga Mama (also the name of a song on B'Day) which includes bassists, drummers, guitarists, horn players, keyboardists and percussionists.[300] Her background singers, The Mamas, consist of Montina Cooper-Donnell, Crystal Collins and Tiffany Moniqué Riddick. They made their debut appearance at the 2006 BET Awards and re-appeared in the music videos for "Irreplaceable" and "Green Light".[252] The band have supported Beyoncé in most subsequent live performances, including her 2007 concert tour The Beyoncé Experience, I Am... Tour (2009–2010), The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013–2014) and The Formation World Tour (2016). Beyoncé has received praise for her stage presence and voice during live performances. According to Barbara Ellen of The Guardian, Beyoncé is the most in-charge female artist she's seen onstage.[301] Similarly, Alice Jones of The Independent wrote she "takes her role as entertainer so seriously she's almost too good."[302] The ex-President of Def Jam L.A. Reid has described Beyoncé as the greatest entertainer alive.[303] Jim Farber of the Daily News and Stephanie Classen of The StarPhoenix both praised her strong voice and her stage presence.[304][305] Beyoncé's stage outfits have been met with criticism from many countries, such as Malaysia, where she has postponed or cancelled performances due to the country's strict laws banning revealing costumes.[306] Beyoncé has worked with numerous directors for her music videos throughout her career, including Melina Matsoukas, Jonas Åkerlund, and Jake Nava. Bill Condon, director of Beauty and the Beast, stated that the Lemonade visuals in particular served as inspiration for his film, commenting, "You look at Beyoncé's brilliant movie Lemonade, this genre is taking on so many different forms ... I do think that this very old-school break-out-into-song traditional musical is something that people understand again and really want."[307] Alter ego Described as being "sexy, seductive and provocative" when performing on stage, Beyoncé has said that she originally created the alter ego "Sasha Fierce" to keep that stage persona separate from who she really is. She described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating, "I'm not like her in real life at all."[46] Sasha was conceived during the making of "Crazy in Love", and Beyoncé introduced her with the release of her 2008 album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. In February 2010, she announced in an interview with Allure magazine that she was comfortable enough with herself to no longer need Sasha Fierce.[308] However, Beyoncé announced in May 2012 that she would bring her back for her Revel Presents: Beyoncé Live shows later that month.[309] Public image A woman waves to the crowd on a red-carpet Beyoncé at the premiere of her 2006 film Dreamgirls Beyoncé has been described as having a wide-ranging sex appeal, with music journalist Touré writing that since the release of Dangerously in Love, she has "become a crossover sex symbol".[310] Offstage Beyoncé says that while she likes to dress sexily, her onstage dress "is absolutely for the stage".[311] Due to her curves and the term's catchiness, in the 2000s, the media often used the term "bootylicious" (a portmanteau of the words "booty" and "delicious") to describe Beyoncé,[312][313] the term popularized by Destiny's Child's single of the same name. In 2006, it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.[314] In September 2010, Beyoncé made her runway modelling debut at Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.[315] She was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People[316] and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex in 2012.[317] In January 2013, GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.[318][319] VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list.[320] Several wax figures of Beyoncé are found at Madame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities around the world, including New York,[321] Washington, D.C.,[322] Amsterdam,[323] Bangkok,[324] Hollywood[325] and Sydney.[326] According to Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, Beyoncé uses different fashion styles to work with her music while performing.[327] Her mother co-wrote a book, published in 2002, titled Destiny's Style,[328] an account of how fashion affected the trio's success.[329] The B'Day Anthology Video Album showed many instances of fashion-oriented footage, depicting classic to contemporary wardrobe styles.[330] In 2007, Beyoncé was featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the second African American woman after Tyra Banks,[331] and People magazine recognized Beyoncé as the best-dressed celebrity.[332] Beyoncé has been named "Queen Bey" from publications over the years. The term is a reference to the common phrase "queen bee", a term used for the leader of a group of females. The nickname also refers to the queen of a beehive, with her fan base being named "The BeyHive". The BeyHive was previously titled "The Beyontourage", (a portmanteau of Beyoncé and entourage), but was changed after online petitions on Twitter and online news reports during competitions.[333] In 2006, the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), criticized Beyoncé for wearing and using fur in her clothing line House of Deréon.[334] Emmett Price, a professor of music at Northeastern University, wrote in 2007 that he thinks race plays a role in many criticisms of Beyoncé's image, saying white celebrities who dress similarly do not attract as many comments.[335] In 2008, L'Oréal was accused of whitening her skin in their Feria hair color advertisements, responding that "it is categorically untrue",[336][337] and in 2013, Beyoncé herself criticized H&M for their proposed "retouching" of promotional images of her, and according to Vogue requested that only "natural pictures be used".[338] Beyoncé has been a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement. The release of "Formation" on February 6, 2016, saw her celebrate her heritage, with the song's music video featuring pro-black imagery and a shot of wall graffiti that says "Stop shooting us". The day after the song's release she performed it at the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show with back up dancers dressed to represent the Black Panther Party. This incited criticism from politicians and police officers, with some police boycotting Beyoncé's then upcoming Formation World Tour.