Skip to content

Top Navigation

PEOPLE.com PEOPLE.com
  • News
    • Coronavirus
    • Crime
    • Human Interest
    • Politics
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Country
    • Awards
    • Sports
    • Theater
    • Books
  • Coronavirus
  • Royals
  • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Parents
    • Home
    • Real Estate
    • Pets
    • Food
    • Shopping
    • Tech
  • PeopleTV
  • Shopping
    • Coupons

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
Login
Logout
Subscribe

Explore PEOPLE.com

PEOPLE.com PEOPLE.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Every Tiara Worn at a Royal Wedding

      From Princess Beatrice to Meghan Markle Read More Next
    • Engineer Creates App To Translate Your Cat

      Find out what your cat is trying to tell you with a new cat app Read More Next
    • The Sweetest Photos of Princes Harry with Diana

      Princess Diana died when Harry was just 12 years old Read More Next
  • News

    News

    See all News

    Sean Connery's Cause of Death Revealed Weeks After He Dies at Age 90

    Sean Connery died on Oct. 31 at age 90
    • Coronavirus
    • Crime
    • Human Interest
    • Politics
  • Entertainment

    Entertainment

    See all Entertainment

    Coyote Ugly Turns 20: Where Is the Cast Now?

    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Country
    • Awards
    • Sports
    • Theater
    • Books
  • Coronavirus
  • Royals
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    See all Lifestyle

    Introducing ... PEOPLE's Products Worth the Hype

    • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Parents
    • Home
    • Real Estate
    • Pets
    • Food
    • Shopping
    • Tech
  • PeopleTV
  • Shopping

    Shopping

    • Coupons

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
Login
Logout
Sweepstakes

Follow us

People is on Community!
Text us for exclusive photos and videos, royal news, and way more.
Text: 212-479-1704
  1. People.com
  2. Music
  3. JAY-Z and Solange's Infamous Elevator Fight: Everything They — and Beyoncé — Have Said

JAY-Z and Solange's Infamous Elevator Fight: Everything They — and Beyoncé — Have Said

"That’s my sister, not my sister-in-law. My sister. Period," JAY-Z recently said of Solange
By Stephanie Petit
August 22, 2017 12:15 PM
Skip gallery slides
FB Tweet

1 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

WHAT HAPPENED

Credit: Splash News Online

Surveillance video appeared to show Solange and JAY-Z getting into an argument as Beyoncé witnessed the incident in an elevator following a 2014 Met Gala afterparty. The footage showed Solange yelling at the rapper before wildly hitting and kicking him as a man who seems to be a security guard tried to restrain her. At one point, Beyoncé stepped in to stand between her husband and sister. The surveillance video was obtained by TMZ and widely circulated.

1 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

"SOLANGE WAS PROVOKED"

Credit: Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic

A source told PEOPLE Solange had a run-in with designer Rachel Roy earlier in the night and said that “Solange was provoked by Rachel.”

Towards the end of the night, “Jay said something inappropriate to Beyoncé and Solange, and she snapped. When they got in the elevator, it escalated quickly the way family tensions can. It got exceptionally heated the way family moments can," the insider revealed. “Solange is super protective of Beyoncé.”

2 of 7

3 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

BREAKING THEIR SILENCE

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

Ten days after the incident, the trio released a joint statement addressing the drama.

"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," they say in a statement to the Associated Press. "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.”

“The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behavior throughout that evening are simply false,” the statement continued. “At the end of the day families have problems and we’re no different. We love each other and above all we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same.”

3 of 7

Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

4 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

WE ARE "ALL GOOD"

Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for NARAS

Two months later, Solange cleared the air about the altercation with Lucky magazine.

“What’s important is that my family and I are all good,” the singer said. “What we had to say collectively was in the statement that we put out, and we all feel at peace with that.”

4 of 7

Advertisement

5 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

FUELING THE FIRE

Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/StarPix/REX/Shutterstock

Beyoncé kept talk of the incident alive in August 2014 when she debuted a remix of her song “Flawless” that seemed to reference the famous elevator brawl. “Of course sometimes s— goes down when there’s a billion dollars on an elevator," the lyrics state.

5 of 7

6 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

JAY-Z TAKES RESPONSIBILITY

Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS

Following in his wife's footsteps, JAY-Z appeared to call out the famous footage in his song "Kill JAY-Z" off his 2017 album 4:44. He raps, "You egged Solange on / Knowin' all along /All you had to say you was wrong/ But you gotta do better, boy, you owe it to Blue / You had no father, you had the armor / But you got a daughter, gotta get softer."

6 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

7 of 7

FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

"THAT'S MY SISTER"

Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation

JAY-Z shared in a recent interview with Rap Radar hosts Elliott Wilson and Brian “B.Dot” Miller that the incident is far in the past for the family.

"We’ve always had a great relationship… We had one disagreement ever. Before and after we’ve been cool,” he said of Solange. “She’s like my sister. I will protect her. That’s my sister, not my sister-in-law. My sister. Period.”

7 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Stephanie Petit

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 7 WHAT HAPPENED
2 of 7 "SOLANGE WAS PROVOKED"
3 of 7 BREAKING THEIR SILENCE
4 of 7 WE ARE "ALL GOOD"
5 of 7 FUELING THE FIRE
6 of 7 JAY-Z TAKES RESPONSIBILITY
7 of 7 "THAT'S MY SISTER"

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message
PEOPLE.com

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing
  • Sitemap
  • Student Offer this link opens in a new tab

Connect

People is on Community!
Text us for exclusive photos and videos, royal news, and way more.
Text: 212-479-1704
Newsletter Sign Up
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
© Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab. People is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab Manage Push Notificationsthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab

Manage Push Notifications

If you would like to opt out of browser push notifications, please refer to the following instructions specific to your device and browser: Google Chrome and Android, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://people.com

View image

JAY-Z and Solange's Infamous Elevator Fight: Everything They — and Beyoncé — Have Said
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.