
Loading summary
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Hey, sweeties. It's Krystal Renee Hazelet. And this is a special re air of a truly unforgettable episode of Keep it positive, sweetie. Ms. Tina Knowles graced us with her strength, grace, and wisdom. And boy, did she leave a mark. From sharing the beauty of reinventing yourself at any stage in life to her deep reflections on motherhood, legacy, and love, this conversation resonated deeply with our Kipps family. So many of you reached out saying how seen and inspired you felt by her vulnerability and her power. And if you're tuning in for the first time or revisiting this gym, prepare to be uplifted by a woman who continues to walk in purpose and style. The matriarch herself, Ms. Tina Knowles.
Tina Knowles
He sends us things in the time that we are ready for.
Angie
Yes.
Tina Knowles
So if something is not working out and you keep trying and it's not working out, then I'm not saying give up on it. Just keep it on the. Maybe put it on the back burner for a minute, focus on something else. And it might be just you and yourself and what you're doing in your life. And are you really doing everything that you can to manifest and to claim these things and make them happen? And then you say, oh, wow, you know what I'm not doing enough of is centering myself and focusing. I'm just kind of so anxious for this to happen that I'm not doing my very best at it and it ain't time.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Sample thank you, BetterHelp, for sponsoring this episode. This video was sponsored by BetterHelp. If you're like me, you've just been introduced to this whole thing called anxiety. For years, I didn't know what it was. I didn't think that I even experienced it. But in the past few years, I've definitely experienced anxiety on a whole new level. And it was then that I realized that I needed to talk to someone. If you're like me and you don't want to talk to your friends about everything, you don't want to talk to your family members, or you're just not really sure how to put language behind what you're feeling, I have something for you. It's called BetterHelp. BetterHelp is an app that you can download straight to your phone. It's super easy. They're going to ask you questions about how you're feeling, what areas you feel like you need help in, and then within 48 hours, they will assign a licensed therapist to you specifically for your needs. And what I love about this, if you're busy like I am. You can take this anywhere you go right on the road with you. All you have to do is Download the app BetterHelp, and you can even get a discount using my discount code and www.betterhelp.com. crystal, Renee. Let's all get better together with better help. Hello, and welcome to this episode of Keep It Positive, Sweetie. Guys, I am so excited because Kips is taking la. That's right. I'm meeting up with some of my favorite people here in the Los Angeles area, and I cannot wait for you to see what we have in store. Right now we are in 13 loon. It is a store founded by Neko Graco. The store has 90% of the products are founded by BIPOC 13 loon. Thank you so much for allowing us to use this amazing space. If you're in the Los Angeles area, make sure you guys pull up. Tina Knowles is a businesswoman, fashion designer, philanthropist, known for establishing brands like House of Darion, Miss Tina by Tina Knowles, and recently launched the sacred hair care line with her daughter, Beyonce. Hello, and welcome to this episode of Keep It Positive, sweetie. I'm Krystal Renee Hayslett, and today I have with me Ms. Tina Knowles. Thank you so much. Seriously.
Tina Knowles
Oh, thank you for having me. I'm excited.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I know you're busy and you got a lot going on, so just your time means a lot.
Tina Knowles
Thank you.
Angie
Thank you. Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So I want to first talk about the day I first met you. I don't know if you remember this, but we were backstage for Tyler Perry's Madea Farewell tour here in la. And I was in the back waiting on Tyler to come out. And he comes out of the room and he goes, come here. I didn't know who was in the room, really. I had no idea. He was like, come in here. And I walked in and it's you, bj. And I'm like, hello. But you were so sweet from the moment I met you. And every time I see you, it's always warm greetings. And I appreciate that. But y' all always like to tell how I met the person.
Tina Knowles
Everybody. Of course.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
It was so fun.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That was. That was a memorable night, to say the least.
Tina Knowles
I remember that night. Yeah, the play was really good.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So good. So good. I always try to pop in and see him when he's on the road. Yeah. Just to check on him.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
But that was a fun time. Everyone knows you. We were introduced to you in the 90s as Beyonce's mom. But I want to Know who Tina Knowles is and where Tina comes from. So tell us just a little bit about you.
Tina Knowles
Well, you know, I grew up in Galveston, Texas, in the south, and grew up really poor. Found out later that my parents bartered for me to go to private school. Really, they were. She did all the sewing for the church and my dad chauffeured the nuns and, you know, we were like indentured servants for them, which wasn't the best experience for me, but it prepared me for a lot in my life and I appreciate their sacrifice. Just grew up in Galveston, this little island, and so it's like a tourist town. It was fun growing up there. And, you know, I got into makeup early. That was my first job. I was a makeup artist, real job, and. And just wanted to do something in beauty. Couldn't wait to get out of that little one horse town because it's about that big. And, you know, my journey has just been, I call it God giving me the tools. He just filled my toolbox with all these experiences in my life that helped me to do everything I'm doing today.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Wow.
Tina Knowles
So I'm not, you know, I went to a short time to college, but, you know, I've been able to have an education in life and in experiences and travel that I don't think I could have paid for. So it's been really great. I mean, that makeup, modeling, some doing hair. I had a hair salon. Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Headliners was it called?
Tina Knowles
Yes. For many, many years. And it was just a great experience because I got to make women feel beautiful, which is my. My favorite thing in the world. And it was a positive space for women to support each other and network before we knew what networking was.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Right.