[339] Beyoncé responded to the backlash by releasing tour merchandise that said "Boycott Beyoncé",[340][341][342] and later clarified her sentiment, saying: "Anyone who perceives my message as anti-police is completely mistaken. I have so much admiration and respect for officers and the families of officers who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe," Beyoncé said. "But let's be clear: I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things."[343] Personal life Marriage and children A woman stands next to a man who is performing using a microphone Beyoncé performing on the I Am... Tour with Jay-Z, whom she married in 2008 In 2002, Beyoncé and Jay-Z collaborated on the song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde",[344] which appeared on his seventh album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse (2002).[345] Beyoncé appeared as Jay-Z's girlfriend in the music video for the song, fueling speculation about their relationship.[346] On April 4, 2008, Beyoncé and Jay-Z married without publicity.[347] As of April 2014, the couple had sold a combined 300 million records together.[161] They are known for their private relationship, although they have appeared to become more relaxed since 2013.[348] Both have acknowledged difficulty that arose in their marriage after Jay-Z had an affair.[349][350] Beyoncé miscarried around 2010 or 2011, describing it as "the saddest thing" she had ever endured.[351] She returned to the studio and wrote music to cope with the loss. In April 2011, Beyoncé and Jay-Z traveled to Paris to shoot the album cover for 4, and she unexpectedly became pregnant in Paris.[352] In August, the couple attended the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, at which Beyoncé performed "Love on Top" and ended the performance by revealing she was pregnant.[353] Her appearance helped that year's MTV Video Music Awards become the most-watched broadcast in MTV history, pulling in 12.4 million viewers;[354] the announcement was listed in Guinness World Records for "most tweets per second recorded for a single event" on Twitter,[355] receiving 8,868 tweets per second[356] and "Beyonce pregnant" was the most Googled phrase the week of August 29, 2011.[357] On January 7, 2012, Beyoncé gave birth to a daughter, Blue Ivy, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.[358] Following the release of Lemonade, which included the single "Sorry", in 2016, speculations arose about Jay-Z's alleged infidelity with a mistress referred to as "Becky". Jon Pareles in The New York Times pointed out that many of the accusations were "aimed specifically and recognizably" at him.[359] Similarly, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone magazine noted the lines "Suck on my balls, I've had enough" were an "unmistakable hint" that the lyrics revolve around Jay-Z.[360] On February 1, 2017, she revealed on her Instagram account that she was expecting twins. Her announcement gained over 6.3 million likes within eight hours, breaking the world record for the most liked image on the website at the time.[361] On July 13, 2017, Beyoncé uploaded the first image of herself and the twins onto her Instagram account, confirming their birth date as a month prior, on June 13, 2017,[362] with the post becoming the second most liked on Instagram, behind her own pregnancy announcement.[363] The twins, a daughter named Rumi and a son named Sir, were born at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in California. She wrote of her pregnancy and its aftermath in the September 2018 issue of Vogue, in which she had full control of the cover, shot at Hammerwood Park by photographer Tyler Mitchell.[364][365] Activism Beyoncé performed "America the Beautiful" at President Barack Obama's 2009 presidential inauguration, as well as "At Last" during the first inaugural dance at the Neighborhood Ball two days later.[366] The couple held a fundraiser at Jay-Z's 40/40 Club in Manhattan for President Obama's 2012 presidential campaign[367] which raised $4 million.[368] Beyoncé voted for Obama in the 2012 presidential election.[369] She performed the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner" at his second inauguration in January 2013.[140] The Washington Post reported in May 2015, that Beyoncé attended a major celebrity fundraiser for 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.[370] She also headlined for Clinton in a concert held the weekend before Election Day the next year. In this performance, Beyoncé and her entourage of backup dancers wore pantsuits; a clear allusion to Clinton's frequent dress-of-choice. The backup dancers also wore "I'm with her" tee shirts, the campaign slogan for Clinton. In a brief speech at this performance Beyoncé said, "I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and knowing that her possibilities are limitless."[371] She endorsed the bid of Beto O'Rourke during the 2018 United States Senate election in Texas.[372] A woman performing using a microphone Beyoncé has conducted several fundraising and donation campaigns during her tours In 2013, Beyoncé stated in an interview in Vogue that she considered herself to be "a modern-day feminist".[373] She would later align herself more publicly with the movement, sampling "We should all be feminists", a speech delivered by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie at a TEDx talk in April 2013, in her song "Flawless", released later that year.[374] The next year she performed live at the MTV Video Awards in front a giant backdrop reading "Feminist".[375] Her self-identification incited a circulation of opinions and debate about whether her feminism is aligned with older, more established feminist ideals. Annie Lennox, celebrated artist and feminist advocate, referred to Beyoncé's use of her word feminist as 'feminist lite'.[376] Bell hooks critiqued Beyoncé, referring to her as a "terrorist" towards feminism, harmfully impacting her audience of young girls.[377] Adichie responded with "her type of feminism is not mine, as it is the kind that, at the same time, gives quite a lot of space to the necessity of men."