Jay-Z dishes on how fatherhood has changed him

During a recent interview with Kevin Hart, Jay-Z opened up about how becoming a dad changed his perception of time.

Rap icon Jay-Z recently shared the significance of his life as a dad during an episode of Kevin Hart’s Hart to Heart series on Peacock.

2022 NBA Finals - Game Five
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Rapper Jay-Z and his daughter Blue Ivy Carter look on during the second quarter of Game Five of the 2022 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on June 13, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

The 4:44 rapper reflected on the importance of spending time with family: daughter Blue Ivy, 10, twins Rumi and Sir, 5, and wife Beyoncé. Telling Hart that setting aside time with his kids is “definitely” something he prioritizes amidst his busy schedule, the entertainment mogul shared his perspective on being a dad, per People magazine.

“Time is all you have. That’s the only thing we control,” he said. “It’s how you spend your time. You’re reckless with your time before; you’re just all over the place… What are you leaving your house for?”

Jay also explains that time parents spend away from their kids is time “away from the development of these people that you brought here, that you love more than anything in the world.” When he reconsidered his own allocation of time after becoming a dad, he says it “changed practically everything” for him.

Fittingly, the 52-year-old artist has recently been spotted spending time with his first-born daughter. Last month, he and Blue Ivy made headlines while sitting courtside in coordinating black outfits during the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. 

Making the father-daughter bonding even more noteworthy, Jay kissed Blue Ivy on the cheek for the cameras—which immediately became a viral moment broadcast well beyond the jumbotron. With that said, Jay is no stranger to showing his dedication as a father.

Last year, he and Beyoncé appeared on LeBron James’ show The Shop: Uninterrupted, where Jay explained how he even learned how to swim to be a better dad. When Blue Ivy was born in 2012, the first-time father decided to take swimming lessons after being unable to “fathom” the idea of not being able to save his daughter if she “fell in” water. 

Beyond the literal concern for Blue’s safety, he also defined the scenario as a “metaphor” for their relationship as father and daughter. If his children need him, Jay seems determined to be there.


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