The Power Of Black Love: The Effects of a Combined Empire

An inside look into the philanthropic ventures of Jay-Z and Beyoncé

Whenever the topic of prominent Black couples is at the forefront, a particular pairing tends to dominate the conversation. In 2001, rap legend Jay-Z and Destiny’s Child singer Beyoncé publicly announced their relationship. Since then, the two have been an unstoppable force in the music industry with their chart-topping collaborations and well-established business ventures, such as  Roc Nation, Tidal, Parkwood Entertainment, and more. 

In fact, the popularity they have amassed is so vast that it can and has overshadowed their philanthropic efforts. Beyoncé and Jay-Z are no strangers to charity and have given back to communities through individual and combined efforts. 

Beyoncé’s philanthropy started in 2001 when alongside her former bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, she supported The Candie’s Foundations–a charity intent on increasing awareness and support for teen pregnancy. Continuing her charitable efforts in 2005, Beyoncé collaborated with Rowland to create the Survivor Foundation for Hurricane Katrina victims. The Foundation’s primary focus is to provide aid to those affected by disasters, natural or otherwise. It also serves to support children and families who have been affected by AIDS and homelessness. 

The Survivor Foundation became the superstar’s primary modality of enacting her philanthropic efforts. The organization raised money for various causes, such as world hunger, AIDS, and natural disasters. 

Beyoncé shifted her focus in 2013 when she founded BeyGOOD during the Mrs. Carter World Tour. Like the Survivor Foundation, BeyGOOD is a charitable foundation in which Beyoncé supports numerous causes. Though she was mainly focused on local charities while on tour, her first high-profile work with BeyGOOD was their partnership with STATE bags, an opportunity that provided over 2,000 students with new bookbags. This was one of the company’s many ventures that spoke to their dedication and commitment to housing, education, relief efforts, and mental health. 

Starting a bit later than his spousal counterpart, Jay-Z founded the Shawn Carter Foundation with his mother, Gloria Carter, in 2003. The Foundation focuses on supporting less fortunate individuals with financial assistance for postsecondary education. Jay-Z remained devoted to education as he consistently provided support for underprivileged youth for 20 consecutive years. His efforts, coupled with their collaborative projects, proved fruitful and impactful to the served communities.

Separately, the billionaires have been able to enact tangible change for less fortunate groups for two decades. In the early 2000s, besides the occasional joint charity concert, the couple’s respective foundations remained independent of one another. This changed in 2015 when Beyoncé and Jay-Z were said, by activist and filmmaker Dream Hampton, to have donated bail money to those arrested in the Black Lives Matter protest. From then on, the couple has increasingly utilized their combined efforts to give back to communities. 

Further supporting the BLM movement, in 2016, their shared company Tidal pledged 1.5 million dollars in grant money to BLM and other aligned civil rights groups. Shifting their focus to education, in 2021, in partnership with Tiffany & Co, BeyGOOD and the Shawn Carter Foundation distributed 2 million dollars of scholarship money to Norfolk State University in Virginia, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Bennett College in North Carolina, Central State University in Ohio, and the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff. As a unit, the couple tends to focus their support on political and educational efforts rather than other miscellaneous campaigns.  

The wealth and support Jay-Z and Beyoncé have accumulated from the black community is something the average joe can only dream of. As such, the couple saw fit to give back to the community that championed them. Individually, the couple has decades of generous charitable efforts under their belt. From health, education, relief efforts, and hunger, the couple has contributed to various causes plaguing the country.

Despite the efficacy of their solo ventures together, the Carters make their most substantial contributions. It is through the conjoined power of the media conglomerates they are able to enact long-term support and fund political endeavors.