Tina Knowles
And, you know, I've watched your podcast and what I love about it is the positivity because there's so much negativity right now. I can hardly stand some of the podcasts that people have just to sit down and tear people down and put all those negative, lying information, a lot of it about my family. So to see something like this positive, even the name of it, just makes me happy. So it was important that I come and do this because we should support these positive things because they help us. The other stuff hurts us. It does.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Oof.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
The negativity hurts us. And it doesn't do anything for anybody's self esteem. It's crab in a barrel mentality. And this is amazing what you're doing.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Thank you so much, Encina. I appreciate that. So you talk about the negative media. I just. Because I'M really pretty new to success, and I didn't understand what I was signing up for.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
When. And I'm telling you, it took me to probably this year, and this is going on four years that I've really been known, that I'm finally to the point where I can be like, you don't know me. I'm not gonna take it personal. But in the beginning, it really, really hurt.
Tina Knowles
Oh, it hurts.
Angie
Yes.
Tina Knowles
And even. I mean, I've been in the business for, you know, dealing with this business for over 20 years, and some things just go too far.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes.
Tina Knowles
So I'm quiet, and I'm cool about it. But, you know, you mess with my grandbabies, you mess with my children. Why on my children, I will speak up because I think it's important to have that balance.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
It is. Yeah.
Tina Knowles
And I think that something has to. You just can't keep taking it, you know, even though you know that it's not true and all of that. But some things are below the belt, and they are just unacceptable.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yeah. And I love that about you. You will speak up. I'm like, tell them, Mama Tina, for real. Because there's moments where I see you just kind of let things fly under the radar, but when you need to speak up, you do, and I appreciate that.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
No, that's real. But, yeah, I definitely. I can empathize with you on that, because it does hurt.
Tina Knowles
Yeah.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Especially if you not used to it. And then some things, like, you don't even know me, like, how do you feel?
Tina Knowles
And they just blatantly lie and get away with it.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
You know, that's not fair. Yeah.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That is so true. You talked about growing up and that your mom was a seamstress and they bartered for you to go to private school. Did you? I always look at my past and the journey that God has put us on and then how everything that we learned along the way ends up in your toolbox, literally. So you made all the. I mean, you used to make wardrobe for Destiny's Child, and I just. I thought that was so cool. I'm like, oh, my goodness, her mom makes all these outfits. That was so cool. But it's amazing now, hearing the backstory that your mother was also a seamstress.
Tina Knowles
Yeah, she was a seamstress. And also, you know, just even, like, I think about it in my modeling, you know, I was able to teach the girls how to walk and how to present themselves and how to look good in their clothes and that type of thing from, you know, My hair salon, just doing interviews and that type of thing. Everything that I've ever learned and I've done in my life, I've been able to apply it to them. So it's been great.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And you've done it very well. We see it.
Angie
Yes.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I'm really good friends with Angie, your niece, and I see. And she plays in a salon on a show that we're on together, Sisters. And it's so cool how we'll be studying together and she'll talk about what's going on in the scripts. And she goes, this isn't right. We wouldn't do this. I was raised in a salon.
Tina Knowles
She was raised in a salon. Yeah, she was right there.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes.
Angie
I love that.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I feel like salons are so, so much a part of our history as black women.
Tina Knowles
It's therapy, it's spiritual, it's camaraderie. It's just woman power.
Angie
It is, yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Now fast forward. You have your own hair care products named Sacred with your daughter Beyonce.
Tina Knowles
Actually, they're Beyonce's products. It seems like it's you working with it. Yeah, well, of course, I've had a lot to do with it, but that's her product.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Okay, awesome. So what has that been like for the family? Because it seems like it's a collective project.
Tina Knowles
It absolutely is. From on down, the testing on Blue and Rumi, and, you know, everybody in the family and their input, but mainly the experience from my salon because we got to get years and years of experience and I knew what was needed and what was missing in the market. Because, you know, when I had my salon, I had to buy high end white products and mix them with things that I knew that we needed for our hair, like olive oil and egg whites and avocado. So Angie can tell you I was always mixing up these concoctions. So this started a long time ago, but I feel like we needed one product that you could get the high tech science and all of those ingredients, as somebody that understood mixing those together in one product because you can't have one without the other. And education, just a lot of education about how to use the products and how to balance protein with moisture and things that people, we take for granted, but people don't know.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I'm gonna have to come by and you can do my hair while I'm.
Tina Knowles
Taking these braids out. I can't wait.
Angie
Yes.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Get your hands in these. I got a lot of hair now.
Tina Knowles
I know you do.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I know you do. Oh, yeah. Because I think Ed, she's like, I'm gonna send this picture. She said, take a picture and send it to like said to my auntie, it's a lot of hair. So I feel sorry for anybody who has to wash it and comb through it.
Tina Knowles
No, it'll be a pleasure.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Thank you so much. A lot of people think things like that happen overnight. How many years did it take for you guys to really get it down to a science?
Tina Knowles
You know, it's funny because I say that it took probably 20 years, but we've been working on a product for six years and we worked on it for a while and then we stopped because it's a very time consuming thing when you are, you know, anybody can go and get some products and say, this is what I want the product to do. This is what. But not with this bunch, because we grew up, you know, they grew up in a hair salon. And I've studied all the science. I knew what I was looking for. So where as people send products back maybe three or four times because it's very expensive to produce and for you to go through all the scientific tests and all that and then they give the product to us and B would say, it don't have enough slip in it.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yeah, we gotta have it.
