Teyana Taylor has become a prominent figure in the entertainment world, known by many. At the young age of 15, Pharrell Williams extended a record deal to her. She later choreographed for Beyoncé’s music video for Ring the Alarm. In her early 20s, she already had a successful collaboration with Ye, her debut album, and a role in a Tyler Perry movie.
Teyana Taylor Bio Details
Full name: Teyana Me Shay Jacqueli Shumpert
Gender: Female
Date of birth: 10 December 1990
Age: 34 years old (as of 2024)
Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
Place of birth: Harlem, New York City, New York, USA
Current residence: Harlem, New York City, New York, USA
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: Mixed
Religion: Christianity
Sexuality: Straight
Height: 5 ft 4 in (163 cm)
Weight: 115 lbs (52 kg)
Hair color: Black
Eye color: Dark brown
Father: Tito Smith
Mother: Nikki Taylor
Siblings: 3
Marital status: Divorced
Ex-husband: Iman Shumpert
Children: 2
Profession: Actress, singer, dancer, director, model, choreographer, entrepreneur
Early Life
Teyana Taylor, also known as Teyana Me Shay Jacqueli Taylor, was born on December 10, 1990, in New York City. She grew up in Harlem under the care of her mother, Nikki. During her teenage years, Nikki took on the role of Teyana’s manager. While Taylor’s father has three other children, she is the only child of Nikki.
At the young age of 9, Teyana started showcasing her talents by participating in various competitions like the Apollo Theater National All-Stars. According to Taylor, her mother played a significant role in shaping her musical preferences which were heavily influenced by artists such as Lauryn Hill, Michael Jackson, Brandy, Toni Braxton, and Stevie Wonder.
Career
When Teyana was only 15, she choreographed the music video for Beyoncé’s “Ring the Alarm” in 2006. The next year, she joined Pharrell Williams’ Star Trak Entertainment, a division of Interscope Records.
She first appeared on television in February 2007 on an episode of “My Super Sweet Sixteen,”. Later that year, she was featured in Jay-Z’s “Blue Magic” video.
In February 2008, Teyana Taylor made her debut in the music industry with the release of her first commercial single, “Google Me,” which reached the #90 spot on the “Billboard” Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
On August 16, 2009, she dropped her mixtape “From a Planet Called Harlem” and also made appearances in the film “Stomp the Yard: Homecoming” and the first episode of Oxygen’s “House of Glam” in 2010.
In that same year, Kanye West invited Teyana to the studio to offer fashion advice for an upcoming music video. That meeting ultimately led to her providing guest vocals on his album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.”
During her time in the studio with West, Taylor joined in on the tunes he played and got invited to lend her vocals to the songs “Hell of a Life” and “Dark Fantasy.”
Additionally, in 2010, Teyana Taylor was featured on GOOD Music’s “Christmas In Harlem” and secured a part in the film “Madea’s Big Happy Family.”
After departing from Star Trak in January 2012, Taylor went on to release the mixtape “The Misunderstanding of Teyana Taylor” independently in March. In June, she joined GOOD Music and The Island Def Jam Music Group.
During this time, she also dropped the songs “Make Your Move” (featuring Wale) and “D.U.I” (featuring Jadakiss and Fabolous).
In September of that same year, Teyana Taylor showcased her talent on the songs “To the World,” “Sin City,” and “Bliss” from the compilation album “Cruel Summer” by GOOD Music. The album reached #2 on the “Billboard” 200 and claimed the top spot on both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums charts.
On November 4, 2014, Teyana released her debut studio album, “VII.” The track “Maybe” from the record peaked at #10 on the “Billboard” Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and #11 on the Hot R&B Songs chart.
Taylor was a judge on MTV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” in 2015 and also dropped her EP, “The Cassette Tape 1994.” The following August, Teyana received high praise for her role in Kanye West’s “Fade” music video, which debuted at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Personal Life
Teyana and professional basketball player Iman Shumpert tied the knot on October 1, 2016. Their daughters Junie and Rue were born at home on December 16, 2015, and September 6, 2020, respectively, with Iman acting as the delivery partner. The couple also appeared on the VH1 reality show “Teyana and Iman” in 2018.
Teyana discreetly initiated the process of divorcing Iman in January of 2023. Their filing remained confidential for almost 12 months until it was publicly disclosed in late November of the same year.
Net Worth
With a net worth of $5 million, Teyana Taylor is a multi-talented American artist, known for her skills as a singer, songwriter, dancer, rapper, and actress.
In 2007, she made her debut on MTV’s “My Sweet Sixteen” and later released her first mixtape, “The Misunderstanding of Teyana Taylor,” in 2012. This album produced two successful singles. She has since joined forces with G.O.O.D. Music Group and The Island Def Jam Music Group.