[378] Adichie expands upon what "feminist lite" means to her, referring that "more troubling is the idea, in Feminism Lite, that men are naturally superior but should be expected to 'treat women well'" and "we judge powerful women more harshly than we judge powerful men. And Feminism Lite enables this."[379] Beyoncé responded about her intent by utilizing the definition of feminist with her platform was to "give clarity to the true meaning" behind it.[380] She says to understand what being a feminist is, "it's very simple. It's someone who believes in equal rights for men and women."[380] She advocated to provide equal opportunities for young boys and girls, men and women must begin to understand the double standards that remain persistent in our societies and the issue must be illuminated in effort to start making changes.[380] She has also contributed to the Ban Bossy campaign, which uses TV and social media to encourage leadership in girls.[381] Following Beyoncé's public identification as a feminist, the sexualized nature of her performances and the fact that she championed her marriage was questioned.[382] In December 2012, Beyoncé along with a variety of other celebrities teamed up and produced a video campaign for "Demand A Plan", a bipartisan effort by a group of 950 U.S. mayors and others[383] designed to influence the federal government into rethinking its gun control laws, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[384] Beyoncé publicly endorsed same-sex marriage on March 26, 2013, after the Supreme Court debate on California's Proposition 8.[385] She spoke against North Carolina's Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, a bill passed (and later repealed) that discriminated against the LGBT community in public places in a statement during her concert in Raleigh as part of the Formation World Tour in 2016.[386] She has condemned police brutality against black Americans. She and Jay-Z attended a rally in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin.[387] The film for her sixth album Lemonade included the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, holding pictures of their sons in the video for "Freedom".[388] In a 2016 interview with Elle, Beyoncé responded to the controversy surrounding her song "Formation" which was perceived to be critical of the police. She clarified, "I am against police brutality and injustice. Those are two separate things. If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me".[389] In February 2017, Beyoncé spoke

Andrew Tate, a multi-faceted personality, has excelled in kickboxing and business. With multiple world championships, he's transitioned into entrepreneurship, sharing insights on success. Tate emphasizes discipline, a strong mindset, and adaptability. His journey reflects resilience and a commitment to continuous improvement, making him a motivational figure in sports and business alike.

J. Cole's journey begins in Frankfurt, Germany, later settling in Fayetteville. Excelling academically, he balanced education with his music passion. Self-releasing mixtapes garnered attention, leading to a deal with Roc Nation. Noteworthy albums like "2014 Forest Hills Drive" showcase his introspective storytelling. Beyond music, Cole founded Dreamville Records, fostering emerging talents. His societal reflections and lyrical depth mark him as a respected figure in hip-hop, reflecting a continuous evolution in his artistry and impact on the industry as of my last knowledge update in January 2022. Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina,[4] Cole initially gained attention as a rapper following the release of his debut mixtape, The Come Up, in early 2007. Intent on further pursuing a musical career, he signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2009 and released two additional mixtapes: The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010), both to critical acclaim as he garnered a wider following. Each of Cole's studio albums would peak the US Billboard 200 upon release, beginning with his debut Cole World: The Sideline Story (2011) and its follow up, Born Sinner (2013). The albums would receive critical acclaim and spawn hit singles including "Work Out", "Power Trip" (featuring Miguel), and "Crooked Smile" (featuring TLC), each charting within the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.[5] Despite commercial success, Cole would depart from the pop-oriented sound of the albums in favor of conscious subject matter for his subsequent projects; themes of nostalgia, racial inequality, and materialism would be explored respectively in his subsequent releases: 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014), 4 Your Eyez Only (2017) and KOD (2018). The latter featured a then-record six simultaneous top twenty hits on the Billboard Hot 100, tying Cole's success with that of English rock band the Beatles.[6][7][8] His sixth studio album, The Off-Season (2021) would earn continued critical and commercial success. In 2023, Cole would reach his furthest success on the Billboard Hot 100 with his guest appearances on Lil Durk's "All My Life" and Drake's "First Person Shooter", which peaked at number two and number one respectively on the chart. "All My Life" would also earn Cole his seventeenth and most recent Grammy Award nomination. Self-taught on piano, Cole also acts as a producer alongside his recording career—having largely handled the production of his own projects—with credits on material for other artists including Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Young Thug, Wale, and Mac Miller, among others.[9] Cole has been prolific in side ventures including his own record label Dreamville Records, as well as its namesake media company and non-profit.[10] The label, having signed artists including JID, Ari Lennox, and EarthGang, has released four compilation albums; their third project, Revenge of the Dreamers III (2019) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards. In January 2015, Cole decided to house single mothers rent-free at his childhood home in Fayetteville, North Carolina.[11] Cole has won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, a Billboard Music Award for Top Rap Album, three Soul Train Music Awards, and 8 BET Hip Hop Awards.[12][13] All six of his albums have been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), as well as Revenge of the Dreamers III. Early life Jermaine Lamarr Cole was born on January 28, 1985, at an American military base in Frankfurt, West Germany.