Introduction
Gloria Carter is an American philanthropist, and the mother of American rapper and businessperson Jay Z. After her husband, Adnes Reeves, abandoned her and the family, in around 1980, she brought up her four children in Brooklyn.
Biography
Adnes (Adnis) and Gloria had four children: two daughters, Michelle and Andrea, and two sons, Eric and Shawn (Jay Z.) Jay Z was youngest.
In around 1980, when Jay Z was 11, Adnis abandoned the family and left. Following the event, Gloria brought up her children in Brooklyn.
Jay Z had cut his father out of his life. In 2003, Reeves expressed his desire to meet Jay Z. Gloria pushed Jay Z to meet his father because she believed his father is old and she didn’t want him to die with their issues still unresolved. The father and the son met and reconciled and Jay Z forgave him. Reeves died of liver failure just three months later, on June 19, 2003.
Jay Z was very close to his mother. In his 1996 debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” he made a reference to his mother in the song “Regrets” - You used to hold me, told me that I was the best.
In 2003, Gloria and Jay Z founded Shawn Carter foundation, a charity to help individuals facing socio-economic hardships further their education at institutions of higher learning. Chaka Pilgrim, a music industry executive and the President of Roc Nation Records, is also a member of the charity.
Coming out
In 2013, rumors Carter’s sexual identity began when it was reported that Gloria was dating Dania Diaz, the executive director of the charity.
In his 2017 album, 4:44, Jay Z dedicated the song “Smile” to her mother. The song featured Gloria and talks about her sexual identity and includes the lyrics:
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
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
In 2018, Gloria received a special recognition award at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York. She was greeted with a standing ovation upon the announcement.