'Brand', not love brought Beyonce-Jay Z together

If a book is to be believed, then Beyonce didn't fancy Jay Z at first, but after "smelling the brand," they fell head over heels in love with each other.

Bursting the bubble, Hollywood biographer J Randy Taraborrelli revealed in his new book 'Becoming Beyonce' that the music's biggest power couple's fairytale romance started very differently, the Mirror reported.

After two years of interviews with those closest to the pair, Taraborrelli has laid bare the early days of the 1billion pound-family, who seem to have it all, saying that when the 34-year-old singer's asked her if she could see herself with the 46-year-old rapper, she responded: "Eww."

The biographer further said that the 'Halo' singer was just 20 when she met the 'Empire State of Mind' hit-maker backstage at a benefit concert in New York City in 2001. She was apparently not impressed, telling many of her confidantes: "I'm not into Jay."

According to Jay's mentor Jaz-O, it was more calculated than romantic as the rapper was thinking about his brand as much as his heart. "He can smell opportunity."

Rapper Choke No Joke added, "There's no question she helped him get more revenue by putting her brand next to his. Call it fate, call it manipulation, whatever, Beyonce came along at the right time in his life."

By the time Beyonce met Jay Z, she had finished with long-term teen sweetheart Lyndall Locke because he had repeatedly cheated on her but the pair were said to still be in close contact.

It was Beyonce's mum Tina who reportedly urged the singer to accept a first date with Jay Z, as she thought it would help her move on.