INTERVIEW: Teyana Taylor Talks 'Escape Room' Album & Short Film, Vocal Cords, Aaron Pierre, Co-Parenting +More

Summary

The Breakfast Club – Teyana Taylor Interview (August 27, 2025)

Podcast: The Breakfast Club
Episode: INTERVIEW: Teyana Taylor Talks 'Escape Room' Album & Short Film, Vocal Cords, Aaron Pierre, Co-Parenting + More
Host: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, with guest Lauren LaRose
Guest: Teyana Taylor

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Episode Overview

Teyana Taylor joins The Breakfast Club to discuss her deeply personal new album and short film, 'Escape Room.' The conversation dives into her vocal cord surgery, the intensely vulnerable songwriting process, her turbulent co-parenting and divorce from Iman Shumpert, finding new love, and her vision as a multidisciplinary artist. Teyana shares candidly about heartbreak, healing, and the ongoing challenges of navigating fame, public scrutiny, and her own emotional well-being. The tone is honest, sometimes raw, and threaded with resilience and humor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Vocal Cord Surgery & Music Creation

[04:14 – 05:10, 06:22 – 07:14]

• Health Scare: Teyana discusses developing polyps on her vocal cords, which led to significant vocal struggles and the need for surgery just before her album release.
  • “It looked like a pearl just sitting on my…like, my vocal cords didn’t even close, so it was like air going down my vocal cords.” (Teyana Taylor, 04:14)
  • At first, she blamed recording difficulty on pain and emotions, not realizing it was a medical issue.
• Timing & Pressure: Surgery happened two weeks before dropping ‘Escape Room,’ forcing Teyana into a creative silent promo run while recovering, including quick listening parties and media stops.
  • “Let the album speak for itself and just do what I can.” (Teyana Taylor, 05:15)
• Cause: Trauma to the cords over time, not just singing but emotional stress, acting, and her natural deep, passionate way of speaking.

2. Raw Vulnerability Driving ‘Escape Room’

[08:59 – 11:29]

• Recording in Real-Time: The album was written and sequenced true to Teyana’s emotional journey: heartbreak, feeling lost, self-discovery, and offering herself permission to love and feel again.
  • “The album is recorded in order…you go from heartbreak…let’s throw the bricks away…now it’s time. Of course, you always want to do the self work…but sometimes you just need that inspiration to get back up.” (Teyana Taylor, 08:59)
• The Short Film: Created as a visual counterpart, written with her producing partner Coco, inspired by her lived experiences.
  • “This was always a visual album for me first…It’s a cinematic album, and it was always meant to be that way.” (Teyana Taylor, 10:24)

3. Navigating Public Divorce & Protecting Her Kids

[13:14 – 19:52]

• Privacy & Protection: Teyana explains her efforts to keep co-parenting and divorce with Iman Shumpert private, despite repeated public drama and rumors surfacing whenever she has a new professional achievement.
  • “These kids come first. And that’s been the main reason why I’ve wanted to keep everything private. No matter how ugly or how sweet, keep it private.” (Teyana Taylor, 14:25)
• Social Media Anxiety: Public accusations and attacks have forced Teyana into public defenses she dislikes, sometimes at great cost (including a $70k court-ordered payment for “technicality” over her going live to defend herself).
  • “I want my peace and to get put through the Bachelor’s in peace... That was the best little coin I ever spent.” (Teyana Taylor, 17:04)
• Pattern of Disruption: She notes that negative stories resurface or new motions get filed around her milestones, which both hurts and frustrates her.

4. Co-Parenting Dynamics & Growth

[57:41 – 59:18]

• Communication: Co-parenting is handled strictly through a parenting app now; Teyana reaches out for their daughters’ sake, but boundaries are strict to prevent drama.
  • “If it hasn't, if it don't have anything to do with the kids, we don’t have nothing to talk about.” (Teyana Taylor, 57:46)
• On Grace: Teyana reflects on how grace and heart can be used against you, warning her daughters against allowing others to abuse their kindness.
  • “You need to know…the power of grace, but not letting people abuse your grace, because people will abuse and use your grace…” (Teyana Taylor, 35:35)

5. Healing and Moving Forward—Empathy and New Love

[36:16 – 39:16, 48:26 – 54:07]

• Escape Room as ‘My Life’ Moment:
  • “Escape Room is really your Mary J. Blige my life?” (Charlamagne Tha God, 29:14)
  • “Yes. I don’t bother nobody…most importantly, I’m an empath.” (Teyana Taylor, 29:16)
• On Letting Go: Ultimately, Teyana says she decided not to participate in misery, refusing to “be the company to that misery” and choosing to move forward, even paying burdensome legal fees for her peace.
• New Relationship (with Aaron Pierre):
  • “This album was also a love letter to Aaron.” (Charlamagne Tha God, 37:07)
  • “I’m giving myself permission to love unarmored, you know? …When we’re guarded, what do we guard ourselves with?... I love love. So I go into things, prideless and egoless.” (Teyana Taylor, 37:20)
• Safety & Teamwork:
  • “I understand that we’re not opponents. I understand that we wear the same color jersey…That’s really big for me.” (Teyana Taylor, 69:09)

6. Songwriting, Cinematic Ambitions, and Creative Legacy

[41:03 – 43:32, 61:13 – 64:44]

• Universal Charger Metaphor:
  • “This album is like a universal charger. There’s so many things that have wronged us and have broken our hearts… you can plug it in and customize it to what you’ve been through.” (Teyana Taylor, 41:03)
• Arranging the Album: Songs like “Hard Part” were the most difficult due to emotional vulnerability and timing—Teyana composed some lyrics just before her voice gave out.
• Broadway Vision:
  • Teyana details her dream of turning her concerts into Broadway-style musical works, involving her dancers, musicians, and full theatrical storytelling.
    • “I want my concerts…like Broadway plays where I wanted my dancers mic’d, my band mic’d, turn it into a thing.” (Teyana Taylor, 61:58)
• Appreciation & Legacy: She expresses gratitude that, for the first time, the broader public is recognizing her musical artistry, even though she’s always “dropped heat.”
  • “[This is] the most love I’ve gotten in music, out of all my projects.” (Teyana Taylor, 64:19)

7. Quotes on Womanhood, Respect, and Empowerment

[54:07 – 55:09]

• “I got 18 million followers that can tell me I’m beautiful all day, every day. But that’s not who I want to hear it from. I serve my man.” (Teyana Taylor, 54:07)
• On creative control:
  • “This album is a soundtrack. This visual, this cinema, that was always going to happen… this is my story, like a fucking audio album, audiobook, whatever you want to call it.” (Teyana Taylor, 61:13)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Recovery & Resilience:
  • “It was like, if…here you go, baby, here you go, here you go. Because I’m gonna get that back tenfold.” — Teyana Taylor ([36:56])
• On Moving Forward:
  • “The hardest thing to do is admit…‘I lost this fair and square. I’m hurt that I allowed myself to lose this.’” — Teyana Taylor ([30:17])
• On Album Experience:
  • “This is my experience, and you already know I’m a creative, so Imma overdo everything that I do, and I want to always, you know, give my all.” — Teyana Taylor ([12:38])
• On Art & Vulnerability:
  • “This is why I love art. Because I don’t feel like you’d be able to have this conversation without this album and without this short film.” — Charlamagne Tha God ([61:02])
• On Co-parenting:
  • “At this point, if it hasn’t—if it don’t have anything to do with the kids, we don’t have nothing to talk about.” — Teyana Taylor ([57:46])
• On Receiving Roses & Growth:
  • “Them wins hit different when you rose out the concrete…to be able to see a rose rise up the concrete is amazing… I named my daughter after the rose.” — Teyana Taylor ([59:18])
• On Creative Control & Storytelling:
  • “This is my story, like a fucking audio album, audiobook, whatever you want to call it.” — Teyana Taylor ([61:26])

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Highlighted Timestamps

• Vocal Cord Surgery: 04:14–05:10
• Album’s Emotional Order: 08:59–10:05
• On Visual Album & Short Film: 10:24–11:29
• Managing Public Divorce: 13:14–17:04, 24:06–26:38
• Pattern of Disruption: 15:26–19:52
• Themes of Healing & New Love: 29:14–39:16
• Transitioning from Heartbreak to Hope: 36:16–37:07
• Universal Charger Metaphor (Album): 41:03
• Broadway and Artistry Vision: 61:13–63:45
• Receiving Roses & Growth: 59:18–60:18
• On Co-Parenting Boundaries: 57:41–58:54

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Episode Summary

Teyana Taylor’s interview is a testament to the strength and transparency that defines her as an artist, mother, and woman. Her journey through career obstacles, vocal trauma, a bitter divorce, and public scrutiny is reflected in her meticulously crafted album and companion film, expressed with both humor and gravity. Amidst vulnerability, Teyana reveals profound lessons on self-worth, healing, not letting pain breed bitterness, and the necessity of creating art on her own terms. 'Escape Room' stands as her most personal, cinematic project—a universal story about breaking free, healing, and daring to love, unguarded, once more.