[14][15] His father is an African American veteran, who served in the U.S. Army,[16] and his mother, Kay, born in Michigan,[17] is a European American who was a postal worker for the United States Postal Service.[18] Cole's father later abandoned the family during his youth. At the age of eight months his mother moved with him and his older brother Zach to the United States, to Fayetteville, North Carolina.[19][20] Cole grew up in a multi-ethnic environment,[21] and when asked about how closely his ethnicity impacts him, Cole commented, "I can identify with white people, because I know my mother, her side of the family, who I love. But at the end of the day, [I've] never felt white. I can identify [with white people] but never have I felt like I'm one of them. I identify more with what I look like, because that's how I got treated [but] not necessarily in a negative way".[22] During his youth, Cole expressed an affinity for basketball and music, and served as a first-chair violinist for the Terry Sanford Orchestra until 2003.[18] Cole began rapping at the age of twelve, and saw it as an ideal profession in 2000, when his mother purchased an ASR-X musical sampler as a Christmas gift.[18] During this period, Cole heightened emphasis on improving his production skills, later beginning initial production under the pseudonym Therapist.[23][24] Cole later collaborated with local group Bomm Sheltuh, rapping and producing as a member of the group.[25] Cole can be seen in the crowd of the 2006 documentary Dave Chappelle's Block Party.[26] Upon graduating high school with a 4.2 GPA,[27] Cole decided that his chances of securing a recording contract would be better in New York City. He moved there and accepted a scholarship to St. John's University. Initially majoring in computer science, Cole later switched to communications after witnessing the life of a lonely computer science professor.[28] At the college, Cole was the president of Haraya, a pan-African student coalition.[29] He graduated magna cum laude in 2007, with a 3.8 GPA.[18][30][31] Despite graduating, Cole would officially receive his degree during a homecoming concert in 2015, revealing that he had owed money for a library book, causing the university to hold back from granting him his degree.[32] Cole later worked in various part-time jobs in Fayetteville, including a working ad salesman for a newspaper, a bill collector, a file clerk, and a kangaroo mascot at a skate rink.[18][33] Musical career 1999–2008: Beginnings and early work Logo used by J. Cole earlier in his career. After becoming musically inspired by Canibus, Nas, Tupac and Eminem, Cole and his cousin worked on developing their basic understanding of rhyming and wordplay. As well as this, they began to learn how to interpolate storytelling within their lyrics.[34] By 14, Cole had various notebooks filled with song ideas, however, was unable to produce beats further than sampling. Cole's mother later purchased him the Roland TR-808 drum machine in order to further Cole's understanding of production. Over the next three years, he began posting songs on various internet forums under the moniker Blaza, but later switched to the name Therapist.[35] Cole later expanded his production to create an entire CD's worth of instrumentals, and traveled to Roc the Mic Studio, hoping to play it for Jay Z while he was in recording sessions for American Gangster. Cole waited for over three hours, before being dismissed by Jay Z.[36] Cole later used the CD as the backdrop for his debut mixtape, The Come Up. 2009–2010: Mixtapes and Roc Nation signing Main articles: The Warm Up and Friday Night Lights (mixtape) Cole was the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation in 2009. J. Cole released his second mixtape, The Warm Up, on June 15, 2009, to positive reviews. Cole appeared on Jay Z's album The Blueprint 3 (2009), on the track "A Star Is Born."[37] He is featured on both Wale's debut album, Attention Deficit (2009) and mixtape Back to the Feature (2009), respectively.[38] In January 2010, Cole, along with label mate Jay Electronica and Mos Def appeared on Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek's single, "Just Begun" for the follow-up of Reflection Eternal's album Train of Thought (2000), titled Revolutions Per Minute (2010).[39] Cole also appeared on B.o.B's mixtape May 25 (2010), on the song "Gladiators", produced by The Alchemist.[40] Cole performing at South by Southwest in 2010 In early 2010, Cole was chosen as one of Beyond Race magazine's "50 Great Breakthrough Artists," he ranked 49, resulting in the cover story of the publication's #11 issue, as well as a Q&A for the magazine's site.[41] He was also featured in XXL Magazine's 2010 version of the Top Ten Freshmen, a yearly publication focusing on new rappers. Cole began a college tour from March 19, 2010, to April 30, 2010, concluding in New Brunswick, NJ at Rutgers University's annual Rutgersfest. The tour also featured a stop at Syracuse University for a show with fellow rapper, Wiz Khalifa.[42] On March 31, he performed a new song titled "Who Dat" and released the song as a single on April 30, 2010.[43] Cole was also featured on Young Chris' song "Still The Hottest" as well as Miguel's debut single "All I Want Is You."[44] Additionally, Cole was featured on a track titled "We On", a song that failed to make the final track list for DJ Khaled's Victory LP.[45] To celebrate the anniversary of the release of The Warm Up mixtape, J. Cole released a freestyle entitled "The Last Stretch" on June 15, 2010. On June 21 of that year, J. Cole premiered the music video to his first single "Who Dat" on the BET program 106 & Park.[46] In August 2010, Cole was awarded the UMA Male Artist of the Year thanks to his heralded The Warm Up mixtape and a high-profile deal with Jay Z's label Roc Nation at the 2010 Underground Music Awards. In a July 2010 interview, J. Cole revealed three songs that would appear on his debut album: "Dreams", "Won't Be Long", and "Never Told", which was produced by No I.D.[47] On October 30, 2010, a demo titled "I'm Coming Home" was leaked onto the internet. Cole recorded the song as a reference track for Diddy, which later became "Coming Home" off Last Train to Paris (2010).[48] On November 12, 2010, J. Cole released his third official mixtape titled Friday Night Lights.