THE UNTOLD STORY OF HOW Tina & Mathew Knowles Created The Destiny's Child Gold Mine - Interview

Ebony, Sept, 2001 by Lynn Norment

"It's so dumb for somebody to think that Beyonce's dad has so much control that she can't have a boyfriend. Beyonce can afford to do whatever she wants to do. She can buy a house much bigger than this one. Most kids who are doing what they are doing and who have the kind of success that they have, they wouldn't be at home. They would have their own homes. When Beyonce and Kelly move, I'm going to help them decorate and move and everything. And I'll be sad. But it's dumb to say we won't let them move, that we are forcing them to live with us."

The Knowleses also ignore those who "make fun," as Tina puts it, because Destiny's Child has a lot of family members around them and that each did (and still does) a number of different jobs.

"Yes, we did whatever it took so that the girls would have some money at the end of the day," says Tina. "Otherwise, all the money goes out and the girls end up with nothing. We worked hard and we didn't care about them laughing at us. These days, people are congratulating us and saying, `Oh, it's great that you all have been around your kids because you have such nice girls.' And you have to protect your kids. When they are 15 and 16, you had better be there ... I wanted to make a contribution and earn my own keep. I researched and learned the styling business. It's only when you do a bad job that people should criticize you for being a relative."

Mathew emphasizes that other cultures create family-oriented enterprises, and it is an efficient way to cut down on "a lot of waste in the music industry."

Mathew Knowles, who grew up in Gadsden, Ala., met Tina Beyonce, a native of east Texas, at a party in Houston in the mid-'70s. They started dating seriously a year later after their paths crossed again. They were married in 1979, and Beyonce was born in 1981, with Solange following four years later. Both Mathew and Tina sang in high school and participated in many talent shows. As a young family, they often gathered around the piano as Mathew played.

Tina and Mathew both emphasize that they simply want the young women of Destiny's Child to realize their dreams and be happy and successful. "Five years from now, I'd like for them to have happiness and financial freedom," says Mathew. "I can see them in movies and doing separate solo projects."

Adds Tina: "We don't expect them to be the No. 1 girl group forever. We're realistic about that. If one of them decides to get married and raise kids, that's okay, because they'll be financially set to do that. It's all about being happy. As far as Destiny's Child as a group, I hope they will be around for years to come."

So do their legions of fans.