She would not have been a celebrity if she wasn't first an artist. I'm unsure at how anyone can say otherwise. Just look at the facts:
When did Beyoncé start caring about art, start singing, start dancing, start wanting to be an entertainer? Before the age of 8.
When did Beyoncé start being a household name? At about 18 or so.
When did Beyoncé start becoming a huge superstar? At about 22.
SO: as you can see her artistry precedes her celebrity status.
Compare that to Paris Hilton, or Kim Kardashians, who were first names that people knew, and then.. well the they just kept being names people knew.
