All About Solange Knowles’ Son Daniel ‘Julez’ Smith Jr.

Solange Knowles is a star of many stripes who sings, acts and produces, but she also has another role: mom.

Knowles welcomed her son, Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr., with her ex-husband Daniel Smith in October 2004, when she was 17 years old. The high school sweethearts were married for three years before divorcing in 2007. During an interview with Honey magazine in October 2009, the “Dreams” singer opened up about their co-parenting relationship and occasionally opposing parenting philosophies.

“It definitely has its challenges because there are some things that I’m a lot more strict about,” Knowles explained. “I won’t let him own a video game. There is no TV in the bedroom — he can only watch it for a few hours a day. He comes back and tells me these Wii stories and I have to say, ‘It’s just a Wii, calm down.’ ”

However, the singer also shared that the different home environments allowed their son to have a “good balance” in life.

“I feel very good [Smith and I are] they can do it together because there are some things I don’t understand, and no matter how hard I try to go out there and throw the ball, I always get hit in the head,” Knowles added.

Knowles has continued to release music since giving birth to Julez, including her critically acclaimed album A seat at the tablebut she said that her mother is a priority over her career.

“[As] As soon as you find out that you want a child, your life changes drastically. You definitely have more morals. You definitely have more of a conscience, and your child comes first,” she told za Dallas Morning News in September 2008. “At the end of the day when this is all over, I just want to make sure my son is happy with me as a mom first. Everyone else as an artist, and everything else comes second, third and last.”

From where he grew up to his love of basketball, here’s everything you need to know about Solange Knowles’ son, Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr.

He was born in 2004

Solange Knowles and her son Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr. at the 2008 Essence Music Festival on July 4, 2008 in New Orleans.

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Knowles and her now-ex-husband Smith welcomed their son Julez on October 18, 2004. In May 2017, the “Cranes in the Sky” singer contemplated becoming a mom at age 17 while simultaneously dealing with the death of a friend from childhood in essay for Teen Vogue.

“Seventeen will be the hardest year of your life,” she wrote, addressing her younger self. “You will grow up almost immediately. You’re going to lose your best friend that you love so much to gun violence in one moment and give birth to a new one within a year.”

She added: “You’re going to be terrified and it’s okay not to know what the future holds. Some people will ignore you because of the decision you made to bring another life into the world at such a young age, but you made the decision out of love and you will live with that decision in love.”

Julez grew up in several different states

Solange Knowles and her son Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr. at the Solange And 14+ Foundation Partnership Party on May 4, 2014 in Brooklyn.

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Knowles and Smith married before she gave birth to Julez and moved to Idaho, where her then-husband attended college. During the performance at View in September 2008, the singer said that while the move “definitely changed” her life back home in Houston, Texas, it made her a better mom.

“As a mother, it was the best thing I could have ever done. Being so young, I felt like people thought [I was] going to … hand over Julez and [have them] figure it out for me, she said. “By moving there and being isolated and not having a babysitter and a babysitter and aunts and cousins ​​up the street, I really focused on that relationship with him.”

After the couple divorced in 2007, Knowles and Julez moved to Los Angeles. The singer told Harper’s Bazaar in March 2014 that she made the move because she “had to stabilize our lives and stay in one place.” Knowles and her son later moved into a brownstone apartment in Brooklyn before settling in New Orleans.

“I’ve thought about moving to New Orleans for years, but I never had the courage to do it,” the star told the magazine. “Now my son is at that age where he’s really establishing friends and community, so I feel like this is a good time to try it out.”

He has four brothers and sisters

Julez is Knowles’ only child, but he has four siblings from Smith’s other relationships: Saniya, Klover, Legend and Five.

The father of five often posts tributes to his children on social media and shared a group photo in October 2021 with the caption “family above all”. Smith also celebrated National Son’s Day in March 2020 by posting a photo of Julez with his brother Legend in anticipation of the arrival of his youngest son, Five.