Closing Note:
Teyana’s clarity, wit, and willingness to “pay for her peace” frame Escape Room not just as an R&B milestone but as a declaration of freedom—one that sets her up for even bigger creative and personal victories ahead.

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Links:

• Escape Room album streaming now
• Short Film on YouTube & Amazon Prime

Transcript

[Host]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every day I wake up.

[Teyana Taylor]

Wake your ass up.

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne the guy. We are the breakfast club. Lauren LaRose is here as well. We got a special guest in the building.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, indeed.

[Teyana Taylor]

The bully is back, period.

[DJ Envy]

She hasn't cursed me out in about a month.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Ladies and gentlemen, Tiana Taylor.

[DJ Envy]

She's not bullying.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She is a very nice person who just knows what she wants.

[Teyana Taylor]

Thank you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, she came in the room and literally turned into Spike T and started changing camera angles, telling camera. I think that makes her a bully.

[Teyana Taylor]

Okay, makes you a boss.

[DJ Envy]

But she ain't curse you out recently.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Because you couldn't talk. I thought you couldn't talk, Tiana.

[Teyana Taylor]

I still can't.

[Lauren LaRose]

That's why she can't be that loud.

[Teyana Taylor]

See, that's what I'm saying. I need. We need all the tones to be down.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Got you.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know, I wanted to see y'. All. I felt bad seeing everybody else and not seeing y'. All.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

But, bitch, don't try to impress me. Because first of all, this is the.

[DJ Envy]

Way you press her. Cause you can't talk back. Press her.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, yeah. Cause y' all niggas want to be up at 9 o' clock in the morning. And I just landed, and I was like, okay, yeah, this is not going to happen. But I wanted to be able to fully be able to, you know, just chill, hang with y'. All. Cause y' all like my family. So, yeah, I didn't want to see anything that was rushed. Thank you. Yeah. And we happy Escape room. I'm taking it. I'm taking it easy. My doctor said I can talk because you don't have to do all my autograph signings and stuff. But she's just like, take it easy, you know? So.

[DJ Envy]

So for those that don't know, why did you need the surgery? What happened? Break that down of what exactly happened?

[Teyana Taylor]

So I had polyps on my vocal cords, and it was actually really, really bad. It looked like a pearl just sitting on my. Like, my vocal cords didn't even close, so it was like air going down my vocal cords. And that was kind of like what it was. So if you notice, even last week how gone my voice was and it had been happening For a while, but I just thought, okay, it's cold. I don't like being cold. So anytime it's like, cold, I think I'm like, maybe I'm just sick or something. But I don't really get sick like that. So when I was recording the album, I'm like, why is this so hard? Like, maybe it's the pain. You know what I'm saying? It's like, maybe I'm just singing my heart out and it's the pain. It's like, no, bitch. My vocal cords is, like, really struggling. And I think in the midst of recording and then dealing with personal life, and it's gonna be a lot of hurt, a lot of trauma to the vocal cords, you know what I'm saying? So I think doing both at the same time was a lot.

[Host]

When you heard that from your doctor, how scared were you or, like, how nervous were you about, like, what was to come next?

[Teyana Taylor]

I mean, I was so scared because, you know, getting a surgery, you know, literally two weeks before your album drop is like, okay. So really a week before the album drop, I'm like, okay, what am I going to do? First of all, Second of all, if I don't do it now, I'm not going to be able to. I'm have to do it later, and I'm not going to be able to tour. So it's like, do I do it now and shut my ass up throughout this album and just get creative and do, like, silent promo or, like, wait, and then not be able to go on tour, which I already knew once the album dropped, my supporters wasn't rolling with me not going on tour. And, you know, I had the movie One battle after another. Then I got all's fair. Then I got ripped, you know, Ben and Matt. So it's just like, I can't be on, like, a worldwide press tour for a movie and not be able to speak. You know what I'm saying? So I'm like, this is really the only real time the album is done. Let the album speak for itself and just do what I can. And that's why I rushed to New York. So, you know, doing all that press in New York, that was in the span of a day and a half. And, you know, I still had the listening parties with my day one fans. So I had to knock out a lot in a day and a half.

[DJ Envy]

And what was the reason? Did they say what the reason was? Do they know? Was it.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, just trauma to the vocal cords. But that's something that it takes like that takes overtime. Overtime to build, you know, so they had to surgically go in there and get that out. Cause she was like, I can give you steroids, but it's not gonna help. It's only gonna be 30%. You know, you're not even a screamer.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Even when you sing. It's not like you like trauma through.

[Teyana Taylor]

The vocal cords because it's like you still have. Look at a thousand and one. Look at all the heavy roles I have to do. You know what I'm saying? I have to do heavy roles. And then you already know a bitch got a deep voice. So it's just like I got to cry. But it's like even though I don't yell, I do have a deep ass voice. And even just being from New York, we naturally talk loud. So imagine just being passionate and like being in an emotional state and crying out loud and just, you know, it takes a lot of that. Look what I've been through. And just even with the album and just with, you know, my past experiences in music, I've had a lot to cry about. I've had a lot to scream about.

[Lauren LaRose]

I know, baby, sit your head and what you doing and shut up.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know what's crazy? And I'm like Adam Sandler. Like with my children, they don't take me serious. Yeah. Like I cause to see movies and then to have your own little people that do the things that you see in the movie when you was growing up is funny. I don't take nothing serious. So it's never really like, I don't have that. That's not the dynamic me and my children have. And honestly, all I gotta do is make a face like, I mean, they are so disappointed to know that they hurt my feelings. You know what I'm saying? So I don't even have to scream at them.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And that's why I understand why y' all always telling me to grow up. Because you don't take nothing serious. You and the Tina always want to.

[Teyana Taylor]

Tell me to grow up. You know why? You know why? Because I play a lot, but I'm also an empath. You play when it ain't the time to play.

[DJ Envy]

Talk about it.

[Teyana Taylor]

Let's talk about it. You play when it ain't the time, all the time. You know why? Because you are such an iconic voice, you have to understand that your joke. People don't know how you play. That's true. People don't know how you play. So then what you say is like, yeah. Cause even Charlotte and it's just like, nigga, that's why your phone be getting called getting cursed the out because your ass. And it's crazy because even when we on the phone personally, he plays like that, but it's like he's like, vanati, I feel you. But it's like the world don't know our dynamic. The world don't know his personality. You gotta know Charlamagne to know that he'll roast you all day. But like love you so hard. You feel what I'm saying? But it's just like everybody don't know that. So it's like when you are playing with people's lives and you know, shit. Not funny.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's true.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I really do apologize. What you. Man, knock it off. I really do love what your daughter said at the end of the album. And it's interesting because you never really know what somebody is going through. Like, when was the moment that you. That you bounced back from everything you.

[DJ Envy]

Was going through or did you bounce back?