Tina Knowles
It's not moisturizing enough.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
You know, and I would be like, how much protein is. Is it an easily absorbable protein? Will it be easy for people to use? Like, it's so many things that go into hair products, they are not like makeup.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Right. Where you slap a name on it.
Tina Knowles
Yeah, you put your name on it and it's kind of the same ingredients. You have to come up with your ingredients to make this. And it's a science. So. And our testing has been so extensive. Like we test and test and test and then we bring it into our test salon and we test it on our people and ourselves. So it's been a long process, but I couldn't be more proud of it. And we have so many products coming out because every time there's a need, we think, oh my God, you know, we get feedback every day. I did a zoom this morning with about 700 stylists and the questions that they come up with and the things that they want to know. I'm like, oh, wow, we need to work on a product for that because there are so many needs.
Angie
Yeah, it is.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
There's so many different hair types. Yes, I know. For me, my bathroom, my shower is full of different products. Not just one thing works on my hair. So I have to mix this with this yeah.
Tina Knowles
And it's okay.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
As long as the. You know, the. The products intertwine.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Exactly.
Tina Knowles
And they work with each other. If you can find a line that you like, a lot of things in it, especially the foundation. That's why it's called the foundation collection, because, you know, the foundation of healthy hair is, you know, you balancing protein with moisturizers and oils. And we need butters in our hair. It's complicated in textured hair. But the great thing is we knew that if we conquered teachers textured hair, that it will work on anybody.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Right.
Tina Knowles
Because we're the hardest. We are, you know, our different hair textures. So many different hair textures. And our hair is more thirsty. It's more dry. It's more fragile.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yeah, yeah. When I put my hair holds on to water.
Tina Knowles
Water.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Like, it takes forever for it to dry. If I just. Yes.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So I always, like, when they're like, oh, your hair's still wet. I'm like, I know. And it's like, 24.
Tina Knowles
You got a lot of hair.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Right.
Tina Knowles
That's. That's half the part.
Angie
Yeah. Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That's so true. We talk about the journey that it took to get to where you are now with the hairline, but also, I feel like that applies with life.
Angie
Yes.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And there's different parts of life. Has there been any moment where you were like, God, I'm ready for this to come to fruition, but it's taking too long? And what did you do in those moments where you felt like, all right, Lord, what's happening here?
Tina Knowles
I don't have. I have to honestly say I have not had a lot of moments like that. And I think it's because I always have five projects I'm doing.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I know that's right.
Tina Knowles
You know, it's always so many things going on that he sends us things in the time that we are ready for. So if something is not working out and you keep trying and it's not working out, then I'm not saying give up on it. Just keep it on. Maybe put it on the back burner for a minute. Focus on something else. And it might be just you and yourself and what you're doing in your life. And. And are you really doing everything that you can to manifest and to claim these things and make them happen? And then you say, oh, wow, you know what I'm not doing enough of is centering myself and focusing. I'm just kind of so anxious for this to happen that I'm not doing my very best at it. And it ain't Time.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That's real.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
But some. But it's always so many things going on in my life that, you know, sometimes things have taken a long time. It took a long time, and this isn't even me. But with Destiny's Child is a perfect example of. It took from the time they were 10 till they were 15, like, 5 years. And that's a lifetime when you're that young.
Angie
It is.
Tina Knowles
And they lost on Star Search and they got dropped by the first person, then they got dropped by the second person. But anything worth having is worth sticking in there. But sometimes you gotta go back and regroup and make yourself better.
Angie
Yes.
Tina Knowles
And it's not the world. It is you.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That's so true. Speaking of that, Destiny's Child and taking five years to get to a stable position, what are some things or principles that you instilled in the girls at a very young age to say, hey, I know this is tough. And you're probably like, mom, why isn't this happening right now?
Tina Knowles
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Cause I know we look at your daughters and be like, whoa. You know what I'm saying? They've made it. But what are some of those things that you instilled in them as they.
Tina Knowles
Were growing up to just, you know, what my parents taught me that's so valuable is that nothing comes easy.
Angie
Good.
Tina Knowles
I mean, nothing good comes easy. Like, you gotta work for it.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
And if you wanna be successful, it's no shortcuts. You gotta put in the work, you gotta put in the training. And for them, you know, losing. And they were very talented, but they just weren't ready. And so it came when it was time to come. They were too young. And so I would always say to them, just go back and work harder. You know, just regroup and take a look. And in the meantime, have fun and balance it. Don't make that. You know, people get so caught up in what they want to accomplish that they don't have any fun, they don't have any family time. That's not good enough. You gotta balance it, and you gotta balance it with whatever your spirituality and your higher power is, make them a part of it. It's so important.
Angie
It is.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
It is. Speaking of spirituality, you have done a lot of partnership with your pastor back in Texas. What is. Has your faith in spirituality? How has it guided you through your life?
