Singer Solange Gave Birth to Only Son Shortly after Friend's Death When She Was Still a Teen
Solange Knowles had her first and only child, Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr. when she was a teenager. The boy celebrated his sixteenth birthday last year and also recently had some online drama.
Solange Knowles gave birth to her son, Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr., in 2004. At the time, the future singer was only 17 and in high school, while the child's father was 19 and her high school sweetheart Daniel Smith.
The "A Seat at the Table" artist son only goes by Julez, and he's her only child. Solange managed to keep her son's life and image out of the spotlight despite coming from a famous family.
Solange and her son Daniel Julez J. Smith, Jr at the Solange and 14+ Foundation Partnership Party on May 4, 2014, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City | Photo: Getty Images
WHO IS JULEZ
Julez was welcomed by her mother on October 18, 2004. His parents got married the same year he was born, but their marriage failed to last, and they divorced a few years later, in 2007.
When Julez was born, his parents' representative told People that he was a "fat and healthy" baby. Besides English, the teenager also speaks fluent French and even spoke the language at his fifth-grade graduation.
Solange and her son Daniel Julez J. Smith, Jr at the Solange and 14+ Foundation Partnership Party on May 4, 2014, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City | Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images
SOLANGE ON BEING A TEEN MOM
In May 2017, Solange took a look back at her life with an emotional letter for Teen Vogue. The letter, which was addressed to her teenage self, also addressed the hurdles she had to overcome as a teenage mother.
The year her son was born was a tough one because her childhood friend, Marsai Song, passed away from a drive-by shooting. Solange honored Song and her child's birth with angel wing tattoos on her wrists.
MOTHERHOOD
Speaking to Brooklyn Magazine when Julez was 8, Solange confessed that she was doing her best to raise her son. She admitted that she had to say no to many things, needed a lot of help, and had to be honest.
The star also revealed that at one point, while living in Los Angeles with her son, she had to budget her time while recording her "True" EP. They were completely isolated with no support system like the one back in New York.
Tina and Solange Knowles at Solange's birthday party held at a private residence on June 23, 2008, in Los Angeles, California | Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
During that time, she learned the importance of close family members. She said she loved having her sister, parents, and cousin close by back home and wanted her son to experience a close-knit family.
JULEZ'S FAMOUS BACKGROUND
His mother is the younger sister to world superstar Beyoncé Knowles, who is married to rapper Jay-Z. Julez's mother is also a big name in her own right as she's a Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter.
His grandmother is Tina Knowles-Lawson, the matriarch behind the Knowles family. Chances are the teenager has been moving around famous and celebrity circles since he was a child.
Solange also revealed that going through motherhood taught her how to love herself and to "empathize with and forgive those who may have taken a bit of that pure love away." These were traits her mother also taught her.
Solange Knowles and Beyonce at the Balmain and Olivier Rousteing after the Met Gala Celebration on May 02, 2016 in New York, New York. | Photo: Getty Images
CELEBRATING 16TH BDAY IN STYLE
Last October, Julez got to have a once-in-a-lifetime birthday celebration for his sweet 16th at Beyoncé's home. The "Formation" singer hosted the event at her and Jay-Z's $88 million Bel Air estate.
According to a Hollywood Life source, Beyoncé and her husband wanted to do something special for the teenager's 16th birthday. They had a family celebration that excluded Julez's friends because of the pandemic.
SOLANGE'S LOOKALIKE SON
Solange fans could hardly believe that the singer-songwriter was the mother to such a grown-up son. In past photos and stolen images, it was clear that the boy took after his famous mother.
JULEZ'S DRAMA
In January 2021, Solange found herself trending on Twitter after it emerged her son once dated Disney Channel star Skai Jackson, 18. A group chat was allegedly leaked about Julez's and Jackson's intimate relationship.
The pop singer's son allegedly claimed to have slept with Jackson before leaving her in the messages. When asked about their two-year age difference, Julez reportedly said it didn't matter.
However, the teenager also claimed Jackson cheated on him while they were dating, and that's when he left. An old photo of the former couple then surfaced on social media.
TINA COUNSELED HER KIDS
At the time, Beyoncé was 10, and her sister was five. Tina explained that she took them to get help earlier on to assist the older sibling in becoming more sensitive to her much younger sister.
SOLANGE'S 2ND MARRIAGE
In 2014, it seemed Solange had found everlasting love when she remarried to video director Alan Ferguson. The couple celebrated their union in New Orleans' Marigny Opera House with Beyoncé and Jay-Z in attendance.
Sadly, five years later, they announced their divorce. Despite the divorce, in her statement, Solange described Ferguson as a "phenomenal man" who managed to change every existence of her life.
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