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, honestly, I did. If you notice, like, you know, the album is recorded in order, you know, like the first half, well, the first three songs is a song, then the next three songs is song. You see, we go from like heartbreak to like. You already know that after heartbreak, that like, rebound stage where it's like, I just want to. I don't want to be in love. I just want to feel. I just want to feel something. Make me forget all this shit I don't want to talk about. I just want to feel something. Then that next stage of like, hold on, feelings is tingling a little bit. Going on this one on my bingo card. You know what I'm saying? And then, you know, you start to just say, okay, well, we're here now. It, like, let's. Let's. Let's throw the bricks away. Not walking around with bricks to build the wall. Like, I'm just gonna love fully allow myself to do that. And then it's just like once you find that person to help you through that, now it's time. Of course you always want to do the self work, but like when you are being like handled a certain way, it just makes you look at everything. Like Junie said, you. You shine a little brighter. You know, the spark in your eye is back and different things like that. So sometimes you just need that inspiration to get back up. So I was recording in. In real time.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah, I was recording. And the short film shows that. Yeah, it shows. It tells that story, right? Like, it. It starts off and Shout out to Lakeith Stanfield.

[Teyana Taylor]

Oh, my God, they killed it. I'm married.

[Lauren LaRose]

I can't be doing all that. But, yeah, shout out to him. And then also all the. The monologues, right? Did you write.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, yeah. Me. Me and my partner Coco, you know, we got our production company to auntie's production, and. And we actually wrote this first, like, in real time. I'm like, this is how I want it to go. So I've seen a few people, like, complaining about the. The narration. Like, oh, it's just too much. But it's also because my visual dropped late. So it was like. It was. This was always a visual album for me first. However, I'm not complaining. That's a good complaint to have because, you know, people don't really give me a chance in the music space, you know, so it feels good to see people like, oh, well, the song is too short. Or the narration is like. It's just. But. And even that's a minority. You know what I'm saying? Like, the number one R&B right now, like, top 10 overall. And it's just like, it feels good to be seen and heard in that space. And, you know, it feels good that people are appreciating the movie. Like, people's like, you know what? I listened to the album first, and then when I went to see the movie, it was like, oh, I gotta run this album back. You know what I'm saying? So sometimes it's because it's an experience. It's a cinematic album, and it was always meant to be that way.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Back to life on the album, right?

[DJ Envy]

So what?

[Host]

Back to life.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But there's something that said on that song. How does new dick make memories?

[Teyana Taylor]

She said, new dick. Memories is what I need. Because if. You know, if you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay, okay.

[Teyana Taylor]

Because it. Because if you notice.

[DJ Envy]

Is that what you need?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay, go ahead.

[Teyana Taylor]

No. Cause if you. If you notice, y' all can't be making me laugh like this. But if you notice, the song starts out like, you know, we're. We're sad. And it's like, nigga, I feel like Jack, drag me up on that door with you. You feel me? Like, n. You just gonna let Jack drown. You know what I'm saying? But then it's kind of like, you. You got to get in that space of wait is wrong with you. You know what I'm saying? Like, because now this is dragging out a little bit too long. You feel what I'm saying? Like, let's. Let's. Let's speed this Up. So then Tasha Smith coming in. That one was actually a freestyle. She left me a voice note.

[Lauren LaRose]

I knew it.

[Teyana Taylor]

That one was. Was freestyle. She left me a voice note and she called me. And it's just like, you know, these are all women that. Running into them after something so public and so humiliating and hurtful, you know, the woman, again, got to say two words. That's that. Come here.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah, you good.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know what I'm saying? And those are. Those are the women that I leaned on. So it's like these narrations are very special to me because these are the women that gave me those silent hugs, didn't have to say a word, you know what I'm saying? So, like, this is my experience, and you already know I'm a creative, so I'mma overdo everything that I do, and I want to always, you know, give my all.

[DJ Envy]

How difficult was it doing this project? Because you. I've known you a long time, and your personal life and outside of music is very quiet. You keep to yourself. But in the last couple of years, your life has been out there. Now this album is. Is your life. How difficult was that? I mean, that part, sharing your life with the world.

[Teyana Taylor]

Y' all know how difficult it was for me because, you know, I am a quiet person and I'm private just because I've had shows and stuff like that. I'm not a private person. I share what I want to share. I've been up here a few times where, you know, I was already dealing with what I was dealing with, and nobody ever even knew, you know what I'm saying?

[DJ Envy]

Last time you held it down because you all at. It came out like a week after, and you was.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, you know what I'm saying? I held it down. And, you know, people get tired. People get tired, especially when, like, others are banking on your heart when they know your heart and they know the things that, you know, pushed you to is. They're going to keep poking at that, you know what I'm saying? And sometimes you. You bite the bait. And it is what it is, you know, kids dealing with it, it's. It's. It's tough, you know what I'm saying? It's very tough. And that's why I try my best to, you know, just be as cordial as possible. Like, I don't be wanting no smoke, you know what I'm saying? These kids come first. And that's been the main reason why I've wanted to keep everything private. No matter how ugly or how sweet, keep It. Keep it private.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know what I'm saying? So my job is to protect them no matter what. And I think that's where, like, I keep, you know, just trying to hold on and. And hold it down. But I think this album was a beautiful way to express myself and. Yeah, just. Just move forward. Just continue to move forward.

[Lauren LaRose]

What I noticed. What I noticed was, like, you've had a lot this year, right? Four movies, four in the album, and then your visual and then your performance at the BET Awards. It was a lot of press surrounding you, and I've seen you on this outlet. This outlet, that outlet, right? And it just seems like it's a pattern, right. Every time something drops with Teyana is in the headlines for, oh, this movie, that movie, right? It's. It seems that it's always something that is dropped on Iman's side, right? Where it's like, oh, but this happened. There's something about the court or something about the divorce, Right. Almost every single time one of your.

[Teyana Taylor]

Athletes, every single time celebrated for something. But that was a part of the debate that I bit. And I hate to even have to talk about this, and I don't want to make this a long thing, but, you know, that's even why I hopped on live. Because just, like, y' all know how quiet I am. And even when the other party be dead ass wrong, I'm still defending, protecting all of the things. Because we have a daughter on social media, and I don't ever want to be anywhere speaking down on somebody, but people get tired.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

At this point, Juni, when you get older and you want to ask that question, I'm just gonna have to break it down, baby, because I'm not about to keep being played with. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm not about to keep doing that just on the strength of, oh, Tiana hates social media. So let me poke her on social media because I know she's not gonna say nothing. I think that the live really, like, woke niggas up. Like, oh. You know what I'm saying? Because I would never do nothing like that. You feel me? So it's just like, come on, this is crazy. Because even with that, it's just like, I'm sitting here defending some shit that came out a year ago, but when it came out, remember I did Vogue World, that shit was going crazy, so it didn't stick. Then I do. I post a picture on Oscar weekend, the same rumor comes out, but now it's, like, really hitting differently because it's assumed that I moved on. Like, oh, she moved on. But, yo, she took this person for everything. And it's just like, now I'm being called out my name. Like, I. I'm like, wait, what? And then I'm. I took this, I took that. I'm like, wait, what? I'm. I'm confused.

[Lauren LaRose]

You know, it just seemed like you had to pay a $70,000 bill for you defending yourself.

[Teyana Taylor]

And it was the best little coin I ever spent. I mean it. But when I say I want to get put through the Bachelor's in peace, I said, Listen, because 70k people made.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What it is right there.

[Teyana Taylor]

That's what it is. It wasn't even a technical stuff. It wasn't even a technical stuff.

[Lauren LaRose]

Why are you trying to talk softly?

[Host]

It just feel like you have to, right? It's just the energy right now. What you mentioned, Junie, what questions? Or has she asked you questions yet? Or, like, what questions is she beginning to ask?

[Teyana Taylor]

I mean. No, she hadn't asked questions because I've been holding it down. What I was saying was, like, I feel like, because the people in my life know that my children come first, right? And that I don't like social media. Like, my social media anxiety is through the roof. Imagine, like, dragging it to the point where I'm, like, forced to. To do the thing that scares me the most. So even being on live, having to speak my truth. Not just my truth, but the truth, really, it hurt me to have to do that, and it hurt me to have to do that, because I reached out to that person before I even had to do that. You feel what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What was the response?

[Teyana Taylor]

The reason why I went online was because, like, well, I've been protecting you by staying quiet. And I'm like, well, that's what I mean.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, what Jess was talking about. When you go to him and you say, look, man, I guess I'm not accusing you, but every time I got some good shit coming up.