Tina Knowles
Oh, my God. I just know that nothing good, that everything good that happens in my life, that I believe that it is sent by God, you know, and it's like, my parents Were, you know, they were devout Catholics. And one thing they taught me is that that's a part of the whole picture. If you don't have God or spirituality or, like I said, a higher power. I'm not saying one particular religion. I'm not talking about religion. I'm talking about somebody that when everything is going wrong, you can lean on other than your mama and your sister and your brother, because we're only here for a time, but God is always with you, you know? And I was taught that from an early age, and I think that that has guided me through that. And also to whom much is given, much is required. So I was taught very early to tithe, to give back, to balance it. And there are times in my life when I got away from that, you know, and I'm like, all about myself, especially in my 20s. I'm like, you know, I'm popping, I'm going out, I'm partying. I'm having fun. And it was not about giving back.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Absolutely.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
And those times in my life were challenging, and they were harder.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
You can see it.
Tina Knowles
Yeah. And you can see it. And I can see when I get away from centering myself away from my prayers, away from my giving back and taking the time to do that, that things don't go so well. So, you know, I believe that to be true for myself. And so I just try to keep it where I give back constantly. I try to be positive. I try to be, you know, a good person. And it's just worked for me because things just come to me all the time. I've never been broke. I've never been, you know, had really, really bad financial times. And I believe that that's because I tithe.
Angie
Yes. Yes.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
No, I'm telling you, I have. There was a moment in my life where it was really, really hard for me and to the point where tithing was a struggle, because I'm like, lord, I really got it to give right, you know? And I remember, I think I was making $600 every two weeks.
Tina Knowles
Wow.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And this is when I first moved to Atlanta to pursue music and acting. So this was 2009, not that long ago. And I remember sitting in church, and I was like, all right, I'll give you this $60. You know what I'm saying? But I know I can do a lot more with this. And the very next day, a friend of mine was like, hey, I got $600 for you. That's what I'm talking about, my Lord. I said, okay, I get it. Literally and it's crazy how he will. As soon as you put your faith in him. And give him what? Cause all of it's his anyway.
Tina Knowles
That's right.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
But when you give him what he asks for, he's gonna continue to provide. And those moments where I was not giving, I even hired my manager, Jenora, because I saw that she had made a post about tithing, Right? And I was like, if she tithes, I was like, I know I can trust her to manage me and my money and all those things. Because if you don't think that's important, then I really can't trust you.
Tina Knowles
You don't know what to tell, right?
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
Well, you know, it's interesting. Cause when I was little, we were very poor. And I was told all the time, we can't afford it. Like, every time my mom, I would say, we can't afford. Because that was always. We can't afford your clarinet for you to be in a band. We can't afford you to go to dance class. We can't afford all the things that I wanted to do. But my mom would put that money in church, and I'd be like, you know what I could do with that money? And you're always saying, we don't have money, but you always put money in church. We are poor. We can't afford to put the money in church. And she said, teeny. Teeny? Yeah, they called me Teeny. She said, that is how we make it. That's how we eat. That's how we live. And you got to understand that, you know, that's how we're making it.
Angie
Yes.
Tina Knowles
And, you know, when I think back on it, my dad was sort of disabled because he had no hearing in his left ear. And. And he couldn't see in his right ear, right eye. Cause he was in a mine explosion. So he could only work certain jobs at his job. And there were times when we got $45 a week, which is what they called it, pennies. But it's unemployment. Because if it wasn't work, you could apply for unemployment. $45 a week with a family of seven people. And we made it all the time because. And so I didn't understand it. When I was young, I was still pissed. But when I got older, I understood that that's what she was talking about. Because how did we manage to live and be very fashionable even though we didn't have any money? We were sharp all the time. We never went hungry.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
And I really didn't even realize how poor I was. Until I got older. So that's how we made it.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Wow. I love that. That is beautiful. That's beautiful. There's other things that you've done besides hair. Having your own hair salon, but you were also big in fashion.
Tina Knowles
Yes.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
You had the House of Darion and Miss Tina by Tina Knowles. How exciting was that to take everything that you learned from your mom and create your own lines?
Tina Knowles
Oh, it was so much fun. You know, House of Darion was. It was amazing because it was really kind of was born because of the fans asking, where can we get this? And we want the clothes. And it was such a fun time for us. And, you know, it's defunct now because we, you know, we decided to give it up because we just didn't have the right partners. And they just had a whole different direction for the brand than we did.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Wow.
Tina Knowles
They wanted to be very junior. They wanted it to be fast. Fast, like, fast fashion with logos that big everywhere. And, you know, it just got to the point where we didn't enjoy it.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Right.
Tina Knowles
But it was a very successful brand.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I had. I definitely have.
Tina Knowles
You had what?
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes, I did. And it made my booty look good.
Tina Knowles
That's right. Because the jeans were darted. They were the first darted jeans. And I took all those tricks of tailoring for my mom and put them in the jeans. And I don't think it's any. They were some of the top jeans to fit.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Fit our behind. They were.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
They were made for us to give.
Tina Knowles
You a nice shape, you know, but, yeah, it's passion. I've always had a passion for fashion. My nephew Johnny and I used to design our own clothes. We were always voted the best dress. We were, you know, just always sharp. And that's what. That's the funny thing. Being that poor made me more creative.
Angie
Yes, yes.
Tina Knowles
You know, so my mom's excuse was always, well, you can't have the. Whatever the jeans were. Jeans weren't the big thing. But, like, certain styles that I wanted. And she was like, yours is much better because it's more creative. And I'll be like that. She just telling me that. Cause she don't want to spend money to buy it for me. But it turned out to challenge us to really not just go to the stores and buy stuff, but to look in Vogue magazine, you know, the top magazine, and try to copy those things. And so it gave me a really great knowledge of fashion, and I appreciate that.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Now, do you have any plans to create another line?
