Can we take a moment to shed light on how big Julez Smith is getting? The son of Solange Knowles has shared several pictures of him with the family on Instagram and many fans cannot believe how much he’s grown.
“Is he really only 12,” one subscriber asked after seeing a picture of Julez giving his grandmother, Tina Lawson, a hug. Julez stood just as tall as grandma, which makes us take a step back in complete awe of the tween.
Many remember when Solange’s pregnancy hit mainstream media in 2004. Some criticized the singer for traveling the path of a teen mom. Dozens, however, supported Knowles’ decision to start her family at 17-years-old.
Solange reminisces her pregnancy and life as a young mom in an open letter to her younger self, which was published in the latest issue of Teen Vogue. “Seventeen will be the hardest year of your life,” Knowles writes. “It will grow you up almost immediately. You will lose your best friend whom you love so much to gun violence in a single moment, and give birth to a new one within a year.”
The singer further explains, “You will be terrified, and it’s ok that you don’t know what the future holds. Some people will count you out because of the decision you’ve made to bring another life into the world so young, but you made the decision out of love and will live with the decision in love.”
Love has certainly been the driving force in Solange’s journey as a mom. The A Seat at the Table artist has reared her son in a manner that allows him to freely explore various avenues in life. Julez took up photography a few months back and even had his own website that featured his work for a time. It will be interesting to see what’s next on this youngster’s list of “To-Dos.”