[49] The tape included features from Drake, Wale, and Omen with most of the production being handled by Cole himself. 2011–2012: Cole World: The Sideline Story Main article: Cole World: The Sideline Story Cole performing in Toronto during Cole World... World Tour in 2011 Cole served as a supporting act for Drake on the Light Dreams and Nightmares UK Tour, from January 5–21, 2011. In April 2011, "HiiiPoWeR", a song Cole produced for Kendrick Lamar's Section.80 (2011) was released. The single was the first of many collaborations to come from the two. On May 22, 2011, Cole released a song entitled "Return of Simba," the third in the "Simba" series of songs, following "Simba" and "Grown Simba."[50] Cole purposely avoided releasing his debut album's title for fear of inconsistency, only announcing that Jay-Z would be featured on his debut album.[51] Cole then released his follow-up single to "Who Dat", the album's lead single, "Work Out" on June 15, 2011, in honor of the second anniversary of his highly acclaimed mixtape The Warm Up.[52] The song, produced by Cole himself, samples "The New Workout Plan" by Kanye West and interpolates "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul.[53][54] The song later became a hit single, topping several music charts.[55] On July 31, Cole took to Twitter to announce Any Given Sunday, reminiscent of Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Fridays, a weekly free music giveaway. Cole wrote "Every Sunday til the album drops I'll be back with something. Maybe just 1 song, maybe a video, depending on how I'm feeling." For the 3rd installment of the series, Cole took to Ustream to update fans about the album and play a select few tracks that didn't make the final track list. On August 15, the music video for "Work Out" premiered on YouTube, Vevo, and 106 & Park. On August 22, Cole released his debut album's cover art, designed by Alex Haldi for Bestest Asbestos, whom Cole recorded a song for, titled "Killers", for Haldi's mixtape The Glorification of Gangster.[56] For the fourth installment on August 29, he released his debut album's track list, once again through Twitter.[57] On August 30, after an unfinished version had previously leaked, "Can't Get Enough" featuring R&B singer Trey Songz was released as the album's second single. While in Barbados for his last performance as the official opening act for Rihanna's Loud Tour, Cole shot the music video for "Can't Get Enough" with Songz and Rihanna, who provided a cameo appearance.[58] The video, directed by Clifton Bell, was released on September 14, 2011. In addition, early on September 25, two days before his album's release, Cole released the music video for the iTunes bonus track "Daddy's Little Girl". Cole World: The Sideline Story was released September 27, 2011, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, with 218,000 copies in its first-week of sales.[59] As of December 2, 2011, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments and sales of 500,000 copies.[60] On February 7, 2012, the third and final single from Cole's debut album was released. The song, titled "Nobody's Perfect", features renowned female rapper Missy Elliott, marking her return to music. As of December 2016, the album had sold 855,000 copies in the United States.[61] On October 24, 2011, during an interview with Hot 106's Rise & Grind morning show, Cole revealed he had begun working on his second studio album, with hopes of releasing it in June 2012. He also stated that the album would consist of songs that failed to make his debut, saying "I don't know how many, but I got songs that didn't make the last album that are automatically going to make this one," he said, revealing the release date: "June. End of June, maybe June."[62] From November 6 to 8, Cole served as the supporting act for Tinie Tempah, appearing at Bournemouth International Centre; Liverpool Echo Arena, Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales; LG Arena, Birmingham, England; SECC Arena, Glasgow, Scotland; and MEN Arena, Manchester. 2012–2013: Born Sinner and Truly Yours series Main articles: Born Sinner, Truly Yours (EP), and Truly Yours 2 (EP) Cole was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2012 Grammy Awards. Cole played for the Eastern Team in the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game. On February 24, 2012, Cole reached two million followers on Twitter, and celebrated by releasing the song "Grew Up Fast."[63] On March 1, 2012, Cole returned to his home town, Fayetteville, North Carolina. To celebrate his return, he released the song "Visionz of Home", and launched an event titled "Dreamville Weekend" to inspire the youth of his hometown to achieve great things.[64] Cole performed for the first time in Africa during the Big Brother Africa 7 opening ceremony on May 6, 2012, alongside Camp Mulla, P-Square, Naeto C, Flavour N'abania, Davido, and Aemo E'Face.[65][66] On May 14, Cole announced that he was working on a collaborative album with Kendrick Lamar, saying in an interview with Bootleg Kev that "I just started working with Kendrick the other day. We got it in, finally, again. We got maybe four or five [songs] together", also saying that the project would be more focused on and eventually released once Born Sinner had been released.[67] On July 26, he returned to Twitter after a 100-day absence and went on to reveal and release his new song, "The Cure", in which he hinted at a new album. On October 20, he announced at a live show that his second album was complete and that he was waiting until after Lamar released good kid, m.A.A.d city to reveal it.[68] Cole performing during the What Dreams May Come Tour On November 5, Cole revealed the title of his second album, Born Sinner, as well as a scheduled release date of January 28, 2013, via Ustream.[69] On November 13, 2012, Cole released a promotional single for the album, titled "Miss America."[70] Cole stated that he hoped "Miss America" would shift music in a different direction, adding that he knew it wouldn't be a big radio hit. He elaborated further, saying, "To me, 'Miss America' shifts things a little bit, it changes the conversation, it takes it in a more aggressive direction, more raw, more social commentary... Any type of commentary is good compared to what a normal single is these days. That's my aim, is to shift culture slightly, change the conversation. Nobody expects that for your first single."