Jay-Z Defends Nepo Baby Daughter Blue Ivy, 14, Joining Beyoncé on Tour — 'Not Everything Is Just Given to Her'
Jay-Z has defended the inclusion of nepo baby daughter Blue ivy on wife Beyoncé's recent tours.
March 25 2026, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
Jay-Z has hit out at critics of his nepo baby daughter after the 14-year-old joined mom Beyoncé on tour as one of the diva's backing dancers, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The rapper, 56, is adamant Blue Ivy deserved to be on the tour for her ability as a dancer, claiming her increased work ethic has sparked noticeable improvement.
'She's Worked Really Hard'
Jay-Z has insisted Blue Ivy earned the right to be on the tours.
The teenager joined mom Beyoncé, 44, on stage for her back-to-back Renaissance and Cowboy Carter tours in 2023 and 2024.
"On the first tour, there was a lot of conversation around her first performance, and she worked really hard to get to that point, but she still wasn’t going for it," Jay-Z said. "She still was going through the motions.
"And then she just started fighting back. I saw her fight, maybe for the first time in her life – like, not everything is just given to her, and everything is easy. She fought for it."
The 99 Problems hitmaker also noted he was protective of which songs he felt comfortable with her dancing to.
Blue Ivy's 'Amazing' Growth As A Performer
Blue Ivy, here with sister Rumi, and mom Beyoncé, has improved immensely, according to Jay-Z.
He told GQ: "She's almost on every number. I had to take her off some, like, 'Man, you can’t be on that stage when (Beyoncé's) singing Six-inch heels…; are you crazy?'"
In addition to Blue, Jay-Z and Beyoncé share fraternal twins Rumi and Sir, eight.
The father-of-three said witnessing Blue's growth as a performer was "amazing."
The Young Forever rapper went on to share his oldest child is "a crazy pianist," but won't let her parents "get her a teacher" because "she doesn’t want it to be a job."
"But she has perfect pitch. If she hears a song, she’ll be like, 'Play it again,' and then she’ll teach herself. That's just talent, she doesn’t work at that,'" he gushed.
Intense Training Regime
Blue Ivy spent hours every day preparing for the tour.
Referencing her effort as a dancer, the producer clarified: "She worked at this, and it makes me proud that she fought for something that she really wanted to do.
"I don't think we’re going to be able to get her off that stage now."
Insiders revealed in May last year that in preparation for the tour, Blue spent hours a day rehearsing for nearly six months with choreographer to the stars, Amari Marshall, all while juggling school.
"She’s been around Bey's choreographers since she was a baby, which is where she picked up her love of dance," the source told The Daily Mail.
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Jay-Z gushed over his pride being a parent.
"She has been training with Amari, and they started rehearsing just before Christmas. She rehearsed for six hours a day in between school work and has been watching her mom’s videos on YouTube.
"Blue even had a hand in some of the creative direction of this tour," the insider said about Cowboy Carter.
Elsewhere in the GQ chat, Jay-Z spoke about the value of parenthood and family: "It gives everything meaning, everything. I'll go cross-country, do what I have to do, and I’m back on the plane that night."
He added about being a dad: "I love taking them to school. I love picking them up."
