Teyana Taylor’s parents are Tito Smith and Nikki Taylor, her dad and mom respectively. Teyana’s mom, Nikki Taylor, is a celebrity stylist and fashion industry guru, while her father, Tito Smith, is said to be a musician who has had some troubles with the law.
Teyana Taylor was mostly raised by her mom, who encouraged her to explore her artistic talents. She did just that, and when her career started taking off, her mom also stepped in as her manager. Her mom put in a lot of hard work and helped her become the successful celebrity she is today.
Teyana Taylor and her mom remain close to this day and have walked the red carpet occasionally. Nikki Taylor also uses her social media pages to promote her daughter’s shows.
Teyana Taylor’s Mother, Nikki Taylor, is a Celebrity Stylist and Major Fashion Industry Figure
Teyana Taylor’s mom is named Nikki Taylor. Nikki has African-American and Trinidadian roots and was born in Harlem, New York. She hails from a tight-knit family whom she cherishes to this very day. For instance, Nikki Taylor has an elder sister named Tina Macon, who she often gets together with. She also never forgets to send Tina a shout-out on her birthdays and other important occasions.
Another family member that Nikki Taylor loves dearly is her mom. On the occasion of her mom’s birthday on the 16th of September 2021, she described her as my favorite girl in the whole wide world and stated that she loved her beyond words could express.
Teyana Taylor’s mom, Nikki Taylor, spent her formative years in New York and completed a reasonable level of education there. After that, she made her way into the fashion industry and showbiz generally. She became a celebrity stylist and worked for some well-known figures. She also built up a reputation in the fashion industry.
Teyana Taylor’s Father is Tito Smith
Teyana Taylor’s biological father is named Tito Smith. Smith has African American ethnicity and American nationality. He is a native of New York. There is a paucity of details about Tito Smith’s background, occupation, and educational history. He is also not active on social media, which makes it difficult to decipher who he is.
This has led to many rumors, including speculations that he is a musician. It is also said that he has been in jail multiple times for different law violations. One thing that is certain about Tito Smith is that Teyana Taylor is not his only child. He has about four other children, two daughters and two sons, from different baby mamas.
Teyana Taylor’s Parents Were Never Married, and Her Mom Largely raised her
Teyana Taylor’s parents were never married. They dated sometime in the late 80s and welcomed Taylor on the 10th of December 1990. The couple made their home in Harlem and jointly cared for their daughter for the first few years of her life. Things later soured between them, and Teyena’s father moved out. He tried to maintain a constant presence in his daughter’s life, but the primary responsibility of raising the young girl fell to her mom, Nikki Taylor.
Nikki Taylor was up to the task and ensured her daughter got a good education. She also encouraged her daughter to explore her different artistic talents, including acting, dancing, and singing. Taylor also inspired her daughter’s love for music, so when the little girl grew up and started hankering for a career in showbiz, she supported her wholeheartedly.
Her Mom also Managed her Career for Several Years
When Nikki Taylor discovered that her daughter had genuine showbiz talents, she enrolled her in several talent hunt competitions. This served as Teyena’s gateway into the industry, and by the age of 15, she had already worked as a choreographer for Beyoncé. By 16, she landed a record deal and was featured on the MTV reality TV series, My Super Sweet Sixteen.
All this helped to announce Teyana Taylor to the world, and she has never looked back since then. She has gone on to release multiple albums and hit songs. She has also featured in several movies, including Madea’s Big Happy Family, Coming 2 America, and Cruel Summer. Teyana Taylor has also featured in TV shows such as The Masked Singer.
Her career has not been all rosy. It has been full of several disappointments, but one person that helped her to navigate it all is her mom, Nikki Taylor. Nikki managed her daughter’s career for several years and even set up her own management company known as Taylormade Enterprises.
Teyana Taylor’s Mother Remains her Manager to Date
Teyana Taylor’s mom still manages her career to date. She coordinates her gigs, endorsements, and the likes. She also helps to put out any potential fires. For instance, in 2020, Teyana Taylor publicly feuded with singer Mykki Blanco after the latter claimed that they had not been paid for the work they did on Teyena’s 2018 song – WTP.
Blanco accused Taylor of trying to rip them off and disrespecting the LGBTQ community. In her defense, Teyana Taylor stated that she was unaware that Blanco had not been paid. She later disclosed the message that Blanco’s manager sent to her own manager/mom, which showed that the whole mix-up was not her (Teyena’s) fault but rather the record label’s.
Here’s a email that was just sent From @MykkiBlanco manager David Swartz to my mom/manager. I appreciate David for trying to fix this but unfortunately unnecessary damage has been done. Myself & my team names has been slandered & defamed & lied on Publicly. 🤦🏾♀️ not cool. pic.twitter.com/Mp3nR1xnwi
— TEYANA M.J. SHUMPERT (@TEYANATAYLOR) July 17, 2020
Nikki Taylor and Teyana Taylor Remain Quite Close Till Date
Nikki Taylor and Teyana Taylor are quite close to each other to date. They have avoided the infighting and acrimony that usually occur when parents manage their children’s careers and have a good relationship. A trip to Nikki Taylor’s Instagram page will show dozens of pictures of her hanging out with her daughter or grandchildren.
She also uses her Instagram pages to promote her daughter’s activities and praise her for her achievements. Teyana Taylor has also spoken glowingly about her mom in interviews. The actress-cum-singer has revealed that she learned great parenting lessons from her mom and is now applying it to her own family.
Teyana Taylor is also on Good Terms with her Father
Even though he wasn’t always there for her while she was growing up, Teyana Taylor is on amicable terms with her dad. She has never spoken ill of him in interviews. She tries to maintain a good relationship with him. Teyana Taylor has a great father figure in her mother’s longtime partner, Boe Daney. She has been pictured with him and her mom at several industry events, including the Petit Fashion Week of 2021.
Key Facts About Teyana Taylor’s Parents
- Who are Teyana Taylor’s parents? Teyana Taylor was born to her biological father Tito Smith and her mom, Nikki Taylor. Teyana’s biological dad has two sons and another daughter from another relationship, but Teyana is her mom’s only child.
- What are the roles of Teyana’s parents in her career? Her mother, Nikki, played a huge part in encouraging Teyana to share her talent with the world and she continues to be a significant part of Teyana’s life. Nikki isn’t just Teyana’s mom — she’s also her manager.
- How did Nikki Taylor contribute to Teyana’s music style? Teyana credits her mom Nikki with helping form her taste in music. “My mom would play all these records, the greatest hits of the ‘90s, ‘80s, and ‘70s,” she told Vice. “And while the kids would play, I would literally have my ear against the wall just singing all the songs.”
- What role did Teyana’s mom play in her early life and career? Nikki raised Teyana in Harlem, N.Y. as a single mom, and the two of them worked hard to make Teyana’s dreams of performing a reality. She competed in many different talent shows starting when she was 9 years old, often under Nikki’s guidance and support.
- Is Teyana Taylor a mother herself? Yes, Teyana is a mother herself. In 2015, Teyana welcomed her baby girl Junie with then-fiancé Iman Shumpert. In September 2020, Teyana and her husband Iman welcomed their second baby girl, Rue Rose.
- Are Teyana Taylor’s parents rich? No, Teyana Taylor’s parents are not known to be rich. Her father is a truck driver and her mother worked in various roles, including acting as her manager.
