TIME Most Influential People 2013: Jay-Z and Beyonce Make the Cut

TIME magazine released its annual list of the Top 100 Influential people in the world. The list was divided into five categories, icons, leaders, artists, pioneers, and titans. The diverse list of people included leaders from all walks of life including business, politics, science, doctors, law, human rights, medicine and entertainment. Thirty-five women made the list this year and two couples, President and First Lady Obama, and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter. The Carters have clearly become the power couple of the 21st century.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé were selected as influential titan and artist respectively. The power couple are virtually everywhere in the news from the sports pages, to the arts and leisure section to politics. The couple is buddy-buddy with Obama and has been invitees to the White House, official state dinners and the inauguration. Recently they caused a brouhaha by receiving travel visas to Cuba.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé are frequently mentioned as a power couple. In 2006 TIME magazine considered them the most influential power couple in their list of the Top 100 Influential people. Kate Kelleway of the Guardian chose them as one of history’s Top 10 dynamic duos. E! Online reported that and internet poll named them the top power couple of 2013.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé regularly make the top earners list for entertainment. Forbes magazine listed them as the world’s highest earning celebrity couple for 2012. Their combined wealth is estimated at three quarters of a billion dollars, and what makes it so impressive is that it is pretty evenly divided Jay-Z has an estimated net worth of $450 million and Beyoncé’s net worth is estimated to be $300 million. Their diversified empire includes music, fashion, acting, sports, perfume and cosmetics.

Jay-Z is the king of hip-hop. He has sold over 50 million albums worldwide, received 17 Grammy Awards for his musical work, and is consistently ranked as one of the greatest rappers of all-time. Jay-Z is the owner of the upscale sports bar and club, 40/40 located in New York City. He was until recently a part-owner of the NBA Brooklyn Nets and was the founder of fashion line Rocawear. His investments include beauty product line Carol’s Daughter and the Aqueduct Entertainment Consortium. He recently launched a sports management agency, Roc Nation Sports, and immediately landed two high profile clients, Victor Cruz of the NFL Giants and Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees.

Beyoncé has received 17 Grammy Awards, 12 MTV Video Music Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has sold over 13 million albums in the United States and 118 million records worldwide. She is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Beyoncé has been named the Top Certified Artist, Top Female Artist and Top Radio Songs Artist of the 2000s decade. Knowles was also ranked first on Forbes' list of the "100 Most Powerful and Influential Musicians in the World." Beyoncé’s empire includes her own fragrance, fashion line (House of Deron) and numerous endorsements. She recently signed a $50 million deal with Pepsi and will be the face of H&M. She is also known for her philanthropic work having worked in conjunction with World’s Children Day, World Humanitarian Day, and Haiti Now. She founded the Survivor Foundation for survivors of Hurricane Katrina and opened Beyoncé Cosmetology Center, a cosmetology training program, at the Brooklyn Phoenix House.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé have come from modest, humble beginnings to become two of the most influential people in the world. They have used their talents to build a brand and branch out into political, philanthropic and entrepreneurial endeavors. They are the power couple of the 21st century.