[71] On December 31, 2012, Cole revealed that Born Sinner would not be released on January 28, 2013, as previously expected. Cole said that he "needed a little more time than that to get things done." In promotion of Born Sinner, Cole released an EP titled Truly Yours on February 12, 2013, the project consisted of five tracks Cole knew would not appear on Born Sinner.[72] On February 14, 2013, he released the artwork for the first single via Instagram. "Power Trip" was released on February 14, 2013, marking Cole's second collaboration with R&B recording artist Miguel. Cole had announced a release date of June 25, 2013, for Born Sinner. However, when it was announced that Kanye West's Yeezus would be released just one week earlier on June 18, Cole moved the release date of Born Sinner up a week in order to compete with West. He later commented, "This is art, and I can't compete against the Kanye West celebrity and the status that he's earned just from being a genius... But I can put my name in the hat and tell you that I think my album is great and you be the judge and you decide."[73] Cole released the second installment in the Truly Yours series on April 30, 2013, the EP featured guest appearances from Bas, Young Jeezy and 2 Chainz.[74] Born Sinner sold 297,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, finishing approximately 30,000 copies short of Kanye West's Yeezus.[75] He released three more singles in support of the album, "Crooked Smile" featuring TLC, "Forbidden Fruit" featuring Kendrick Lamar, and "She Knows". As of December 2016, the album had sold 796,000 copies in the United States.[61] 2014–2016: 2014 Forest Hills Drive Main article: 2014 Forest Hills Drive Cole performing at Governor's Ball 2014, in New York City On August 15, 2014, Cole released "Be Free" in response to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Three days later, he visited the city in order to meet with protesters and activists who were gathered at the site of his shooting, discussing the civil unrest that was taking place within the city. He performed the track with an additional verse at the Late Show with David Letterman on December 10.[76] On November 16, Cole released a video announcing that his third studio album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, would be released on December 9.[77] The video featured footage regarding the album's composition, as well as revealed that the album's name was derived from the address of Cole's childhood home. He announced that the album would include no lead singles and have little promotion, but was supported by four promotional singles; "Apparently", "Wet Dreamz", "No Role Modelz", and "Love Yourz".[78] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 upon release, selling 353,000 copies in its first week.[79][80] Cole announced the "Forest Hills Drive Tour" on February 13, 2015. The tour served as the backdrop for his first live album, Forest Hills Drive: Live. The album recorded during the Fayetteville shows of the tour, and was released on Cole's 31st birthday.[81] On March 31, 2014 Forest Hills Drive was certified platinum.[82] As of December 2016, the album had sold 1.24 million copies in the United States.[61] 2014 Forest Hills Drive won Top Rap Album at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards and Album of the Year at the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards.[83] The album was nominated at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album. The single "Apparently'" was also nominated for Best Rap Performance.[84] On December 15, 2015, Cole announced a documentary series titled J. Cole: Road to Homecoming, ahead of his HBO special Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming. The series included five episodes as well as featuring guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Wale, Rihanna, Pusha T, Big Sean, Jay Z, and Drake.[85] All episodes were released weekly and were available for free on Vimeo until January 9.[86] The concert film Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming aired on January 9, 2016, which was filmed during the final show of his Forest Hills Drive Tour at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina.[87] On January 28, 2016, Cole released Forest Hills Drive: Live as well as the music video for "Love Yourz", from concert film.[88][89] 2016–2017: 4 Your Eyez Only Main article: 4 Your Eyez Only On July 29, 2016, DJ Khaled released his ninth studio album,[90] Major Key. Cole is featured on the track "Jermaine's Interlude".[91] "Said all I could say, now I play with thoughts of retirement" is a direct quote from the track that caused some of Cole's fans to worry about him and his music career.[92] In an interview with Genius, Doctur Dot of the Atlanta duo EarthGang explained that the song was originally a nine-minute posse cut, he said, "We were just trying to get Bas to fuck with the song, but Cole was like, 'I can't resist this beat,' so he hit the weed for the first time in a long time." "He overthinks on weed but we were in the garage smoking a blunt, the beat was running in the background. We stacked the hook up, we all had verses on it, it was a posse record and was like, nine verses long."[93] On November 4, 2016, Cole performed at Jay Z and Beyoncé's Hillary Clinton Rally in Cleveland, Ohio, along with Big Sean and Chance the Rapper.[94] On November 8, 2016, Spillage Village released the official version of "Jermaine's Interlude", called "Can't Call It". The song features Cole, EarthGang, Bas and JID.[95] Cole performing in Toronto during 4 Your Eyez Only Tour in 2017 On December 1, 2016, the artwork and a track list for Cole's fourth album, titled 4 Your Eyez Only, were shown on iTunes available for pre-order, with a release date for December 9, 2016.[96][97] On December 2, 2016, Cole released a 40-minute documentary titled Eyez, on Tidal. It features behind-the-scenes footage of Cole and collaborators working on the album,[98] including two music videos for the tracks "Everybody Dies" and "False Prophets"; neither song was included on the album.[99][100] On December 5, "False Prophets" and "Everybody Dies" were released as singles to iTunes store and other streaming services.[101] 4 Your Eyez Only debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 492,000 album-equivalent units, of which 363,000 were pure album sales, becoming Cole's fourth number one album.