Tina Knowles-Lawson brought out some of the entertainment industry’s notable Black celebrities for her and husband Richard Lawson’s fifth annual WACO Theater Wearable Art Gala. But, it is her grandchildren who have been the talk of social media.
The event took place on Oct. 22 in Santa Monica, California. It was the first time the gala was held since 2020. The art enthusiast’s superstar daughter, Beyoncé, attended the event in tow with her husband, Jay-Z, and their daughter Blue Ivy. Knowles-Lawson’s eldest grandchild, Daniel Julez Smith Jr., also attended.
Fans who checked out photos and video from the occasion were shocked to see the 18-year-old no longer resembles the little boy many were introduced to nearly two decades ago. “This can’t be the same baby from the soldiers video? Are we this old?” questioned one person online.
Others commented, “I feel so old I remember when he was a baby!” and “Everytime I see him, I think about when he was a baby on the Tyra show. We are OLDDDDDD.” And more than a few people remarked how handsome the young man is too.
While Julez definitely stole some of the limelight on the red carpet, his cousin Blue Ivy had an equally attention-grabbing moment during the event’s auction. The 9-year-old is no stranger to bidding on the finer things in life. In 2018, she found herself in a bidding war with mogul Tyler Perry over a painting of Sidney Poitier. Though she bid a whopping $19,000, Perry ultimately became the owner of the sought-after piece of art.
Perry was in attendance at this year’s gala, but unlike the kid celeb, he was unable to join in on the auction. “Tell Blue she better be glad I had to leave before the auction,” he wrote on Instagram. This year, Blue Ivy tried her best to become the owner of a pair of Lorraine Schwartz diamond earrings. She bid $80,000 but as outdone by Mielle Organics founder, Monique Rodriguez, who coughed up $150,000 for the jewelry.
Knowles-Lawson said the Harlem Renaissance-themed event was a dream come true. In an Instagram post, she wrote, “Our guest showed up and showed out !!! Everyone was saying that it was the black Met Ball that is the goal! To show black excellence everywhere.” It was a dream indeed for many, especially Beyoncé fans who got confirmation that a Renaissance Tour will in fact kick off next summer.
