Jay-Z reveals why he learned to swim after Blue Ivy was born

The rapper says learning to swim for his daughter is a ‘metaphor’ for their relationship

Jay Z and Blue Ivy Carter attend the 66th NBA All-Star Game (Getty Images)

Jay-Z learnt to swim after Blue Ivy was born out of fear of not being able to help her if she ever fell in deep water, he has said in an interview.

In the latest episode of LeBron James’ show, The Shop: Uninterrupted, the rapper was asked what it is like being a “girl dad”.

Jay-Z has three children with his wife Beyonce; their eldest daughter Blue Ivy, 9, and twins Rumi and Sir, who turn 4 this month.

“It’s amazing. It’s a very grounding thing. I didn’t learn how to swim until Blue was born,” he said on his commitment to being a father.

“There goes everything you need to know. This is a metaphor for our relationship. If she ever fell in the water and I couldn’t get her, I couldn’t even fathom that thought. I gotta learn how to swim. That’s it. That was the beginning of our relationship,” he explained.

He also revealed his daughter is not as impressed by his achievements as the general public. 

Speaking of his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination, he said he was taking Blue Ivy to school when he got the phone call announcing him as one of the inductees.

“I got the announcement. I was taking Blue to school. I was like, ‘This ain’t no celebration’,” he said, adding that Blue Ivy just “walked away”.

“I was like, ‘give me a kiss, I’m in the Hall of Fame!’ She’s like, ‘Bye, dad’,” he told the hosts.

In an interview with The Sunday Times in April, Jay-Z said his top priority in parenting his children is making sure they feel loved and can be “who they want to be”.

“Feeling loved is the most important thing a child needs, you know? Not ‘here’s this business that I’m going to hand over to you, that I’m creating for you’. 

He added: “What if my child doesn’t want to be in music or sports? I have no idea, right? But as long as your child feels supported, and feels loved, I think anything is possible.

“It’s easy for us, as human beings, to want our children to do certain things, but we have no idea. We’re just guides,” he said.