Today In Hip-Hop History: Solange Slaps JAY-Z In An Elevator With Beyonce

Eight years ago today, a fight amongst the Carter/Knowles family happened in an elevator. In the moments after they exited the elevator and went their separate ways, JAY-Z, Beyoncé and her sister Solange Knowles didn’t realize that their then-private fight would become public, make headlines around the world and spark inspiration for some of their most powerful work to-date.

On May 5, 2014, JAY-Z entered the elevator at The Standard hotel in New York City with his wife Beyoncé and an irate Solange following a Met Gala after party. Hov and Solange exchanged a few words. After she pushed his hand out of the way, Hov attempted to calm his sister-in-law down until she got in his face and started swinging.

Solange land a couple of blows before Beyoncé’s bodyguard attempted to hold her back all while Beyoncé looked on without interfering. Solange land some more kicks as while the bodyguard stopped the elevator in order to contain the fight. She even smacked him with her purse and everything that fell out of it. Once the elevators doors finally opened, JAY-Z tried to ensure Solange wouldn’t attack again by grabbing her arm, but she did anyways. Beyoncé did nothing as her sister headed for the hotel entrance and she and Jay Z followed. Solange and Beyoncé head into one car while Hov, who felt his face while leaving the hotel, enters another.

The footage from the family feud was leaked by TMZ a week later courtesy of a rogue security guard who was swiftly fired after their investigation. The fight was reportedly the result of Beyoncé and Solange witnessing JAY-Z getting too close to fashion designer Rachel Roy, who’s also Damon Dash’s ex-wife.

“The most important thing is that our family has worked through it,” the Carters said in a joint statement that was issued the day after the video leaked. “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. 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.”

As the healing took place, The Carters ended went on their On The Run tour without mentioning the fight. They claimed that they put the event behind them, but that was only the beginning of their overall reflection on what happened that night. A few months after the incident, Beyoncé referenced the violent elevator ride in her verse on her “Flawless” (Remix) featuring Nicki Minaj.

“But no, we escalating, up in this b***h, like elevators,” Bey raps. “Of course sometimes s**t go down, When it’s a billion dollars on an elevator.”

That was just the beginning. Beyoncé shocked the world when she dropped her visual album Lemonade without warning on April 23, 2016. The 12-track album features culturally impactful songs like “Formation.” It also contains equally beloved tracks like “Hold Up,” “Sorry,” “Pray You Catch Me” and “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” which all reference her husband and his alleged infidelity. A few months later, Solange also dropped a powerful album of her own, however, she didn’t feel the need to mention that dreadful night. A Seat At The Table, which she wrote, arranged and co-produced herself, solidified her status as a revered R&B artist and diminished the dark shadow her sister (and that night) once casted over her.

After Beyoncé and Solange served up their most efficient body of work to date, Hov followed up by dropping the most honest and mature albums of his career since his debut Reasonable Doubt, 4:44. The Roc Nation founder’s 13th album was made after Hov reportedly woke up one night at 4:44 a.m. and began recording on Beyoncé’s microphone. Led by “Kill JAY-Z,” the 13-track album produced entirely by No I.D. features a mixture of Hov’s responses to the elevator incident, Beyoncé’s Lemonade, and numerous reflections on life and his family like “Smile” featuring his mother Gloria Carter and “Blue’s Freestyle/We Family” featuring his daughter Blue Ivy.”

JAY-Z, Beyoncé and Solange were all nominated for Grammy awards for their respective projects, but only the Knowles sisters brought home awards. Hov eventually got his golden Gramophone for his work on The Carters’ EVERYTHING IS LOVE album, which he and his wife released together in 2018. Since then, the Carter-Knowles family has been a model of public display.