Tina Knowles
No.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
You done with it?
Tina Knowles
She's like, no, fashion is, you know, it's really, really hard. I love these products because the products are transforming people's hair. Like, I just can't wait till you use it. You'll see the difference, and.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
No, I already have. I've seen the difference. Even with the deep conditioner in between my protective styles. The rice water. What's the correct word is rice water?
Tina Knowles
It's rice and rolls.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Rice and rose.
Tina Knowles
Yeah, Rice and rose water.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
It makes my hair feel so good.
Tina Knowles
Yes.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
No, I love it.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Well, good.
Tina Knowles
It's. I mean, but the products are. I'm very, very excited about that, and I just want to expand it to styling products and all of that. So that's what I'm most passionate about right now in terms of, you know, of products are projects.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I love that your grandson, Jules, we actually share the same birthday.
Tina Knowles
Really?
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That's how Angie remembers my birthday, because she's like, oh, you and Julie have the same birthday.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
And you got a very sweet demeanor like him, too. He's a sweetheart.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I met him at one of the shows. Angie introduced us, and she's like, it's your birthday, twin. But, yeah, I see that he is now modeling. How does that make you feel to see your grandson? Just like he's in Paris, like, doing the big shots.
Tina Knowles
Yeah. He's come back. I mean, he loves it. And I'm just so happy that he has found his thing. You know, he loves fashion, and he's working on a fashion line that is really good. It's a streetwear line.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Awesome.
Tina Knowles
And he's been working on it for the last couple years, and so I think that's a natural progression for him to go into modeling.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Absolutely.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
He's killing it. And when I saw him at Fashion Week the last fall, I was like, okay, I see what we're doing here. Yeah, that's amazing. And then Blue Ivy took the world by storm during the Renaissance tour.
Tina Knowles
What her day is.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I think I went to, like, five shows.
Tina Knowles
Oh, wow.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yeah, me and Ty, we went to the first two in Sweden, in Stockholm, and then I went again in Amsterdam.
Tina Knowles
Wow.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And then I went to, like, three shows in Atlanta.
Tina Knowles
See, he was keeping you from us because he came to. So he came to the very first show.
Angie
Yes.
Tina Knowles
I got to hang out with him. You were there?
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yeah, I was in the Prairie Circle for the very first show. Like, I literally landed.
Tina Knowles
Really?
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Because I wasn't coming because I had to do. Oh. I was prepping to film. We were going back for Sisters, and Because that was In May. Like in. Yeah, during the summer. Going into summer. And he's like, chris, you're not coming? I was like, no. So they flew. The crew flew over there.
Tina Knowles
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And he was like, I think Eva or somebody. He's like, see? Eva just went to my bathroom. He's like, if you were here, this would have never happened. Cause they were on his jet. And I was like, okay. And then he was like, can you please come? And I was like, all right. So his Jody booked me a flight to go.
Tina Knowles
That's so cool.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And I landed, and Malcolm Hedisker was like, they're about to pray if you want to make the circle. So I was like, running into the.
Tina Knowles
Ring, ran into the prayer circle. I didn't know that.
Angie
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Tina Knowles
That was that first show. I was still in that wardrobe room till the last second trying to get those clothes out.
Angie
Wow.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So you still do that? Like you still have.
Tina Knowles
Yeah, well, I. What I do is on the last 20, Beyonce said, well, I think that, you know, she had a short period of time. And she said, I want two stylists. And I said, you know, we're gonna get four because we have such. So I actually found the stylist, put them together, managed it, gave them the budgets, and, you know, oversaw the whole project.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So I love that you still.
Tina Knowles
But I still gotta get in there and sew something sometimes. You can make it fit or hem some pants or do whatever. Yeah, I love it, though. It's fun.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I love that. Now, I remember you made a comment about. I think it was you. That you were kind of hesitant when they said that Blue was gonna perform.
Tina Knowles
Yeah.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
Well, I wasn't hesitant. Beyonce was hesitant.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
And she. She was like Blue because she just didn't want the pressure on her because she knows what that brings.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes.
Tina Knowles
You know, and people are. You know, they can be very cruel. And she was like, I just don't want her to get caught up in this. I want her to decide on her own what she wants to do. And so Blue kept asking, because every day, Blue rehearsed with all the dancers.
Angie
Oh, wow. Yeah.
Tina Knowles
And I was like, she can do it. She is killing it. And then Beyonce said, okay, I'm gonna let you do one city. I'll let you do Paris. And once she did it, that was supposed to be a one time thing. You know, people were so evil and mean and saying all these comments. And so one of her friends told her about the comments, and it was such a life lesson for her because she was very upset about it. And her mom said, well, you know, you can let them win, and you can just give up and say you'll never do it again, but if I were you, I would go work harder, and I would get out there and kill it and shut them up. She did, and she did just that.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
You could see the progression every single show. I was like, oh, yeah.
Tina Knowles
She worked hard, though, because, I mean, blue at the time was 11. And, you know, most of the dancers are at least 20, 25, some of them 30. They've been doing this forever. And they were amazed that she could keep up and learn the choreography and have her own little swag and her own style. She reminded me of Solange because Solange did the same thing. Really? She started. Yeah. She started dancing with Destiny's Child when she was 13, because Kelly broke her toe. And when Kelly broke her toe, we were like, we can't stop the show. So I studded Kelly's whole boot.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I know that's right.
