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APOLOGY
We regret that a recent article about a interview that Teyana Taylor did for BET’s digital series Sip n Smoke, was published that included a reference to Kanye West and his label, G.O.O.D. Music, that Ms. Taylor never made. We have tremendous respect for Ms.Taylor and we apologize for this error. We are excited about all of Ms. Taylor forthcoming projects and look forward to her continued success.
There are a lot of artists who start out in the music business wanting to be a boss and flexing that they can do more than stand behind the mic and blow. Teyana Taylor has not only defied that notion, she has created the archetype for the modern multi-hyphenate star. Her 2020 project, The Album, which debuted at #1 on the Top R&B Albums charts, produced the banger, “We Got Love.” Her hypnotic, choreographed moves are forever immortalized in the 2016 music video for Kanye West’s “Fade.” And earlier this year, Taylor won the role of Bopoto Izzi, becoming one of the few newcomers to join the ensemble cast of the highly successful, long-awaited sequel Coming 2 America.
If you know anything about Taylor, you know that her talents don’t stop there. The 30-year-old is wise beyond her years and just as comfortable behind the scenes as she is in the forefront, evidenced by her 2020 BET Hip Hop Video Director of the Year award. Taylor proved she has the eye and the acumen to succeed beyond any expectation. But what truly sets her apart is that her perspective and creativity never color in the lines. In fact, she creates her own colors and her own lines to produce art that is both evocative and authentically culturally aware. Taylor’s vision for the video to her songs “Made It, which cleverly hints at the shift many of us had to make during the pandemic and “Wake Up Love” which showcases her tender relationship with husband Iman Shumpert, are superb.
Now, Taylor is swimming confidently in deeper waters by developing new projects under her all-woman staffed production company, The Aunties Production. She has found opportunities to collaborate with other visionary artists using the name Spike Tey (an homage to Spike Lee) directing music videos for Macy Gray Wale, and Lil Duval to name a few.
Undaunted by hard work and stiff competition, Taylor has also taken her unique aesthetic into the competitive realm of fashion. She is the new Creative Director for the British online retailer, PrettyLittleThing and earlier this year, she debuted a 25-piece streetwear collection designed with the mission of making inclusive sizes part of the norm rather than a special find.
“I love fashion, and I love my supporters. Whenever I’m involved in anything, I take notes to understand their likes and their dislikes,” Taylor explained to BET Style. “I treated this line the same way I treat my performances, with crowd participation.”
And like a true mogul in the making, Taylor is learning how to take her creativity and turn it into opportunities for herself and others. Sitting down with NFL great Cam Newton over a glass of tequila on BET’s Original series, “Sip ‘N Smoke,” the mother of two discusses the brilliance behind her creative process, her plans to take her business even further, and how she keeps the flame burning in her marriage.
“My husband just got picked up by the Brooklyn Nets. Before he got picked up…he was a free agent, so we had a lot of time to spend with one another,” said Taylor of her close connection with Shumpert.
RELATED: Dionne Warwick Wants Teyana Taylor To Play Her In A Biopic
Taylor and Shumpert are like two sides of the same one-of-a-kind coin. They both have a penchant for music and fashion with Shumpert even writing on his wife’s albums. They also share a passion for positive expressions of Black love, parenting their two young daughters, Iman Tayla or “Junie” and Rue Rose while championing each other’s various projects.
“Be your partner’s partner for real,” advises Taylor. “You know what I’m saying. Hear one another. Listen to one another. And really see one another.”
Besides her family, Taylor tells Newton that even though she is juggling a whole lot –dancing, songwriting, acting, designing, choreographing, directing, modeling—she believes she has the space to do even more.
“My 5-acre compound will feature 360 green screens, dance studios, recording studios, prop house. It’s literally everything you can possibly think of so it’s like my mini, mini, mini, mini, mini like Tyler Perry kind of studios. It’s on its way…I’m starting somewhere,” affirmed Taylor. “Imma get to that 300-acres real soon. I’m claiming it and that’s the goal.”
There is no doubt she will get there and beyond.
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