Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert have dealt with their fair share of public scrutiny and rumors, but they draw a clear line when it comes to their family.
Earlier this year the couple, and parents to daughters Junie and Rue, were blindsided by claims of infidelity, drug use, and an attempted overdose when a TikTok video went viral suggesting the aforementioned took place. At the time Taylor was coming off the heels of dealing with a health scare that lead to her being hospitalized and having to cancel a performance during her “The Last Rose Petal Farewell Tour.”
The couple hit back at the claims with Taylor publicly stating, “the people who believed the CAP ass story are the biggest fools smh. Y’all allow a YT girl to pull some sh-t like this during Black History Month???”
The singer also threatened legal action — which she has not and will not be backing down from —against the woman responsible for posting the video. But even with the story replaced by new headlines, Taylor said the pain of having a false narrative of that nature still lingers.
“These types of rumors and lies hurt the most because I take pride in being a mother and would never be that irresponsible,” she tells Ebony in an April cover story. “Their [bloggers’] malicious actions and recklessness need to heed some sort of repercussions. Intending to attempt to ruin someone’s life for a story is just simply not ok. I’m not your clickbait. Period!”
Taylor explained the rumors especially struck a nerve because she has never used drugs, it is seldom she consumes alcohol, and because she has been public about some of her health complications. Whether it be dealing with surgery to removed lumps from her breasts, to pregnancy complications and an ongoing battle with postpartum depression.
“My health issues were never a secret, we actually outwardly shared them with the world on our reality TV show ‘We Got Love,’” said Taylor. She added that the thought of not being able to see her children grow up is triggering, making the viral video that much more insulting.
“So, for someone to take that and make it a joke is extremely hurtful. It makes me emotional thinking about it.” She continued “To read the comments on my page being flooded by people’s assumptions of me and my family and creating stories and scenarios that doesn’t exist and never have, I will absolutely always respond and protect the integrity of my family. Especially if lies are being told.”
Shumpert’s need to protect his family is equally as fierce. “I live a real life and that’s really my wife, these really are our kids, we really love each other, and we’re really going to go hard.”
