Beyonce is on the cover of Essence Magazine November 2008 issue, and featured in a photo shoot and cover article.  See the photos and behind-the-scenes video of the photo shoot here.  The article appears in the print edition of the magazine with an online preview.

In an intimate interview with ESSENCE, megastar Beyoncé dishes on her new album, Jay-Z, and life in the spotlight. Costarring in two upcoming films, the psychological thriller “Obsessed” and “Cadillac Records,” where she’ll star as Etta James, the Queen B is preparing to dominate the box office and the music charts. The singer says her new album, coming in November, is her most personal to date. For the first time ever, she opens up to ESSENCE about paparazzi, the wedding, the rumored engagement ring, and what we all missed!

Regarding Jay-Z:

“…What Jay and I have is real. It’s not about interviews or getting the right photo op. It’s real.”

Source: Beyoncé breaks silence on wedding to Jay-Z and new music

UPDATE – People Magazine has a few more excerpts of the interview:

Notoriously tight-lipped about her relationship with the hip-hop mogul, Beyoncé does share a little about her wedding day, but only after groaning, “You’re gonna get me in trouble.”

Beyoncé tells the magazine she didn’t want an engagement ring because, “People put too much emphasis on that,” she says. “It’s just material and it’s just silly to me.”

Instead, the magazine reports, she wears a band on her ring finger over a tattoo of the Roman numeral IV (Beyoncé was born on Sept. 4; Jay-Z on Dec. 4; they were married on April 4). Jay-Z, 38, has a matching tattoo on his left-hand ring finger.

Beyoncé has not commented on the significance of a $5 million, 18-carat flawless diamond ring by Lorraine Schwartz she has been photographed wearing since September.)

Their wedding was small and intimate because Beyoncé is not a “traditional woman,” she says, and didn’t want the drama. “It’s been my day so many days already,” she told Essence.

Source: Beyoncé Finally Opens Up About Secret Wedding

Photo credit: Essence Magazine

UPDATE – Here is a brief behind-the-scenes video on the Beyonce Essence Magazine Photo shoot

Video via URBAN-HOOPLA.com

Beyonce’s highly anticipated anticipated third studio album, I Am, will be released on November 18, 2008.  The first two singles from the album, “If I Were a Boy” and “Single Ladies,” are set for radio release on October 8, 2008 and are now available online, exclusive premiere on two radio Web sites, Z100 and Power1051FM.

Click below to listen to the songs on the radio station Web sites.

• Beyonce – If I Were A Boy
• Beyonce – Single Ladies

Related posts:

• Video & Photos: Beyonce “At Last” Performance Bermuda Music Festival 10-2-08
• Photos: Beyonce Honored at Miami Children’s Hospital 2008 Diamond Ball 10-4-08
• Photos: Conde Nast 5th Anniversary Fashion Rocks 2008 Concert Performances 9-5-08
• Video & Photos: Fashion Rocks 2008 Beyonce as Etta James “At Last” + Justin Timberlake Duet
• Beyonce “Fashion Rocks” Photo 2008
• Photos: Beyonce, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake Fashion Rocks September 2008
• Photos: Beyonce Marie Claire UK October 2008 Photo Shoot
• Beyonce Marie Claire UK Cover October 2008
• Beyonce L’Oreal Ad Campaign Photo ELLE Magazine September 2008
• Video & Photos: Solange, Beyonce and Tina Knowles on CBS The Early Show 8-28-08

Beyonce Essence Magazine November 2008 Cover