[102] The track "Deja Vu" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 7 without being released as a single, becoming J. Cole's highest charting song. All 10 songs from 4 Your Eyez Only debuted in the top 40 of the Hot 100, after only having four top 40 hits as a solo artist. "False Prophets" and "Everybody Dies" both charted also. Cole achieved twelve simultaneous Hot 100 entries in a single week.[103] "Deja Vu" was released as the album's first single on January 10, 2017.[104] On January 12, 2017, 4 Your Eyez Only was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[105] On April 7, 2017, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[106] On January 16, 2017, Cole surprisingly released a track titled, "High for Hours" via his SoundCloud. The song was produced by Elite and Cam O'Bi.[107] The song was released on the iTunes store as a single on January 18.[108] Cole announced the 4 Your Eyez Only World Tour on February 21, 2017,[109] the tour included 62 dates across North America, Europe and Australia.[110] On March 24, 2017 HBO announced a documentary titled, J. Cole: 4 Your Eyez Only, the film aired April 15, 2017.[111] The film was directed by Cole and Scott Lazer.[112] It is now available on YouTube.[113] 2018: KOD Main article: KOD (album) On April 16, 2018, J. Cole announced a surprise free event for fans at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City.[114] The event turned out to be a listening session for his forthcoming album,[115] titled KOD, which was released on April 20, 2018.[116] Cole held a second listening session in London the next day.[117] The album's cover and tracklist show twelve tracks and two features, both by Cole's alter ego, Kill Edward.[118][119] Cole had mentioned that KOD has 3 meanings, Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed, and Kill Our Demons.[120] The cover art for KOD was done by a Detroit artist named Kamau Haroon who goes by the name Sixmau.[121] The album touches on many topics including drug abuse, addiction, depression, and greed.[122] In the United States, on the day of its release, KOD broke the previous record for Views by Drake in 2016 by receiving 64.5 million streams on Apple Music. It accumulated 36.7 million streams on Spotify in its first 24 hours as well. Additionally, the titled track also surpassed Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" by 0.4 million streams on its first day.[123] The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, earning 397,000 album-equivalent units, including 174,000 in pure sales, making it Cole's fifth number one album. J. Cole also became the first act to simultaneously debut three songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, with "ATM" (at 6), "Kevin's Heart" (8), and "KOD" (10). The remainder of the album also debuted in the Hot 100, totaling to twelve songs on the chart.[124] "KOD" was released as the album's first single, on May 8, 2018.[125] Cole released music videos for the songs "ATM" and "Kevin's Heart", both of which were directed by Cole and Scott Lazer.[126][127] "ATM" impacted US rhythmic contemporary radio on July 31, 2018, as the album's second single.[128] Songs from the album were featured in the official 2018 NBA Playoffs and the NBA Finals promotion for ESPN.[129][130] On April 27, 2018, it was announced that Cole was working on another project titled The Fall Off, Cole said that he planned to release The Fall Off before he recorded KOD. Cole also confirmed that he is working on a Kill Edward album.[131] On May 14, 2018, KOD was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over 500,000 album-equivalent units in the US.[132] The album has since been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with one million album-equivalent units in the United States.[133] Cole announced the KOD Tour on May 8, 2018,[134] Young Thug, Jaden Smith, EarthGang and Kill Edward served as the supporting acts.[135] The tour will include 34 North American dates, starting in Miami, on August 9 and concluding in Boston, on October 10, 2018.[134] Cole performed "Intro" and "Friends" at the 2018 BET Awards on June 24, 2018. Singer Daniel Caesar performed part of "Intro" and the chorus to "Friends", rapper Wale was also part of the set.[136][137] On August 7, 2018, Cole released a single titled, "Album of the Year (Freestyle)".[138] The single was accompanied by a music video, which premiered on WorldStarHipHop.[139] Cole also announced a new project titled, The Off Season,[138] which he plans to release ahead of his next studio album, The Fall Off. In the description to the video, it reads: "The Off Season coming soon... All roads lead to The Fall Off - Cole".[139] In an interview for Billboard in September 2018, Cole said he plans to take off 2019 from touring to finish work on The Off Season, The Fall Off, and the Kill Edward project.[140] 2019: Revenge of the Dreamers III Main article: Revenge of the Dreamers III On January 6, 2019, Cole took to Twitter to announce Dreamville's compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers III by uploading a gold poster-like invitation. Recording sessions took place in Atlanta beginning January 6 through January 16, 2019.[141] Throughout the 10-days of recording, invitations were shared by the entire Dreamville roster, among other artists and producers outside of Dreamville.[142] A total of 343 artists and producers were invited to the sessions including, Big K.R.I.T., Mike Will Made It, DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz, Tay Keith, T.I, Rick Ross, 9th Wonder and Wale, among others.[143] On January 23, 2019, Cole released his first lead single since 2013 titled, "Middle Child".[144] With only one day of tracking, "Middle Child" debuted at number 26 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The following week, the song peaked at number 4, making it Cole's highest charting song.[145] Cole performed at the 2019 NBA All-Star Game for its halftime show on February 17, 2019, in Charlotte. He performed "Middle Child", "A Lot", "ATM", "Love Yourz" and "No Role Modelz".[146] On May 23, 2019, Cole was featured alongside American rapper and singer Travis Scott on American rapper Young Thug's single "The London", which would become the lead single from Thug's debut studio album, So Much Fun.