White notebook! This Sunday, July 2, 2023, Gloria Carter, mother of the famous rapper Jay-Z, passed a milestone in her relationship with her longtime companion, Roxanne Wilshire. The two women actually said “yes” to Tribeca, the upscale neighborhood of the Big Apple. The magnificent ceremony brought together their family and friends, including notable personalities such as Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Tyler Perry and Robin Roberts.
Gloria Carter, who is also known for her commitment to social and philanthropic causes, came under particular scrutiny when she publicly came out as gay in the lyrics of her son’s song, Smilein 2017. Since then, she has become an inspiration to the LGBTQIA+ community.
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A coming out in song
“Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian / Had to pretend so long she became an actress / Had to hide in the closet like she was on medication / Society’s shame, the pain was unbearable / J ‘cried with joy when you fell in love / I don’t care if it’s a man or a woman’, sang Beyoncé’s husband at the time before declaring that his mom had to “live in the shadows” most of his life.
“Can you imagine what kind of life that is? / In the shadows people see you happy and free / Because that’s how you want them to see you / Living two lives, happy, but not free / You live in the shadows for fear that someone will takes it out on your family / Or the person you love / The world is changing and they say it’s time to break free / But you live in fear of just being me / The shadow seems to be the safest place / They’re not hurt, I’m not hurt / But life is short, and it’s time to break free / Love who you love, because life is not under warranty”. Gloria Carter now lives her love story in broad daylight.
VB