Who Is Teyana Taylor? 6 Things To Know About Kanye West’s ‘Fade’ Video Star

 

During Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards, singer Teyana Taylor stole the show as the star of Kanye West’s latest music video, “Fade.” Glistening in only a sports bra, underwear and knee pads, Taylor caught viewer’s attention with her sexy dance moves in the “Flashdance”-esque sequence. While Taylor may be new to some viewers, the singer has been around for a few years now, and you may have even seen her on MTV before. Here are six things you should know about her.


1. She Was Featured On MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16”

If the woman in the “Fade” video looked familiar to you, you may have seen her on MTV before. When she was still a teenager, Taylor appeared on an episode of “My Super Sweet 16.” Taylor’s episode featured an ‘80s-themed skateboard party with a cameo from Pharrell Williams. “Yes, people still bring [‘My Super Sweet 16’] up,” Taylor told the New York Post. “I don’t understand how people even remember it. I think MTV is playing a lot of reruns.”

2. She Was Signed To Pharrell’s Record Label

Before appearing on “My Super Sweet 16,” Taylor signed to Pharrell’s record label, Star Trak Entertainment. Taylor released her debut single, “Google Me,” in 2008 and a mixtape in 2009 but the singer’s career did not took off at the time.

3. She’s Featured On Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”

Before being released from Pharrell’s label in 2012, Taylor managed to find herself in a studio session with Kanye West and found herself on his 2012 album. Taylor was featured on the songs “Dark Fantasy” and “Hell of a Life.”

4. She’s Engaged To NBA Star Iman Shumpert

In November 2015, Taylor and Cleveland Cavaliers player Iman Shumpert got engaged. A month after their engagement, Shumpert delivered he and his fiancée’s baby in the bathroom of their house after Taylor went into early labor. Using a pair of headphones to steady the umbilical cord, the couple was able to welcome their first child, Iman Tayla Shumpert Jr. to the world

5. She Has Starred In Movies
 Teyana hasn’t only worked in music, the singer has also tried her hand in acting. In 2010, Taylor was featured in “Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming” and was also featured in Tyler Perry’s 2011 film, “Madea’s Big Happy Family.”

6. A New Album Is On The Way

During her pregnancy, Taylor revealed she was still recording music, telling Karen Civil, “No, no, no the work does not stop. The studio will be built in the house and music already calms my daughter when she's upset. I'm sure the records will be coming.” In May, Taylor assured fans more music was coming, saying, “I already made them wait long enough, so it's time to just keep the music going, going, going.”