[Teyana Taylor]

Oh, no, I'm gonna give you one even better. I thought we were on. We were on great terms. So I was like, hey, baby daddy. Because we was calling each other baby daddy, baby mama. So I'm like, hey, baby daddy. So something's coming back to me that, you know, you and your people is sending out stuff I said. But it's really hard to believe that because we're in a really great space. And I kept saying that, like, we're in a really, really great space. So I don't see what your angle Would. On top of the fact that, you know, that was being put out is not true. And he's like, oh, nah, I thought it was you. So then that's when I was like, well, what would I gain out of looking like, I took a black man for all he got when, you know, I spent my hard earned money on the things that I have and you too, like, you know, what's up? And then he brought up some breakup from like, some. Well, when you did it, I. Back in 20, huh? How did we. How did we get here? You feel what I'm saying? So then he was like, the only part I'm mad about is that they didn't show. Boom, boom, boom. And I'm like, oh, yeah, okay, I know where we stand. Because why you mad about what part they did and did not show? Which means that who sent it? But with all the movies I got coming up, and it's just like even being in this business where divorce gets ugly, you think I want to be working with a producer that's holding a vendetta against me because he like, well, my wife did the same thing. Uh, I'm not. I'm not doing that. And especially when you got to see certain money leave your accounts. Like, I know exactly what I paid for.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That could affect you in Hollywood too, because, you know, these film people are like, you feel me? It's always drama every time we announce something.

[Teyana Taylor]

But what did I say when I went all up? I just wanted to be left alone. So even with the seventy thousand dollar thing, I didn't. I wasn't held in contempt for what I did. So them saying the whole iman had direct evidence. The only evidence was me going live. You feel what I'm saying? It we really keeping it being. They were very technical. And this part is not. This last court date was not sealed. But let's look at the. At the pattern. We went to court July 25. This thing about me paying him $70,000 or his lawyer $70,000 came out a week before my album dropped. This is when Hard Part came out with Joe and Jada and. And the song was going viral and everybody was like, yo, this song is fire. Now the five minutes later, Tiana is ordered, she's held in contempt. So now I was looking like, oh, so she went on live and lied. And it's like, no, it was technicality. Keep in mind, I only went online to defend a skit that he did. Yeah, so you did a skit. But then they pretty much said in court, yeah, this the skit was back in June. The skit, it was a few weeks after the divorce. So then it was kind of like his lawyers argued that. Well, the person in the video said it. First of all, his lawyer didn't even want to admit that the person in the video stated an amount of money that was being paid. Right. But then once he got caught up in that and Iman admitted that the person did say that, then he was like, what? Didn't come from Iman's mouth directly. So your, your evidence pretty much is objected. And then I had a witness who came with actual receipts that they were being paid to have a smear campaign against me. Damn. You feel me?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Can you talk about this now?

[Teyana Taylor]

This is not sealed. Oh, this is not sealed. The only thing I got in trouble for was when we went into details.

[Lauren LaRose]

About what you get.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah. And stuff like that. You feel what I'm saying? However, again, what I stand on and you already know, I do have a strong male fan base as well. You know what I'm saying? And it was a lot of there's.

[DJ Envy]

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[Teyana Taylor]

That were really hurt thinking that I did this to another black man. I'm not rolling with that, which I had a majority of people that's like, yeah, she deserved. Like, she deserve it. Get your coin, sis. And it's like, I could have just rolled that wave, but I'm not okay with that because that's not the kind of woman that I am. You know what I'm saying? So it's just like, no, I'm gonna speak my truth because this is gonna. What's gonna happen when the movie premiere come out. This is going to. This is going to re leak that. Oh, Teiana had to pay IMAN 70,000. And then when this magazine come out, Teona had to pay Iman. It's every single time something amazing is going on in my life. It's something about this divorce. It don't be nothing else. I'm never in nothing.

[DJ Envy]

It's the longest divorce ever.

[Teyana Taylor]

And keep in mind, the divorce was already a year old when the rumor redropped. So it's kind of like, yeah, but let's not make it seem like Teyana went to court. And if I was held in contempt, I would have been fine or I would have been jailed. It literally says in the papers that, like, I have movies coming up so I can pay it. Because he pretty much was in court showing his financial situation and stuff like that. So it's kind of like, to pretty much punish me because I have punished me up because of my accolades is insane. However, if it's gonna give me my peace and we can be done with this for good, let's go. I've sent that wire so fast. I sent that wire so fast. That was the best little coin I ever spent in my life. Because I never have to deal with this again. And I will never allow a person to silence me, because that's. I'm not. No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was gonna ask you, what exactly are you trying to escape from with this project?

[Teyana Taylor]

But, boy, I know now I just want my peace. Like, where I was in that last song with Juni and Rue is where I want to stay. However, I don't want to keep doing this pattern of every single time something's Going on, something else is dropping, and then it's re dropping like it's brand. Like it's brand new. You feel what I'm saying? So let's be clear. My evidence was objected, and they considered it. It's technically hearsay. She say, like, if it didn't come from. From his mouth direct or his phone direct, he didn't do it. And it's like, who the is gonna leak something directly from their phone? So don't make it seem like Tiana didn't have evidence, because Tiana came in with a whole witness that had the text messages that this is what it was. And then also the skit was all over, which he deleted the skit a few days before court. But that man took repo. Man, you had to get that lady. You had to get that lady. Boom, boom, boom. He like, exactly. So why is it that I'm going on live to defend that? Like, if anything, you're confirming stuff, and then now it's a hearsay. If I would have known that I could have somebody sit next to me and speak my truth without getting in trouble with, I would have had somebody sit next to me and say, hey, say that I did this. I paid for this. I paid for this. I paid for that. Boom, boom, boom. And let that be that.

[DJ Envy]

Do you have that piece now, though?

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, I do. I absolutely do. And I had that piece even up until a week before my album, and then the rumor dropped, and I'm just like, so is this gonna be. Continue to be a pattern, which it has been for the last two years? And that's another thing. People think that this divorce is only a year old. Baby, we've been divorced for two years. So even say, oh, she moving too fast. Boom, boom, boom. It's just like, what you want me to do?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's really your. My life, yo.

[DJ Envy]

Yes.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Escape Room is really your Mary J. Blige my life?

[Teyana Taylor]

Yes. Because, you know, I don't bother nobody. And most importantly, I'm an empath. So I do be getting caught up in a lot of, like, the moment I think we cool. I'm like, yeah. You know? Cause my muscle memory is like, you were my best friend for 11 years. We still was married. We're not gonna rewrite history like, this didn't happen. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, my muscle memories still always have love for him and not in love with him, but still got love for him, and that's still my family. So, like, I came to you on some like, hey, what's up? Like this. Da, da, da, da. And you made it an argument. So it was like, oh, you still mad? You feel what I'm saying? And even in court, he admitted on the stand, like, I don't care about her safety. Her safety has nothing to do with me. Like, it was very, very nasty, and it was very hurtful.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You don't mean that, though.

[Teyana Taylor]

It does. It does. You know what's crazy? I get that. And guess what? Even through that, I still went on the stand and said, that's my family. That's my family. I understand that you're hurt, but at the same time, if you're hurt and you're gonna act that way, then leak that too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know, the hardest thing for a man to admit is just simply, my feelings are hurt.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, that's it. Like, that's.

[Teyana Taylor]

I mean, but you know what? It. No, the hardest thing to do is admit that, like, I lost this fair and square. I'm hurt that I allowed myself to lose this. You get what I'm saying? I'm hurt that this did not go my way.

[DJ Envy]

I'm heard. I this up.

[Teyana Taylor]

That's it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And then you on live talking about, you know, let me have my piece and get my back blown out in peace.

[Teyana Taylor]

Oh, my God.

[DJ Envy]

I'm not even in that relationship. That hurt me.

[Teyana Taylor]

It hurt me, too, as a man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We was like, God damn.

[Teyana Taylor]

Did you have to say that?

[Host]

Being blown is what she told us, right?

[Lauren LaRose]

And now we sitting on the stand talking about, I don't care. That little line ain't nothing.

[Teyana Taylor]

You.