Tina Knowles
And she sat on the studded stool and sung. And Solange danced for her in the same costume. So, yeah, when she was 13. And I was so worried about her because I was like, she only 13, and everybody's grown. And she got out there and kept up with them. Sometimes she'll cry, you know, she would be in high altitudes and say, I can't do this. And I'm like, yes, you can. You signed up. You gotta finish it.
Angie
I didn't think about that.
Tina Knowles
Yeah. Because that is my philosophy. You don't have to do anything, but if you sign up for it, you got to finish. Can I quit?
Krystal Renee Hazelet
My daddy's always like that, baffled. He was like, get all you want, but eat all you get.
Tina Knowles
Eat all you get. That's right.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
If you're gonna sign up for it, you have to go 100.
Tina Knowles
You gotta keep it going. Wow.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And speaking of Solange, Solange has found her own voice.
Tina Knowles
Yes.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I love that because I've seen her evolution as well. And how does. How proud does it make you to see, like, both your daughters thriving in their own space?
Tina Knowles
I've always been proud of them, not only for, you know, show business, but just as being good human beings. And that's most important.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Absolutely.
Tina Knowles
But their success has been great to watch, too, because they work. They work so hard. My girls work hard.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
They do, yeah.
Tina Knowles
Nothing is given to them, so I'm proud of that.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That's amazing. Do you ever, like, wake up some mornings and be like, wow, my kids are amazing, you know, like, because you're Beyonce is, like, one of the biggest superstars in the world. Like, do you ever wake up and be like, that came out of me?
Tina Knowles
Not really, but people say it to me all the time. And I have thought. Thought about it, but, you know, again, I. I mean, I just feel so blessed to have the kids that I have, and Kelly, too, because Kelly.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
She'S everything.
Tina Knowles
Because, you know, she. Kelly is the same. I mean, just. Just the best work ethic and the best person still remains the sweetest, kindest, you know, generous person. And that's. That's not easy. You know, it's not easy in this business. That's why, again, I was so impressed that you want to do something called positive, you know, because this business can chew you up and spit you out.
Angie
It can.
Tina Knowles
And it can make it really hard.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes, it really can. I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday just about how certain circumstances can really cause you to be guarded and almost make you cold and hard.
Tina Knowles
And mean to protect yourself, because you have to protect yourself, because, you know, it's a lot of beast out there, you know, in this business. I was really scared, you know, when the girls got in and I became so involved in their careers. And people think it's because I'm a stage mother, but it was because I wanted to earn my keep and I wanted to watch them and protect them, because, you know, it's a scary thing, you know, to try to keep them grounded, saying, oh, no, no, no, they can pick up their bags, their hand's not broken. Look people in the eye. When you walk into a hotel, I don't care if it's 2 o' clock in the morning. That is a person. Treat them kind. So I was around to do those things, you know, And I know that that's why they have been able to stay. I'm not the only reason.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
But a big part of it.
Tina Knowles
Part of it is just staying grounded, you know, somebody to pop you upside your head. Not. Not physically, but, you know, and let you know when you. When you getting a little diva dump going on, you know, that's good.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Everybody needs a Mama T in their life.
Tina Knowles
Yep.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yeah. I have good people around me that say, all right. You know, that's one thing Tyler did instill in me, because when I was styling him, I didn't understand because I've been. I wanted to be an actor. I wanted to sing. Right. And then he offers me this job, and I'm like, this is not what I was trying to do.
Tina Knowles
Lord, that is amazing.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes. But then I Prayed about it. And I was like, okay, I'm gonna do this.
Tina Knowles
Oh, you're saying a styling. He offered you to try job to style. What a way into it. Exactly.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
But I didn't know that at first. I was just like, I just said, God, just order my steps. Like, if this is what you want me to do, I'm gonna do it. And you will make room for whatever I really want to do, if that's in your will. And everything that I learned in those five years of being that close to Tyler have helped me, oh, my God. Like, literally step into the shoes I'm in today.
Tina Knowles
That's right.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
The same with Angie. I feel like all that time of being around show business and it was just tools that she can pull out.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Because that's how it went, you know.
Tina Knowles
And so it was an easy transition. It was.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
It's very evident when she's on set. She knows even from hair in the hair. It's so funny. Well, yeah, there's a whole thing that the hairstylist said, do not put no concealer on Angie's part. They came in there, she said, oh, I want that.
Tina Knowles
I don't want that. Oh, I know.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Angie had me crack it up. But she knows because she's been around it for so long. Even on set, she knows the camera, she knows how things are supposed to look. So it transitions onto set and you can tell that she's been around it all her life. Yeah, but she's still kind, still sweet and grounded like you say. She doesn't come in there acting like a diva. And I feel like everyone that I've met, I haven't met Solange, but Bea, Kelly, and Angie, all. Who all came under you, you can see this. So that's also a reflection of you and, and the things that you taught them. Because even when you're not around, they are as sweet as can be.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And treat everybody good.
Angie
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So that's OTU. Yeah, no, for sure. Ms. Tita, thank you so much.
Tina Knowles
Thank you. This was wonderful.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes. I appreciate you making time and stopping by. We do something at the end of our show called Positive Outcomes.