“National Son Day I love u so much 2,” Smith wrote in the caption. “God could not have blessed me with 2 better sons and one on the way. thank you Lord.”

Julez was the face of the line of children’s toys

Solange Knowles and her son Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr. at the 2007 Essence Music Festival on July 6, 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Johnny Nunez/WireImage

When Julez was 3 years old, he became the face of a line of hip-hop-inspired toys called Baby Jamz, sold exclusively at Walmart. Knowles was also involved in the toy line and said Essence in October 2007 that she joined the business because of her son’s musical interests.

“Baby Jamz is a passion project for me inspired by my son who loves hip-hop music,” Knowles said. “I wanted to make a children’s album, which I talked about several times in the media. This toy company that wanted to start an urban toy line approached my father about me. I ended up giving them a lot of ideas and became an account executive.”

He danced with his mom at her wedding in 2014

Solange Knowles and Alan Ferguson on the streets of New Orleans after their wedding on November 16, 2014.

Josh Brasted/WireImage

When Knowles married her second husband, music video director Alan Ferguson, in New Orleans on November 16, 2014, she and Julez danced to Rae Sremmurd’s “No Flex Zone” at the reception.

The singer posted a now-deleted video of their dance on Instagram and talked about their special moment that almost didn’t happen due to an allergic reaction she had after the wedding.

“Shout Benadryl yo lol,” Knowles wrote in the caption. “NOTHING could stop me from having my mother and son dance with Julez. My baby killed it and will forever be my favorite dance partner of all time. My heart will forever smile reliving the feeling of our happy feet.”

He plays basketball

Julez comes from a musical family, but says his main passion is basketball. In a June 2019 interview with 97.9 The Box, a Texas radio station, the then 14-year-old revealed that basketball was his main focus at the time.

“Basketball. It’s my life as if it’s all I do, basketball and school – said Julez.

The teenager listed Allen Iverson as his favorite player of all time, with LeBron James and James Harden as his top players at the time. Julez also said he would “definitely love” to play college basketball for UCLA or Texas Tech University.

He is interested in music

Beyonce Knowles, Solange Knowles and her son Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

While Julez told 97.9 The Box that he doesn’t want a career in the music industry, he said he still enjoys making songs as a hobby.

“I produce a little. I make beats. So that’s something I find fun. I don’t think I would go that far, but you know, as a side job, you do it,” Julez told the radio station. “But it’s fun, I love producing.”

Speaking to PEOPLE in May 2015, Knowles shared that while she’s proud of her son no matter what, she’d rather have a full-time job than take on the family business.

“I’ll support him in whatever he does, but I hope he wants to be some kind of professor,” she said. “I mean, every parent wants their child to be fulfilled in everything he does and to be happy, so if he chooses this direction, then I will support him. You know, it would be nice to see him do something a little more regulated.”

Julez celebrated his 19th birthday in 2023

Tina Knowles and Daniel “Julez” Smith Jr. on her Instagram.

Tina Knowles’ Instagram

To commemorate his 19th birthday in October 2023, which coincided with his graduation celebration, Julez’s grandmother, Tina Knowles, shared a video on Instagram.

“Happy birthday Julez! And happy graduation!” his grandmother wrote. “We love you and are so proud of you ❤️This is the song Happy Birthday when you get a bunch of singers together. The party was great @solangeknowles, you nailed it !!!”

He supported his aunt Beyoncé

Solange Knowles’ son Julez Smith and Mrs. Tina Knowles at the World Premiere of “Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé” on November 25, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.

Emma McIntyre/WireImage

On November 25, 2023, Julez and his grandmother attended the premiere of her movie Aunt Beyoncé, Renaissance: The Beyoncé Movie.

Tina shared a photo of herself and Julez on Instagram, writing: “My handsome grandson @iamjulezjsmith styled by @shionat in Dolce and Gabbana.”

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Source: HIS Education