Friendship is key to successful marriage: Beyonce

Singing superstar Beyonce Knowles believes her marriage to Jay-Z is strong because they were friends before they started dating. The couple were friends for over a year before they started dating and Beyonce, 31, thinks their friendship is one of the key factors in their strong marriage. "We were friends first for a year and a half before we went on any dates. We were on the phone for a year and a half, and that foundation is so important for a relationship. Just to have someone who you just like is so important, and someone (who) is honest," Beyonce said in an recent interview with Oprah Winfrey. The 31-year-old singer also credits the father of her 13-month-old daughter Blue Ivy, behind a huge part of her success. "I would not be the woman I am if I did not go home to that man. It just gives me such a foundation. (He's helped me) on so many levels."