Entertainment
How Have Jay Z & Solange Been Since Met Gala 2014?
Although it hasn't been exactly a year, chronologically speaking, since Solange attacked Jay Z in an elevator at the Met Gala 2014, Monday does mark the date of the 2015 Met Gala. It's difficult to decide what should actually be the starting off point for the anniversary of a scandal that rocked the Internet with how unexpected, and horrifying, it was. After all, while the incident took place after the Met Gala on May 5, 2014, the security video capturing the attack wasn't leaked onto the Internet until May 12, 2014 — a full week later. Despite the fact that this was all everyone could talk about just a year ago, the scandal has died down to the point that it might be surprising for people to realize that an entire year has passed.
Although she reportedly isn't on any official guest lists, outlets are claiming that Beyoncé will attend the 2015 Met Gala. There's no word yet, however, on whether or not Jay Z will accompany her and whether or not Solange will be there. While I'm hardly expecting more violence to break out within the family, all three appearing at the gala would be a powerful way to show how far they've come since 2014 and how, even in times of darkness, they can overcome it all to stand united as a family. How did they get to this point?
Let's trace their changing relationship between Elevatorgate 2014 to the present day and see for ourselves.
May 12, 2014
TMZ posts video footage of Solange attacking Jay Z in an elevator after the Met Gala on May 5, 2014. While Beyoncé initially attracts criticism for doing nothing to stop the attack, later video footage sees her vaguely attempt to help. Vaguely. The Internet is instantly awash in questions, theories, and, of course, jokes about the shocking incident — not to mention the infamous hashtag, #WhatJayzSaidToSolange.
May 13, 2014
The rumors are further fueled when it appears that Solange deleted all but one picture of Beyoncé off her Instagram, and a million Elevatorgate memes begin to hit the Internet. All of them are in bad taste. Some of them are in really bad taste.
May 14, 2014
There is a rumor that Jay Z and Solange went jewelry shopping in the midst of Elevatorgate that is quickly revealed to be a bald-faced lie. The person or persons who leaked the elevator security footage that launched this scandal to begin with is also identified and fired.
May 15, 2014
The Carter-Knowles family finally release a statement on Elevatorgate that is everything, and yet nothing, like what people were expecting:
As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it. Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family.
May 19, 2014
Beyoncé posts pictures of herself, Solange, and Jay Z together and smiling in New Orleans, with captions of the date the picture was taken to prove that the family has moved on. The rest of the world, however, is very slow to do the same.
May 24, 2014
Nielson Sound Scan reveals that Solange's digital sales have improved in the wake of Elevatorgate, proving there is no such thing as bad publicity. Meanwhile, Beyoncé Instagrams a sweet message to Kanye and Kim Kardashian, to offset the fact that she and Jay Z opted to totally skip out on going to that wedding. Sorry, Kimye.
May 29, 2014
A new report claims that Jay Z has parted ways with business partner John Meneilly. Though no information was given as to why, the fact that it came only five days after the report of Solange's boost in sales has some trying to connect their parting of the ways to Elevatorgate.
June 25, 2014
Beyoncé and Jay Z celebrate the opening night of their On the Run tour by sharing never-before-seen footage from their secret wedding with the audience. Consider this the calm before the storm, people.
June 28, 2014
Beyoncé sparks divorce rumors when she changes a line in her 2006 song "Resentment" in order to reference her and Jay Z's relationship — when the song is about a woman who has found out her partner has been cheating on her. Awk.
July 3, 2014
Beyoncé attempts to minimize the lyric change damage by posting loving pictures of herself and Jay Z on Instagram, but no one's buying it. The divorce rumors only increase in intensity, variety, and frequency.
July 7, 2014
In an interview with Lucky magazine, Solange re-opens discussion of Elevatorgate with a statement, "What’s important is that my family and I are all good. What we had to say collectively was in the statement that we put out, and we all feel at peace with that."
July 21, 2014
Rumors of Jay Z's infidelity only increase until one report claims outright that Jay Z and Beyoncé will announce their divorce when the On the Run tour is over.
August 3, 2014
Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj release the "Flawless (Remix)," which contains a reference to Elevatorgate: "We escalate, up in this b**** like elevators, of course sometimes sh** go down when there’s billion dollars on an elevator." You know, because she's so over it that she can joke about it. Or something.
August 5, 2014
A woman claiming to be Jay Z's mistress releases a music video called "Sorry Mrs. Carter" that throws some major shade at Beyoncé and that has the entire world asking, um, who is this Liv person exactly?
August 8, 2014
Despite rumors that Beyoncé and Jay Z are going to get a divorce after the On the Run Tour, the tour ends without the release of a statement breaking up one of the world's greatest couples. Instead of letting it go, word on the street is that Beyoncé instead plans to announce the divorce when she performs at the VMAs.
August 21, 2014
Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, scoffs in the face of the Jay Z and Beyoncé divorce rumors. Everyone continues to refuse to let it go.
August 24, 2014
Beyoncé's 2014 VMAs performance is a feminist masterpiece that ignites amazing discourse about the true meaning of the word, giving feminism a second wind. The performance also gives her the chance to make it clear that her love for her husband, and her family, is as rock solid as it has ever been. Divorce rumors? What divorce rumors?
August 26, 2014
Jay Z's alleged mistress Liv disses Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj in her second shade-filled music video. People pay even less attention to this than they did to the first one.
August 28, 2014
Beyoncé's father, Matthew Knowles, claims Elevatorgate was staged in order to boost ticket sales for the On the Run Tour: "All I know is the Jedi mind trick. Everybody’s talking about it. Ticket sales went up. Solange’s album sales went up 200 percent."
