LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It was a special day for Jay-Z’s mother Gloria Carter as she finally found her happily ever after following a life of struggle. In a star-studded affair, attended by numerous guests including her son, Beyonce, and Blue Ivy, the Carter Foundation CEO Gloria married her longtime girlfriend Roxanne Wiltshire on Sunday, July 2. The ‘Young Forever’ rapper, who shares a strong bond with his mother, facilitated bringing Gloria out of the closet.
When Shawn Carter, better known by his stage name Jay-Z was just 11 years old, his father Adnis Reeves left the family. When his parents divorced, the young Shawn thought of taking responsibility for the family.
Who is Gloria Carter?
Gloria has been instrumental in bringing up her son Jay-Z along with his three siblings. As a single mother, she brought them up. In a 2013 interview with Vanity Fair, the ‘Otis’ singer shared their tough situation, “We were living in a tough situation, but my mother managed,” before adding, “She juggled. Sometimes we’d pay the light bill, sometimes we paid the phone, sometimes the gas went off. We weren’t starving—we were eating, we were O.K. But it was things like you didn’t want to be embarrassed when you went to school; you didn’t want to have dirty sneakers or wear the same clothes over again.”
But the family survived, owing to the resilience of Gloria. But the 11-year-old boy felt “protective” about his mother. In a talk with Oprah Winfrey, the billionaire rapper shared, “I also felt protective of my mom. I remember telling her, ‘Don’t worry, when I get big, I’m going to take care of this.’ I felt like I had to step up,” and added, “I was 11 years old, right? But I felt I had to make the situation better.”
Despite working in an investment firm as a clerk, she had to take up odd jobs like a security guard to make ends meet. It was only after Jay-Z started working, she agreed on retiring. However, within a few years, she was bored. Gloria and Jay-Z founded the Shawn Carter Foundation, a charitable institution aiming to “help individuals facing socio-economic hardships further their education at post-secondary institutions.” She now heads the charity as its CEO.
‘I cried because I was so happy for her that she was free’
Jay-Z was not only instrumental in giving Gloria a life after retirement but also helped her publicly announce that she is lesbian. The rapper shared the heart-touching story in the track ‘Smile’ of his 2017 album 4:44. He rapped, “Mama had four kids, but she's a lesbian/Had to pretend so long that she's a thespian/Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate/Society shame and the pain was too much to take," before continuing, "Cried tears of joy when you fell in love/Don't matter to me if it's a him or her/I just wanna see you smile through all the hate/Marie Antoinette, baby, let 'em eat cake."
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Later, in an interview with David Letterman on his ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,’ he further revealed that he was so happy at his mother’s news of coming out that he cried. He said, "Imagine having to live your life as someone else and you think you're protecting your kids," and elaborated, "For her to sit in front of me and tell me 'I think I love someone,' I really cried...I cried because I was so happy for her that she was free."
The song also features Gloria and a poem written by her which she composed while coming to Los Angeles to meet her son. Gloria was honored at the GLAAD Media Awards in 2018. In her speech, she shared, “Love gave me the courage to take the power that I allowed other people to have over my life for fear of them revealing my secret,” and added ”I am a human being who has a right to love who I love. So everybody, just smile, be free,” as per Daily Mail.
Carter family was looking resplendent in their glamorous outfits
Queen Bey was dressed in a peach-colored ensemble which was styled aesthetically by her trusted stylists KJ Moody and Marni Senofonte. The Dolce & Gabbana outfit came with a subtle peach-colored corset style top, a matching maxi skirt, and a statement feathered bolero. She accessorized with a heart-print handbag. Accompanying her was her 11-year-old daughter Blue Ivy, who looked straight out of a fairytale in a sleeveless green dress. Jay-Z himself rocked a suave outfit in a blue tailored suit accompanied by a necktie.
Gloria and Roxanne naturally turned heads in their glamorous outfits. While Jay-Z's mother chose a glossy black tuxedo with a ruffled collared shirt, the Wiltshire Foundation president Roxanne Wiltshire wore a sparkly maroon sleeveless gown. She kept her hair open and opted for a subtle makeup look for the special occasion.
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