Fling or Ring? Beyonce and Jay-Z

AKA: Bootylicious Bee

Years racked up: 23.

Known for?: Being the improbably tall, sexy, gorgeous and talented singer in Destiny's Child, creating the hit of 2003 with her solo effort Crazy in Love, being a God-fearing, family-lovin' Texas gal whilst shaking her considerable assets in the world's direction.

Is involved in a (shhh) love thing with...

Who? Jay-Z

AKA: J-Hova, appara, but his mom will still call him Shawn Corey Carter (ho ho)

Years racked up: 34

Known for?: Being a one-time crack dealer turned rapper and songwriter extraordinaire, now hip-hop mogul with own company Roc-a-Fella records, and various lucrative spin-off ventures like Roc-a-Wear etc etc. Face like the bashed end of a bus, though.

Romance rocketed when: Jeez, who knows? These two keep so bloody schtum about their romance that it's tricky to pin 'em down. But most have them as dating since 2002.

Make or break: They've made loads of great records together, like Crazy in Love, and the smitten kitten recently paid tribute to her blokey on new Destiny's single Soldier. But Beyonce's scary über-father, Matthew Knowles, recently made his feelings about his daughter's beau crystal clear — and they’re not great. Matthew intoned: "I don't care for Jay-Z at all. I'm certainly not close to him." Cripes.

Soppy speak: Huh. Well, not much, really, as Bee'n'Jay refuse to even confirm they're together. Beyonce snaps: "I don't say I'm single. People are like, 'Why does she say that they're just friends?' I don't say that. I just don't talk about it. I just wanna protect my private life." Booooo-ring.

Biz Bitch says: Well, we'd stake our money on something, if we only had something to go on. But the fact that Beyoncé's Svengali-like father, who has a vice-like grip on her career, doesn't like Mr Z is NOT GOOD. If she does marry him, expect a descent into Britney-like behaviour of Red Bull and booze-guzzling, going out without any makeup on and losing her sense of style...we can't wait!