September 4, 2014
Jay Z and Beyoncé head to Corsica to celebrate her 33rd birthday. In addition, Jay Z wishes Beyoncé a happy birthday with a video montage that shows what an amazing life she has had, and what a perfect couple they are. People still clinging to the idea that their relationship is dead are probably feeling a little silly right about now.
September 12, 2014
The world begins to wonder if Beyoncé is pregnant after attendants of a Jay Z and Beyoncé concert in Paris claim Hova changed the lyrics of his song "Beach Is Better" to say, "'cause she pregnant with another one."
September 16, 2014
The rumors of Beyoncé's pregnancy begin to lose steam when Beyoncé is photographed with a glass of champagne.
October 22, 2014
According to People, Beyoncé and Jay renew their wedding vows, continuing to laugh in the face of all those stupid divorce rumors.
November 16, 2014
Solange and Alan Ferguson get married in New Orleans in a ceremony that is attended by friends and family — including Jay Z, Beyoncé and Blue Ivy, of course. The wedding photos that are released paint a picture of a very happy day, that begins with riding bikes with flower baskets and ends in Solange and her son Julez doing a choreographed dance for their guests.
November 17, 2014
The world discovers that Solange broke out in hives at her wedding, leading people to joke that she was "allergic to Jay Z." She responded with an Instagram post making light of the situation:
Last but not least….:) Shout out to Benadryl yo, lol. NOTHING was gonna stop me from having my mother and son dance with Julez. My baby killed it and will forever remain my favorite dance parter of all time. My heart will forever smile reliving the feeling our lil happy feet together.
November 30, 2014
After flying off to spend her honeymoon on the Brazilian coast with her husband, Solange shares her honeymoon photos on Instagram and gives us all the kind of vacation envy that only a Knowles can provide.
December 4, 2014
Jay Z and Beyoncé celebrate Jay Z's 45th birthday with a trip to Iceland because, well, why not?
December 8, 2014
Royalty meets royalty when Beyoncé and Jay Z meet Prince William and Kate Middleton at a Brooklyn Nets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game. THE WORLD WAS NOT READY. THE WORLD IS STILL NOT READY.
December 12, 2014
Beyoncé posts a reflective YouTube video called "Yours and Mine" to her channel, in which she reflects on everything from her career to her marriage to feminism:
I always considered myself a feminist, although I was always afraid of that word because people put so much on it when honestly it’s very simple. It’s just a person that believes in equality for men and women. Men and women balance each other out, and we have to get to a point where we are comfortable with appreciating each other.
December 28, 2014
TMZ breaks the news that Solange reportedly owes back taxes and was slapped with a claim from the State of California mere days after her wedding. A tweet posted the same day that the news broke was rumored to refer to the story, "Well thanks for letting me know, lol. Shiiiiiiiiiit. (Pronounced *She-it)."
December 31, 2014
Solange and her husband go on a camping trip in the mountains at Johnson National Tree Park in California, along with a small band of friends. Meanwhile, Beyoncé and Jay Z organize a New Year's Eve screening of the On the Run HBO special for U.S. troops.
January 7, 2015
Blue Ivy turns 3 years old and Solange posts an Instagram photo of Blue doing her makeup, leading to speculation that Blue had done her makeup for her wedding. Blue is also given a Frozen-themed birthday party by Jay Z and Beyoncé, because she's a real-life princess.
January 12, 2015
Michelle Williams denies the rumors that Beyoncé is pregnant: "You know, when she was pregnant, people said that she wasn’t pregnant and, you know, it’s just no truth to it. Sorry!"
January 14, 2015
Gwyneth Paltrow reveals that she called Beyoncé and Jay Z after Elevatorgate, but refuses to say how she reacted or what was discussed during the call.
February 14, 2015
Solange celebrates Valentine's Day in New Orleans and goes all out with a Mardi Gras celebration.
April 4, 2015
Beyoncé and Jay Z celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii, sharing Instagram photos later in the same month that give everyone, you guessed it, vacation envy. This is also the day that Beyoncé's "Die With You" hits the Internet. It's a TIDAL exclusive, but, you know, we've all heard it.
April 12, 2015
Beyoncé, Jay Z, Blue Ivy, and Solange are among the guests that attend the wedding of their mother, Tina Knowles, to her longtime boyfriend Richard Lawson. This holy union makes Beyoncé and Solange stepsisters with Bianca Lawson of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Pretty Little Liars, and Teen Wolf fame. During the ceremony, Jay Z and Solange are seen in many group shots together, not to mention dancing with Blue Ivy.
April 30, 2015
The Met Gala reveals that they have banned social media and cell phone photography in 2015, as part of their increased security measures.
May 4, 2015
The 2015 Met Gala has yet to confirm whether or not Jay Z and Solange will be joining Beyoncé in attending, but it's incredibly clear that the three of them have come a long way since the 2014 ceremony. Jay Z and Solange have gone from having an altercation in an elevator to happily attending weddings together, laughing and smiling like a brother-in-law and sister-in-law without a care in the world. At the time of Elevatorgate, rumors flew that the attack was caused by everything from Solange defending Beyoncé from Jay Z's infidelity to Solange just having an outrageous temper. To this day, we still don't know what happened that led to the violent incident.
And that's the way the Knowles-Carter family intends to keep it. The fact of the matter is, it's none of our business what happened. It's not the right of the public to know what led to the event or the steps the family took in moving past it. All we need to know is all they've told us: that they've moved forward as a united family.
Image: Getty Images (7)