[Lauren LaRose]

His little line ain't nothing compared to him sitting on the stand talking about, I don't care about her safety. And I was very confused about that.

[Teyana Taylor]

And then he did admit that it was that him filing a motion. His motion had nothing to do with me going live. His motion was saying I took the kids from him, all that stuff. He admitted that it was just retaliation. Like, oh, he did his one in court. You feel what I'm saying? And it was just like, okay, cool. But how it works is just because it's in the court system don't mean that it is true. The same way when he found that motion, he found it on Met Gala Monday when I was hosting the carpet. So it's a thing where, yes, technically, anybody would feel like it's you. Because even the proof that I had were actual, you know, like, fouls of him. His proposed plan for the. Whatever the situation was, that could have only come from his side. I don't have what you proposed. You feel what I'm saying? So of course, when you, when shit is coming to you, it's like you would think that, okay, cool, I'm about to just. I just want to be left alone. I even made it clear in. In court, I'm like, I never said I wanted to. Man. In jail, I didn't even want legal fees. But you know, when lawyers go at it, they gotta. They wanna ask for the most. I sit on the stand, I don't want legal fees. I don't even want to be here.

[Lauren LaRose]

And Tiana, for real, I remember you getting online telling us, well, not us, not us, but like the Internet, like, yo, don't play with my best friend.

[Teyana Taylor]

You feel me?

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah, like, you remember that? Like, she don't play with my best friend. That's still my family. That's still my guy.

[Teyana Taylor]

And even this, we was. And even at that point when I made that post, we weren't in the best space. It's just he was caught up in some scandal and it was just like, oh, everybody's gonna be looking at me like, da, da, da. Like I'm just. And I'm like, listen, I'm gonna do this so you can do you in peace. Like, I don't want no parts of this because I'm here at, you know, Fashion Week and I gotta be around press. You're putting me in a position where somebody can potentially ask me about why you in this bathroom with these half naked girls or, you know, whatever you feel what I'm saying. So it's just like I'm all. I don't even pop on the Internet unless I'm on the Internet, protecting my family, protecting my home. So reaching out to you to tell you to stand up for me as I've done for you. The fact that you couldn't take five minutes to stand up for me, but you could take 5, 6, 7, 8 pages to foul emotion. Tens and thousands of dollars of foul emotion. When it took five seconds to say, this is cap. Me and Teanna is having. You know, we are great with our co parenting. She walked away with what she walked away with. I walked away what I walked away with. We both put a lot of time, love and money into boom, boom, boom, boom. Like that took. That was. You have to use your voice for that. So to go in court and say I demanded you to stand up for me. I didn't demand you to stand up for me. But where I took accountability is I bit the bait.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

You feel what I'm saying because I got poked and poked and poked and poked and poked until I rolled before me.

[Lauren LaRose]

And then it's just like, he knows that because I remember even when y' all had the show, y' all reality show, he had said in a confessional that I think he was asked, like, what? Get what gets under your skin? And he said, oh, she don't like when I mess with on and show.

[Teyana Taylor]

Oh, you get into with you on social media. Yeah. Like, they was like, what? What get under my skin? Oh, it was the GQ couples quiz.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

And it was like, you know how. What do you do to get under my skin? And pissed me off. And he was just like, get into it with you on social media. I know it'll piss you off. Like, he know my. My social. Like, even sitting here, y' all know my ex even before I come, I'd be like, oh, my God, this is. I don't like this kind of stuff. I don't like mess. You feel me? So it's just like, if you saying that while we happily married, what you. What is your behavior when you hate me? What is your behavior when we're not in the greatest space? And the thing about it is, I haven't told one lie on that live. You feel me? But it's just sad because like I said, we have children. That's on social media, and you don't care how it looked at the expense of nobody. All that matters is you. And that's the part that's sad. And honestly, it was just like, my last straw. Like, we communicate on a parent talking app. All that texting over the phone is dead. We talk on the app, have to do anything with these kids, and that's that. And if, you know, Junie have questions, and that's just. I can't avoid that. I'm gonna have to have an adult conversation with her because. Exactly. She's growing up, and then eventually she's gonna get to an age where she's dating, and she needs to know, like, you know, the power of grace, but not letting people abuse your grace, because people will abuse and use your grace, and people will bank on your heart, and they will bank on all of that because they never knew it would be you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know what's so interesting about this? I'm listening to you talk, and I can hear the freedom. So it's like, damn, you really did escape. Like, this is like a whole new chapter for you. You know, it's not a temporary chapter. What escape from? It's like a Whole new chapter of freedom now.

[Teyana Taylor]

And that's why you see, like, I know people. Because it was a lot to take in. People didn't. Some people, well, from the few that I seen, didn't get the chance to finish the album. So they like, oh, yeah, her album. Oh, my God. It's like, I gotta be in that space. And it's like, no, babe, you gotta be in that space to be able to receive it, to move on to the next level. Because the first, what, three songs you're in that. You're in that heartbreak. But then after that third song, after. After Tasha Smith coming in with the new Dick Memories, the whole energy changed. The whole energy changed.

[Host]

It felt like at that point you had got to a point where you was like, I'm not being sad no more. I'm Teyana fucking Taylor. I'm going outside.

[Teyana Taylor]

I'm be cute. I'm zay. Exactly. Is that where you were?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's why it's called back delay.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, that's where I was. Because again, even before it was ever public, I was still protecting something that had vanished a long time ago. You feel what I'm saying? I was still holding it down and I was still doing that. So it's kind of like now it's like, nah. Like, oh, you taking my kindness for weakness. We can't do that. So when you get to in your skin and always with Juni, I'm in a whole nother space. You know what I'm saying? And I never thought I'd be so excited to spend $70,000 in my life. No, for real.

[Lauren LaRose]

Estevez cup of tea.

[Teyana Taylor]

But it was a weight off my shoulders, you know what I'm saying? It was like, if. Here you go, baby, here you go, and here you go. Because I'm gonna get that back tenfold. You feel what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This album was also a love letter to Aaron.

[DJ Envy]

Jesus Christ.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, seriously.

[Lauren LaRose]

I mean, he gonna ask for the serious face.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Once you get the, like you said, back to life, it feel like you're giving yourself permission to love again.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, I'm giving myself the permission to love unarmored, you know? But another thing that expound on that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Diana, you can't just let the Unarmored.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, yeah. I think that, you know, when we're guarded, what do we guard ourselves with? We have all this gear. We have all this army gear.

[Lauren LaRose]

We have you being 300, always on defense.

[Teyana Taylor]

We got the little shields and always on defense. You feel what I'm saying? And that's not like, where I am because I'm a lover. You know what I'm saying? I love love. So I go into things like, prideless and egoless and, you know, like, just full of, like, I do want a fairy tale. And it's like, people joke on me because. People joke on me because my wife.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Tell her I love her, man. You should do the same. Envy.

[DJ Envy]

I did it already.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, but it's like, you know, people. Y' all all have watched me grow up, so I think a lot of times people get stuck with Little Tiana, you know what I'm saying? And not realizing that I'm not this aggressive, rah, rah, rah person that people think that I am, you know what I'm saying? I wouldn't have been a wife for 10 years if I was that. Let's be clear. You feel what I'm saying? Like, so it's just like, for me, I love love, and I love to nurture and I love to give. And as you can see with my mom and my aunts, I've grown up around. That's my. That's my muscle memory. I've watched my. The women in my life take care of their men, protect their marriage, protect their union, protect their tribe, protect their home. So that's all I knew. So I don't know about pride and ego and stuff like that. So it's just like, you know, with me, the moment I was dead in that I needed that freedom to fully love again. But I knew that when I started loving again, that I wouldn't be guarded. Me even trying to be tough in the album where I'm like, she closed her heart and opened her legs. It was just like, that's all. Tell me you love me. You don't have to meet it now. N. Tell me you love me. So it's like, if y' all really getting into, like. What these interludes are saying is telling the story of. Even when I tried to be guarded, I still was a little. I was a little pussy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I just said, come over here and fuck me.

[Teyana Taylor]

I want him to come, but because I don't know how to date, you know, majority of my career, I've been married with, you know, children. I don't know how to date. So it's like all or nothing for me. So it's like we all the way go together.