Tina Knowles
Okay.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So if you can hang out with me just for a little bit longer. This is where our listeners write in and we just give them a little advice. Okay, so this one says, hi, crystal. I'm a 52 year old mother of a 31 year old son. I have two grandchildren who are 6 and 11. Our family loves, heart and enjoys creating memories with one another. Long story short, I was a single Mother raising my son while also taking care of my sickly parents for 19 years. In 2002, my father had a massive stroke and I had a stroke one month later. We recuperated together. In 2008, I lost my father, but my mom remained with me and we have some great years together, nurturing her to health emotionally and mentally. Because she loved and missed my dad, my mom battled with Parkinson's disease and did not walk for the last 11 years. God restored me by taking the best care of her until her death last November. Unfortunately, the last three years of my health declined because of the stress of working 40 to 50 hours a week coming home to care for my mom, and which sometimes had me up all night and having to repeat it the next day. Heart failure. And my recovery plan has given me a fresh start and I'm ready to start dating again. Do you have any dating tips that you can share? Well, girl, you asking the wrong person, because that part of my life is non existent. Okay. I don't feel it out. Yeah, no, it is. It's really hard, I think too, just knowing who the right people are and why they're in your life and makes it harder for me.
Tina Knowles
Right? Yeah. And you're being discerning, which is very good.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes, yes. But if you. I feel like I didn't get your name, but if you are ready for a fresh start and you feel like you're ready to get back out there, I would. 1 just pray that God opens your heart for the right person. You know, a lot of times when we haven't dated for a long time, we can be open to just anything. So I always say, like you said, discernment. Use your discernment and make sure the person is right for you. Spend time with people and dates. I feel like a lot of times we meet one person and I'm like, oh, this my husband. Like, no date people to really kind of filter out the ones that are not for you and then decide, okay, I really like this person. What would you say? Ms. Tina?
Tina Knowles
I agree with everything you said. And I think one of the things is that, you know, we talked about manifestation, and I think you got to manifest what you want and be very, very picky about it and pray for. For what you want, but also get out there and open your heart. You know, my best friend decided she was gonna get her a man. She hadn't had a man in 15 years. Cause she got divorced. And she told me, within six months, I'm gonna have a man. I was like, yeah, right she absolutely did because she started opening herself up to it. She started going to social events, you know, after church. She didn't rush out. She tried to meet people. So she was just determined. And within six months, she had a really good man. Probably four months, she had a really good man. They been married for now eight years.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
What?
Tina Knowles
And, yeah, so you can manifest, but you got to get out there, because if you just going to work and coming home probably ain't going to happen.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That's me. Like, is he going to break into your house?
Tina Knowles
Right? Oh, is he going to break?
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I'm sorry, but, like, that's the ongoing job. Like, Chris is like, you don't leave the house.
Tina Knowles
Right?
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Like, hey, are you here for me?
Tina Knowles
Yeah. Well, you know, social events, volunteer. Now that she's free, she can volunteer for some organizations. And what better way to meet somebody who cares about people than in an organization that's charitable?
Krystal Renee Hazelet
That's so true.
Tina Knowles
I think that's where I'm going.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I love that. So, okay.
Tina Knowles
I know that's right.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
We can go to some charity events together. I told. It was probably like a month ago, I was in Miami and I was talking to a friend of mine, and I was like, I have not spent another holiday by myself.
Tina Knowles
And I was like, manifest, literally.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I said, God, you got it till July 4th. To rang me a message.
Tina Knowles
That's quick. And that's in a week. Oh, so you'll meet somebody this week. You're going to meet somebody this week. We praying for it, Ms. T. That's right.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes.
Tina Knowles
Well, you a beautiful, spiritual, talented young woman. And it's coming.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I feel it's coming. It is. Thank you so much. Two of the last things we do is we ask our guests what I'm going through and what I'm growing through.
Tina Knowles
Okay.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Can you share with us something that you may be going through just to inspire people in this season?
Tina Knowles
I think what I'm going through is I've been going through losing my siblings. Oh, man. And that's a tough one because it started off with seven of us, and now it's only three.
Angie
Yeah.
Tina Knowles
And. And I lost my brother a couple months ago, and all of a sudden, it just hit me. I'm 70 years old. I can't believe it. Well, thank you. But, you know, it comes that time. It's that time in my life, and that I'm going through it and I'm growing through it. Because what I decided is that the two that I have left, I'm going to make a lot of time for. And I'm going to spend the time with them and not let so much time pass because I've been negligent with trying to spend my family. And now I'm sad because my brother's gone and I haven't spent as much time. But that's what I'm growing through. You know, it's just trying to pray and not be sad about it. It's tough.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
It is really tough. Angie has shared with me about your brother, and I was at her house one day, and I don't know what. Maybe I was about to start repeating something, but she was showing me how on the video, like, on the camera, that she can see him. And I literally just started crying, and she's like. I was like. I was like, I'm sorry, but, like, just know even My dad is 70, 71 now. 71. And knowing that life is fleeting and, like, I want to spend as much time with him as I can, you know?
Tina Knowles
Yeah.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
And that even that and what she's going through has shown me I've got to make the most of these years.
