Explosive new book claims Beyoncé and Jay Z separated for a year, claims Jay Z was having an affair with Rihanna

Beyoncé and Jay Z separated for a year amid rumors the rapper was having an affair with Rihanna, an explosive new book claims.

The power couple, who started dating in 2000, allegedly split around the time Jay Z scouted then-17-year-old Rihanna in 2005 and managed the launch of her debut single Pon De Replay. 

And though the rumors were supposedly spread by PRs to boost Rihanna's profile, Beyoncé 'wasn't sure what to make of the situation'.

The astonishing claim comes in a new unauthorized biography by best-selling writer J Randy Taraborrelli titled Becoming Beyoncé: The Untold Story.

It has led many to revisit the notorious elevator spat between Beyoncé's sister Solange and Jay Z, questioning whether Rihanna really was the root of their dispute.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Beyonce’s publicist for comment on the book, but did not receive an immediate response. Read more here