[Lauren LaRose]

So how did that all the way get there? How did that happen? Because I know there had to be a period of you healing first, before.

[Teyana Taylor]

You even gave Aaron your heart. I mean, I started the healing. I started the healing before the divorce was even final. You know what I'm saying? Like, that you have to start that. I knew that, like, with everything I had coming up, it was certain things that I knew would take me out of character. When I started biting the bait, I said, oh, this is. I can't do this. I started praying more. When I got heavy into my ministries is when life got heavier. Because now your biggest enemy, you know, is the devil. And he gonna play, and he gonna play, and he gonna play. So I. It was a faith walk. So I was like, okay, let me give this another try. And if this. And when I realized that, you know, you wanted me to meet you at a certain level, if I'm up here and you trying to pull me down again, you trying to, like, you know, like, when you drown in somebody else to stay afloat, it's like I felt like I was in Titanic. Like, I felt like I was in it. Just like you going to hold me down and stay afloat. I can't do that.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

I can't do that.

[Lauren LaRose]

For Jack to get up there.

[Teyana Taylor]

I don't know why, but that's what I'm saying.

[Lauren LaRose]

Other side.

[Teyana Taylor]

You feel me? I did seen a little recent video where they broke down. Why they wouldn't have been able to both fit on the thing. But let's. Let's forget that. Let's talk about the iconic version of it. Baby, you let Jack drown.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why didn't. Why didn't you write something for your mom? I feel like your mom should have been on this project.

[Teyana Taylor]

So what I was about to get into is this album for me. Y' all know what I've been through. Even just in the music industry, I don't. I also don't want to stay gun. Hold on. It's just being strictly about relationships. I feel like this album is like a universal charger. It's so many things that have wronged us and have broke our hearts, you know, probably getting into radio for you at a younger age is probably difficult. Motherfuckers probably shitted on you, didn't believe in you. Like, it's a lot of things that have. We've all been heartbroken, you know what I'm saying? And we've all had to, like, navigate through that. And that's what this album is, is a universal charger. And you can plug it in and you can customize it to what you've been through. I've been in a lot of hands that has not protected me, you know, so it's like whether I should have been walked out this deal. I should have been walked away from this. I should have walked this relationship, this friendship, whatever, this circle, this group chat, whatever. There's a lot of things we feel like we should have been walked out from a long time ago. I should have been jump hopped out this box.

[DJ Envy]

You know, what's the most difficult song to do on the album and why?

[Teyana Taylor]

Ooh. The most difficult song to do on the album probably was Hard part. And it. And it was. And it's so crazy cuz me and Brent was in the studio and we did the hook. We did the hook and I left it. I never revisited it again. I didn't revisit it. And then when it was time to turn in the album, they like, yo, T, you gotta throw a verse on here. And I was just like, I'm not ready. This is too much. I don't want to, you know, And I. It's crazy because I wrote that verse in like less than 20 minutes and I did it, but then I didn't know I didn't do no ad libs. So then Lucky put his verse on there.

[Lauren LaRose]

You and him.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah. It took me a long time to complete this song, you know, it was very vulnerable for me. Then I went in there and it's crazy. It was the very last song I did before I completely lost my voice, which was like the ad libs and the runs and all that shit. And then, you know, that was. That it was hard. And a lot of it was hard because in the beginning, when I did long time, we were dealing with, you know, mediation, you know, that's when it was real heavy, you know what I'm saying? It was very heavy and it was very one sided with the pettiness. And it's just like, I just want to be cool. And because of my muscle memory, we'll get into it real bad. Then the next day I'm like, still like, what's up? You know what I'm saying? I'm like, it's my family. Like, you see, even on live, I'm like, yo, that's really gang. Like, stop playing on me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hard part, you know. You started off by saying, I got a few questions for you is getting real confusion. Do you want this or do you? Don't. So was there a period where you thought about not going through with a divorce? Maybe, baby.

[Teyana Taylor]

See, so the thing about it is I found for separation and divorce a few times, but I kept. I kept withdrawing because he kept saying he wanted to Fight for his family. So if you say you want to fight for your family and then you getting caught up in another scandal, it's like, I got a few questions. You want? Oh, do. Because the thing about it is, you're not. You're not fighting. And because I'm a lover, I'm like, I want the word. I want it. I'm thinking, it's like a movie. He's gonna fight for it. And I realized that it's just words. That's not leaving the paper. You know, I needed it to leave the paper. I needed the words to become actions. Because once I decided to forgive you, I give you a clean slate. I don't hold on to grudges. Hold on to a grudge. I might as well leave. So when you say, I want to fight for my family, this is what I want. I'm going to give you an opportunity to fight for your family. So when you're not fighting for that, it's kind of like, okay, baby, what? What do you want to do? Because now it's just kind of like you're hanging on to something, but then you pillow talking like you going through something. You not going through nothing for real. You know what I'm saying? Like, you're not going through nothing for real. Life is not bad. And it's like, for you to even be okay with people thinking that I talked to you crazy. I treated you crazy. Boom, boom, boom. Like, you would have been. You would have been dipped. Nobody was in no shackles. I wasn't even in shackles. So it's kind of like. But, you know, in marriage, you don't just walk away from something. You know what I'm saying? You got to exhaust all options. You got to put in the work, you know, because honestly, even the court will force you to go to counseling first and come back. So before we even got to that, I was like, okay, let's. You know. So he would try to avoid that part. And I'm like, listen, before we can move forward, we really gotta sit on the couch. We really gotta sit on the couch. How was that? He didn't want to do that. That's when the argument started. Like, if I would have just stayed, we would be on this radio station, and me and mom will still be together, still going through all types of. I had to really stand on business and say, listen, we either got to sit on the couch or it's just not. I can't trust that this is going to work if we don't get the proper help. That's not what he wanted to hear. All hell broke loose.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I tell every man, you got to go to therapy. You got to be willing if you. Especially if you're trying to, you know, fight for your marriage, you got to be willing to do the work on yourself.

[DJ Envy]

Never end the cycle.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You have to.

[Host]

By the end, the hard part, I felt like you had finally got to that point where you was like, you know what? Look, I. I can't do this. I'm numb.

[Teyana Taylor]

I just.

[Host]

I gotta get out of this.

[Teyana Taylor]

I did.

[Host]

And that's what it was for you. It was not going to therapy.

[Teyana Taylor]

It was. It was more than that. Like. And, you know, like I said, I'm a private person. I'm not going to get into detail. But when you are trying to elevate and you are trying to move forward and grow, you gotta be willing to grow with me. If you're gonna be stagnant, I can't sit there and be stagnant with you. You know what I'm saying? Because one thing about it is misery loves company. And I was not willing to be the company to that misery. I was not willing. I have work to do. We all have work to do. You feel what I'm saying? But my work consists of me to walk and to keep moving forward. So it's either move forward with me, or I gotta leave you behind.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

It's not serving me. It's not loving me. It's not seeing me. I have to go where I'm serving love. And we spoke about.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You arranged this album.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So hard part goes in the back to life.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So you want some? Like, I'm really trying not to.

[Teyana Taylor]

This new, but what are you.

[Host]

You can say girl. Cause that's how big you talking to him.

[Lauren LaRose]

He almost called you a girl. For real.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's where they go. You go from a hard. I part the back to life. And then it's like, Tasha kind of put the battery in your back.

[Teyana Taylor]

Like, no, listen.

[Host]

But sometimes you need that.

[Teyana Taylor]

But, you know, and. But sometimes you do. But sometimes it's also reminding yourself of who you are. And again, I think a lot of the songs are double entendres. Like, when I wrote that with Rico Love, we wasn't thinking about, oh, yeah, I'm about to go fuck on this nigga. That's not even that. No, I'm just saying in general, like, because honestly, Rico had to convince me to do that song. Y' all know I'm a lover. I don't even make songs like that. And maybe I want to say Back to Life and Long Time was a hard song for me to do because I'm like, no, that's too mean. That's too. I don't like that kind of stuff. You know what I'm saying? But then it's just like, this is my life, what I'm going through. And he's just like, no, you can discuss your life and have fun with it. So I wasn't even thinking about, I hadn't even known, like, I wasn't even like dating yet when I did Long Time and Back to Life. But it took me a long time to finally go back and rerecord them. So a lot of songs I revisited when I actually felt it.

