As one fan eloquently put it on Twitter, Beyoncé and JAY-Z are currently exemplifying what happens when you “take your number 2 album spot and go on about your business.” The now-viral tweet was posted in reaction to the recent reports, including from Billboard, outlining how the power couple has earned over $150 million since hitting the road together for their widely celebrated ‘On The Run II’ tour, a move that is undeniably as impressive as it is colossal.
While the Carters aren’t technically touring a No.1 album (their June 2018 release Everything Is Love debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200), it’s evident their combined starpower and influence transcends the very charts they have spent their decades-long careers topping. Instead of harping on album sales and keeping a razor-sharp eye on the validation that comes with being hailed as number one, like some artists have been as of late, Beyoncé and JAY-Z are staying on brand by keeping it moving and shining a light on what’s important to them: displaying both their impeccable showmanship on stage and their esteemed philanthropy efforts outside of their respective crafts.
On top of delivering memorable sets to packed stadiums as they run through the sequel installment to their 2014 ‘On the Run’ trek, Beyoncé and JAY-Z have teamed up in another important way, committing $1.1 million to select senior high school students through a new scholarship initiative. Together, in partnership with the BeyGOOD Initiative and the Shawn Carter Foundation, the Carters will award $100,000 to one senior located in one of the cities the ‘OTRII’ tour is hitting next, including Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Seattle, among others. According to a press release, the Boys and Girls Club of America in the coinciding city will decide on the winner, with each eligible student having to both demonstrate academic excellence and showcase a need for financial assistance.
Needless to say, it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise that Beyoncé and JAY-Z would rather focus on “all of this winning” than fixate on any distractions or detractors, such as the 26-year-old man who bum-rushed their stage this past weekend in Atlanta (Aug. 25). While the situation was fortunate not to escalate further and criminal charges have since been filed, one can’t help but appreciate Beyoncé’s subtle way of making light of it all, cheekily double-checking behind her and winking at the crowd as she exited with her partner. After all, what’s the point of looking back when there’s so much more ahead.