[147] On June 12, 2019, the first of two sets of dual singles from Revenge of the Dreamers III were released: "Down Bad" featuring Cole, JID, Bas, EarthGang, and Young Nudy,[148] and "Got Me" featuring Ari Lennox, Omen, Ty Dolla Sign, and Dreezy.[149] On July 1, 2019, the second set of dual singles from the album were released: "LamboTruck" featuring Cozz, Reason, and Childish Major[150] and "Costa Rica" featuring Bas, JID, Guapdad 4000, Reese Laflare, Jace, Mez, Smokepurpp, Buddy, and Ski Mask the Slump God.[151] Dreamville announced the album's release date on the same day and was selling limited merchandise on July 1, related to the album. On July 2, 2019, Dreamville Presents: REVENGE was released on the label's official YouTube account, a film documenting the album's recording sessions in Atlanta.[152] Revenge of the Dreamers III debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 115,000 album-equivalent units, of which 24,000 were pure album sales, earning Cole his sixth consecutive number-one album in the country.[153] The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, while "Middle Child" and "Down Bad" were nominated for Best Rap Performance. Cole's collaboration with 21 Savage "A Lot" received a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, making this his first Grammy Award win.[154] 2020–present: The Off-Season and The Fall Off Main article: The Off-Season On June 16, 2020, J. Cole released his first song of 2020, "Snow on tha Bluff", a politically-charged track released soon after the murder of George Floyd that led to disagreements with and criticism from Noname and other rappers.[155][156][157] On July 23, 2020, Cole released a promotional EP titled Lewis Street featuring two new songs, "The Climb Back" and "Lion King on Ice".[158][159] The former later appeared on The Off-Season. On December 29, 2020, Cole took to Instagram to post a photo where he documented a list titled, "The Fall Off Era". On the list crossed out, was features and Revenge of the Dreamers III. Also listed, but not crossed out was two projects, The Off-Season and It's a Boy, which he announced would be released ahead of The Fall Off. The caption of the post read: "I still got some goals I gotta check off for' I scram..."[160] On May 4, 2021, J. Cole officially revealed the release date and album artwork of The Off-Season, his sixth studio album. The album's lead single, "Interlude", was released on May 7.[161][162] The Off-Season was released on May 14, 2021. The album was co-executively produced by T-Minus and featured guest appearances from Morray, 21 Savage, Lil Baby, Bas, and 6LACK. It received positive reviews from critics and topped the US Billboard 200, selling 282,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, earning Cole his sixth consecutive number-one album in the country.[163] Four songs from The Off-Season debuted in the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100, with "My Life" (at 2), "Amari" (at 5), "Pride Is the Devil" (at 7), and "95 South" (at 8). "Interlude" debuted at number eight the previous week giving the album five top ten singles.[164] On September 21, 2021, J. Cole released a freestyle titled "Heaven's EP", remixing the beat of "Pipe Down" from Drake's Certified Lover Boy.[165][166] On March 31, 2022, the song later appeared on the Dreamville compilation D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape, with Cole also appearing on the songs "Stick" and "Freedom of Speech".[167] Basketball career Cole played basketball at Terry Sanford High School in North Carolina. With an academic scholarship, he tried out as a walk-on at St. John's University and was one of 10 call-back players during his sophomore year.[168] In 2012, Cole played for the Eastern Team during the NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game.[169] In 2013, Cole told Sports Illustrated, "Sports is where it started for me. It parallels my life. Rap is such a competitive thing. That's why I have to watch sports. I got to keep up. It's my life in just another form."[170] On July 20, 2020, Cole released an article for The Players' Tribune, writing about his goals after graduating college to eventually playing professional basketball saying "if I can blow up in the next three years, that means I'll only be 27. That still might give me enough time to train and pursue a professional basketball career. I'll work hard enough to go play overseas and then try to work my way to the NBA."[171] On July 31, 2020, Cole released his debut signature shoe in collaboration with Puma called the PUMA RS-Dreamer.[172] In August 2020, it was also reported by Master P that Cole was training to tryout for the NBA.[173] In September 2022, J. Cole was named as the cover athlete for NBA 2K23 on the Dreamer Edition, and was featured in the game as well as a character in the game's "MyCareer" mode. Cole said in a press release, "NBA 2K has long been a place to discover new musical talent through their game and continues to be a gold standard for showcasing all things basketball culture. It's been an amazing journey to not only appear on a cover of this year's game, but to be part of the MyCareer storyline, soundtrack and bring the Dreamer brand into NBA 2K."[174][175] Patriots Basketball Club (2021) On May 10, 2021, Cole signed a contract with the Rwanda-based Patriots Basketball Club in the Basketball Africa League.[176] Cole was also featured on the cover of the American basketball magazine SLAM, for their May 2021 issue.[177] Cole made his professional debut on May 16 against the Rivers Hoopers, finishing with three points, three rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes.[178] In three games with the team, he scored five points, had three assists and five rebounds in 45 minutes of gameplay. He was only under contract for a minimum of three games. He left the team after playing the three games.[179] Scarborough Shooting Stars (2022) On May 19, 2022, Cole signed with the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.[180] On June 8, 2022, in a social media interview released by the Shooting Stars, it was announced that Cole would take an indefinite leave from the team to fulfill his concert tour commitments. In 4 games with the Shooting Stars, Cole averaged 2.4 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists, while shooting 50% from 3-point range.

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