[Host]

Gotcha.

[Teyana Taylor]

You feel what I'm saying.

[DJ Envy]

How do you make sure that the trauma from that relationship you don't bring into the new relationship because it would make you guarded. Like you would feel like you have to keep your eyes open because at one time you completely trusted, you completely gave everything you completely. This was the guy that you made sure that was like, nah, he got me. But obviously it didn't. So how do you make sure in your new relationship that you keep your eye open or you do say, well.

[Teyana Taylor]

That'S a good question. How I look at it is like I said, you know, by the time I walked away from my marriage, I was already on my journey, on my healing journey. I was already, you know, holding myself accountable to show up for myself and because I love, love, the goal was this is not working.

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[Teyana Taylor]

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[Commercial Announcer]

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[Teyana Taylor]

Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Win the tech [e-mail] Lenovo Lenovo unlock AI experiences with the ThinkPad X1 carbon. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors so you can work, create, and boost productivity all on one device. Because it must be something bigger in store for me, you know what I'm saying? Like, clearly, God is like, okay, cool. So this happened, and you still there. All right. I ain't gonna do the work for you now. You got to figure out when you going. You know, a lot of prayer, a lot of conversations. You get what I'm saying? So it's like leaving. It was realizing that, you know, people will say small things. It's the Monica sandal up there. I'm gonna fuck y'. All. I'm like, wa. Put it up there. It's like, crazy. Iconic. Iconic. Love my girl Momo.

[DJ Envy]

We ain't got your sneakers up there, cuz. They're at the crib I wear.

[Teyana Taylor]

Oh, okay. I got you. I'm my second sneaker about to come out, so I got you, period. Something else. No, but yeah, it's like, at that point one time, I felt so low that a person could just be like, oh, my God, your hair looks really nice. I'm like, oh, thank you. Oh, my God. Yeah. Because I'm a lover. Like, I don't. I don't. I've never been a guarded person. Like, never been a guarded person.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But you ain't never know insecure person that from. At least from what you.

[Teyana Taylor]

It's not about insecure. It's. It's when you give everything beautiful. Yeah. Like, I know who I am. I know what I am. But those small things. Those small things mean the world. When you're not receiving that. You get what I'm saying? Because at the end of the day, as a woman, you. Yeah, we know who we are. But when we love our. Like, we love our man. Like, his praises means the world.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

I got 18 million followers that can tell me I'm beautiful all day, every day. But that's not who I want to hear it from. You know what I'm saying? Like, I. I honor my man.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know, I serve my man.

[Lauren LaRose]

So it's just up to who sees me before makeup and my most vulnerable moments.

[Teyana Taylor]

Exactly. So imagine being like, yo, I got my first big movie role. People going to take me serious. Da, da, da. And I'm. I'm arguing with you every day. And I got a 5:00am call time. No, I'm not.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

I'm not doing that.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I do love a long time when you say you out here stressing your blessing, that's a powerful line. Like, don't scratch. Don't be. Don't be scratching your blessing.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah. You know, like, because they don't have to be that way. You know what I'm saying? And we could still very much be cool. Like, you know, it's been times we like, yo, I'm about to go for this job. I'm like, you got this. We claiming this shit. Like I'm. I don't know if people get upset with how quickly you're able to still have love for them. It's like people hate that. It's like, bitch, why you being so that now? It's. I don't laugh. It's just like I've never had smoke or beef with Iman.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

Never. Yeah, never. Like, the divorce would have never even been out if he didn't file the motion to use our full and legal names. Remember, we were separated for a whole year. So the divorce was quiet for a whole year until he did that. Which he did that on Thanksgiving. You feel what I'm saying? So it's like again, the pattern of just like, yeah, it's too much and it's manipulative and it's not cool because you got me out here looking crazy like when I took you for everything. And now this new thing is, oh, she got caught up in a loss. Now she paying 70. I'm not paying nobody. That was all technicality. I did the live the consequences. Like, clearly I'm aware of what can possibly happen, but I'm a pay that to speak the truth. It's bigger than just, oh, speak my truth. I'm going to pay that to speak the truth. I want my peace and I want to be left alone. And then hopefully after this is paid, nothing else comes out. So my new movie come out, my new Jordan come out. We won't have this problem again, right? Because if we do, then we know exactly what's going on. After today, I'm never speaking on this again. I don't care what rumor he put out. I. I don't care what room anybody put out. I'm never speaking on this again. So if I don't respond, consider me in my Beyonce bag, bitch. I'm. It's gonna speak. Your silence is golden and I'm gonna keep it pushing. But yeah, that was a heavy one to take, especially with the line of business that I am. You know, these divorces are very ugly and I don't want to be on set with no producer or director. That's like. Cuz my wife did this and did. And now I don't want her in this role. I'm telling you, it's. It's a dirty game.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All just if somebody considering you for a role, they'll be like, bad headlines gonna come.

[Teyana Taylor]

Not even just headlines. If you sign her on, look and say, if a director wanted me to do a movie and he went through a nasty divorce and he like, his wife took everything, he's like, oh, nah, she one of those I can't wow or some manpower. And it's just like now I'm getting punished for some that I didn't even do. So as a businesswoman, it's like, nah, I'm not, I'm not rolling with that because $70,000, I can make that. I can make that back on an Instagram post. You feel what I'm saying? Like.

[Lauren LaRose]

This would be evidence.

[Teyana Taylor]

I'm trying to, I'm just, I'm just trying to find the, the smallest thing because I can't say I can get that in a brand deal. Cuz that's way my brand deals is insane. Yeah, it's insane.

[Lauren LaRose]

I'm glad it's over because this would be evidence.

[Teyana Taylor]

Right? But one thing I want to be.

[Lauren LaRose]

See what she said she made?

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, but I mean that's literally like, in that, like I said Instagram, that's like a story post. You feel what I'm saying? So I'm like, yeah. I'm like, that's the best little money I ever spent. I like that.

[Lauren LaRose]

What is? This is my last question on that topic. How is co parenting?

[Teyana Taylor]

I mean, co parenting, it's a little tough because when things are going too good, then someone make that go real bad. And it's just, I said, like I said, it's like, I don't know why we don't want to be nice. Like, I don't want no smoke. You feel what I'm saying? So it's just like, I mean, now I have it to where like it's literally just on a talking parent app. It controls your tone, it controls whatever it is. And honestly, at this point, if it hasn't, if it don't have anything to do with the kids, we don't have nothing to talk about. You feel what I'm saying? I always reach out to Imam like, yo, I'm doing Junie's birthday. I'm doing Rue's birthday. Would you like to. For us to do it together? Boom, boom, boom. And he'd be like, nah, I'm good. I don't want to Be. That's fine. Like, I. I don't entertain the shots that are being thrown at me. I don't entertain. And. Okay, cool. Here's the invite. Here's the. If you want to pop in, cool. That's up to you. Whatever you want to do. You know what I'm saying?

[Lauren LaRose]

Like, baby girls got activities, sports. You be at practices.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah. You know, like, I'm not. I'm not tripping. And even to this day, like, if he was like, yo, T, I want us to really stop being silly and, like, let's really try and, like, healthily co parent, I would absolutely be down.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I got a couple more questions. Why. Why are roses so significant? Get into your story. You got the song better roses. You got a rose tattoo on your neck.

[Teyana Taylor]

Like, what about. Yeah, I mean, I always say, you know, them winds hit different when you rose out the concrete, you know, and to be able to see a rose rise up the concrete is amazing. And just the thorns and everything it's been through, But I also feel like the thorns and the vines is your tribe and the love that you're surrounded by. You know what I'm saying? There's so much, so many moving parts. We see the rose, and it's so beautiful. But then it's like, what's keeping this rose alive? It's the vines and, you know, the thorns ready to grow out new ones. So it's like, it's always been special to me, especially as I gotten older and really did my research, because, you know, in album number one, my album seven, I used to hate roses because I wasn't mature enough. I didn't. I didn't understand what it felt like to receive roses in a real way, you know? So, like, really receiving them and understanding them is like, oh, my God, just. I named my daughter after the rose. I was just like, you know, to. To become a woman and to. To blossom, you know, is what really made me, like, get into it. Really, really heavy.

