Beyoncé Takes Fans Inside Her Private Life in 'Year of 4' [FULL EPISODE]

Beyoncé released 4 on Tuesday (June 28), and she’s taking fans behind-the-scenes of her new album in the MTV special “Beyoncé: Year of 4.” The documentary premiered on Thursday June 30) on MTV and BET.

The special was filmed during Beyoncé’s year off, as she set out to discover what she wanted next in her career. It kicks off as Bey wraps up her ‘I Am Tour’, and finds herself at a crossroads before eventually giving into her mother’s advice to take some time off.

“My life was award shows and tour buses and hotels and it kind of goes by so fast … I couldn’t even hear it anymore,” she says of her whirlwind schedule. “I’m just thinking about the next shoot … the next video … the next tour.”

Fans are with Beyoncé as she travels, hangs out with family, friends and husband Jay-Z, and takes time to reflect on her crazy successful career. “I never even realized I needed a year off,” she later says. “And I never realized I don’t know how to take a year off.”

During this reflective time in her life, Beyoncé also began working on her most eclectic album to date, mixing genres and styles to make 4. The special also takes a look at her career as she takes charge of her business.

“It was very risky for me to set out on my own,” she says. “Sometimes we don’t reach for the stars, sometimes we are satisfied with what people tell us we’re supposed to be satisfied with, and I’m just not going for it.”

For Beyoncé’s fourth solo album, she worked with producers and artists like The-Dream, Kanye West and Andre 3000 for the release.