Tina Knowles
You got to make the most of those years. And, like, her dad is, you know, I want to say he's, like, 77, but he's blind, and he, you know, he has a lot of health issues. So he was just at my house yesterday. That's how I'm growing is to have him over. Sunday, we went to Jacuzzi in the pool, and we had barbecue, and, you know. And I'm gonna make the best of the time that I have left with that.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
I love that. That's amazing. Thank you so much, Miss Tina.
Tina Knowles
Thank you. This was wonderful.
Angie
Yes.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So we do a thing called keep it blank, Sweetie. Keep it blank, where we fill in the blank.
Tina Knowles
Right.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
So I'm going to say keep it pushing, sweetie, because no matter what life throws at you, you just got to keep going. How would you feel in the blank?
Tina Knowles
I think I would say keep it moving, which is kind of the same thing. You know, just keep moving. No matter what's going on in your life, it's this too shall pass.
Angie
Yes. I love that.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Thank you so much, Ms. Tina. Guys, thank you so much for tuning into this episode of Keep It Positive. SW if you want to write into our positive outcomes listener letter, you can write it into keepitpositivesweetiemail.com and that's Sweetie with an IE. You can follow me on all platforms at lovechrystalrenae. And that's l, U v. Ms. Tina, tell the people where they can find.
Tina Knowles
You on Instagram @TinakNowles.
Krystal Renee Hazelet
Yes. All right, make sure you guys tap in with Ms. Tina. Guys, thank you so much for tuning into this episode. In the meantime, in between time, you know what to do. Keep. Keep it positive, sweetie.
Host: Krystal Renee Hayslett
Guest: Tina Knowles
Release Date: June 22, 2025
In this special "Listeners' Choice" two-year anniversary episode, Krystal Renee Hayslett welcomes the legendary Tina Knowles to discuss reinvention, family legacy, faith, and resilience. Known as the matriarch of an iconic family, Tina opens up about her upbringing, the power of positivity, her journey as a businesswoman, and the intergenerational impact of her work in beauty and fashion. Their conversation, marked by humor and vulnerability, offers wisdom on navigating the highs and lows of both life and career while staying true to oneself and keeping it positive.
[05:03]
[06:51, 07:26]
“What I love about it is the positivity because there’s so much negativity right now... The negativity hurts us. And it doesn’t do anything for anybody’s self-esteem. It’s crab-in-a-barrel mentality. And this is amazing what you’re doing.” — Tina Knowles [07:26]
“Some things are below the belt, and they are just unacceptable... You mess with my grandbabies, you mess with my children, I will speak up.” — Tina Knowles [08:03]
[09:35]
“Everything that I’ve ever learned... I’ve been able to apply it to them.” — Tina Knowles [09:35]
[10:29, 10:34]
“It’s therapy, it’s spiritual, it’s camaraderie. It’s just woman power.” — Tina Knowles [10:34]
[11:03–15:14]
“If we conquered textured hair, it will work on anybody.” — Tina Knowles [15:05]
[15:37–18:45]
“He sends us things in the time that we are ready for... Sometimes you got to go back and regroup and make yourself better. And it’s not the world. It is you.” — Tina Knowles [15:58, 17:23]
[17:49–18:45]
“Nothing good comes easy. Like, you gotta work for it. And if you wanna be successful, it’s no shortcuts.” — Tina Knowles [17:57]
[18:45–23:58]
“To whom much is given, much is required. I was taught very early to tithe, to give back, to balance it.” — Tina Knowles [19:30]
[24:07–25:38]
“They were the first darted jeans. I took all those tricks of tailoring from my mom and put them in the jeans.” — Tina Knowles [25:02]
[27:08–31:00]
“[Beyoncé] just didn’t want the pressure on her because she knows what that brings... she said, ‘I want her to decide on her own what she wants to do.’” — Tina Knowles [29:54]
“You can let them win... but if I were you, I would go work harder, and I would get out there and kill it and shut them up. She did.” — Tina Knowles [30:17]
[32:27–34:44]
“I’ve always been proud of them, not only for, you know, show business, but just as being good human beings. And that’s most important.” — Tina Knowles [32:35]
[37:14–40:47]
“You got to manifest what you want and be very, very picky... but also get out there and open your heart.” — Tina Knowles [39:22]
“If you just going to work and coming home, probably ain't going to happen.” — Tina Knowles [40:10]
[41:34–43:25]
“What I decided is that the two that I have left, I’m going to make a lot of time for. And I’m going to spend the time with them and not let so much time pass...” — Tina Knowles [41:48]
On Timing and Faith:
“He sends us things in the time that we are ready for.” — Tina Knowles [00:41], [15:58]
On Staying Positive:
“It was important that I come and do this because we should support these positive things because they help us. The other stuff hurts us. It does.” — Tina Knowles [06:51]
On Building Legacy:
“All that time of being around show business... it was just tools that she can pull out.” — Tina Knowles, on how family experience shapes the next generation [35:54]
On Blue Ivy’s Growth:
“You can let them win... but if I were you, I would go work harder, and I would get out there and kill it and shut them up. She did.” — Tina Knowles [30:17]
On Loss and Growth:
“What I decided is that the two that I have left, I’m going to make a lot of time for. ... That’s what I’m growing through.” — Tina Knowles [41:48]
The episode wraps with the signature "Keep it ___, Sweetie" segment:
Listeners are encouraged to embrace faith, hard work, discernment, and, above all, positivity—no matter their stage in life or the hurdles faced.
Connect:
Listener Letters: keepitpositivesweetiemail.com