[Host]

I saw you say in an interview that what you were going through before you retired felt like punishment, but now it feels like it was divine timing.

[Teyana Taylor]

It was preparation. Wasn't punishment. It was preparation for what was already written. Yeah. And even through that, like, dealing with retiring and all of those different things, I was dealing with a lot of, you know, postpartum, you know, I just wanted to put that out there.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, you're too creative.

[Teyana Taylor]

But I also think that circumstances, too, because what got me out of retirement, you know, what I'm saying I came back on my own terms and I came back happy. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, what if I was in a space where I was still stagnant in a certain space, I would probably still be retired right now. You feel what I'm saying? Like, because. Yeah, it's just that. Just what it would be. You know what?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I. This is why I love art. Because I don't feel like you'd be able to have this conversation without this album and without this short film. I feel like you had to get that out to be able to come up here and have this conversation.

[Teyana Taylor]

Absolutely, absolutely. And you know, that's what it was for me. And that's why I kept telling Natina and the mother of that label too. I'm like, listen. Because they begged for the album. And I was like, listen, this album is a soundtrack.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She's one of the only people up there that cares about it.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, no, for sure. She. For sure. Like, she already know. I know that. So for me it's just like, it's more of a. This album is the soundtrack. This visual, this, this, this cinema that was always going to happen. And that's why I told him, like, I'm not willing to compromise, you know, my narrations or my interludes. This is my story. This is like a fucking audio album, audiobook, whatever you want to call it.

[Lauren LaRose]

You never thought about, or have you. And you probably have thought about doing that on Broadway. It's so theatrical.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know what's crazy, I almost made a post today, but I'm like, let me find the right things to do that. But you know, I also said a minute ago that my dream was to turn my concerts into Broadway plays where I wanted my dancers mic'd, I wanted my band mic'd. Like I wanted everybody mic'd and turned it into a thing. Which is the reason why we did this. Because I'm like, I see the bigger things for this, you know.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You already got a Lion King.

[Lauren LaRose]

What didn't.

[DJ Envy]

That is bad.

[Teyana Taylor]

But I'm proud of you. You're doing good. He's trying. He's. He's really trying. He's trying, he's trying.

[Lauren LaRose]

When I say, I said don't bring up the Lion King. Go ahead.

[DJ Envy]

Can we play some music, please?

[Lauren LaRose]

No, hold up.

[Teyana Taylor]

I got. Hold up. No, but no, this Broadway thing is a real thing. Cuz I'm. I'm actually happy that I didn't post it on my story, because I feel like this is way better to Actually talk about it. But yeah, definitely want to turn it a Broadway play and you know, even eventually like a real like long form movie or like a show. Because I love that it's like, you know, post apocalyptic and, you know, it has like the little theme to it. So I'm interested to see the character of Fire Girl, the character of Greyla. Great house. Like you notice I've created these characters that are unforgettable even for when I go on tour. I'm gonna line it up kind of like a Broadway where I'm gonna perform the album in order. You feel what I'm saying? So it's gonna be. It's gonna be sick. Very Chicago. He had it coming, you know, period.

[Lauren LaRose]

But look, and in the. The. Your movie, right, was. Were you in Harlem when you were in the red and you were on fire? You was with the hat, you were sexy?

[Teyana Taylor]

No, that was actually at. Was that Warner. Warner Brothers? Yeah, I was on a lot, but it was a Warner Brothers universe. Was he a Warner Brothers? I think it was Warner Brothers. He was on a lot.

[Lauren LaRose]

So it wasn't supposed to be like set in like Harlem. Beats like where you from? It was just.

[Teyana Taylor]

No, it was just. Yeah, it was just a set because we had to do everything in la and that was. That was, you know, where majority of my budget went. I'm like, I'd rather give the world a movie than me trying to do, you know, everything else. And it's really made people taking the album completely different. Like, I'm seeing videos on TikTok of like women just crying and just thanking me and all, like all types of stuff, you know. That just feels amazing because this is the most love I've gotten in music. And along out of all my projects, which, you know, you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Drops heat every time though.

[Teyana Taylor]

You know what's crazy? Because as many plaques as I got, it's so funny how like still. How like people still underappreciate. Like they're appreciating it now. But, you know, people never really used to give me a chance when I dropped music.

[Host]

Got it for a long time.

[Teyana Taylor]

I think that was our fan base.

[Host]

Like all of this that you're doing right now, this has always been what you storytell.

[Teyana Taylor]

But now people.

[Host]

I don't know why now people are paying more attention. Maybe because everything's out there.

[Teyana Taylor]

So people are gonna be responsive, I think. No, but I don't even think because of the bullshit. I think people's paying more attention because taking that step back and helping everybody else was like, yeah, oh, we gotta see what she would do for herself. Cause if she doing this for Tom, Dick and Harry, bitch, what's she doing for herself? And yeah, I think I. I have. This is the most vulnerable work. You feel what I'm saying? And it's. It's very prideless and egoless. You feel what I'm saying? Again, to be able to share that and be so vulnerable to. But again, it's the creativity too, and how you speak it. Because even once you listen to the album, you see I'm still opening up dialogue to create a safe space for men in general. Like, this could be the safest space. You just got to be real. Like, fuck your pride. Fuck it did it all. Like, it's not about pointing fingers in the beginning. You just hear a woman that's tired.

[Host]

No, it's one song where she's literally like, baby, you deserve this. You need this.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah. Final Destination. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But once the poom Poom jumping. Once. Once another man making the pum jump. I. I don't know if I'm be able to still be fighting for anything.

[Teyana Taylor]

No, no, no. But poom jump was. Poom jump was later on at this point, by the time we got the poom jump, I was already like, no, another chapter. I was in a whole nother. Yeah, I was in a whole another chapter. We had left that once she said, is wrong with you.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

That's when you knew it. It was done. It was not. The hard part was over with at that point.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Let me ask a question about the movie, right? In the movie, you're kind of pleading to be loved back to life, right? And wishing your partner didn't give up on you. So is that about your marriage or is that about the new boo? Because the new boo might be like, look, man, you got to get over that. And then I'll be. I'll be here for you.

[Teyana Taylor]

So in the movie, it shows me. So you see, after a long time, I've run for so long to where I've jumped to my death mentally and emotionally. And as you see, I land in a red dress, which was supposed to.

[Lauren LaRose]

Be red swirl right there.

[Teyana Taylor]

I'm like, look at her. How you gonna die? You feel me? That little red swirl was like, you know, in. In a verse, you see, I say, rebel. Fighting your demons now it's too many dark days no peace up in here. That wasn't about the new situation. That was like, you said that you would love me into. But I guess love must just be a lie. Why didn't you love me back to life? I'm. I was dying, nigga. You said that you died for me, but you won't even fight. That had nothing to do with the new.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I just asked.

[Teyana Taylor]

He was.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He's the one that's loving you back to life.

[Teyana Taylor]

The movie, basically, yeah, but him loving me back to life, that. That hook wasn't toward him because you feel what I'm saying, this is him. I'm a crime scene right now. This is him picking me up from the crime scene. That's Would take me on to new dick. Memories is what I need. So it could also be now you.

[DJ Envy]

Put your hands talking about dick the whole morning.

[Teyana Taylor]

But it is also like, again, like I said, everything's a double entendre. So the parts of it. Because I've. I've listened to songs where I'm like, this part resonates so well, but then this next part is a little shady. I don't want you to see that part. I don't want you to see this part. So saying love me back to life could absolutely apply to him, but the other parts don't apply to him.

[Host]

Because after that, like, even in Issa's second skit, you turn into, like, a little kid in the candy store. Again, like, she's like, let's just get so happy. She's like, yo, what's going on? Then you put. You got Mona on one of the songs. She's like, why are you being weird?

[Teyana Taylor]

Yes, why are you being weirdo, man?

[Host]

So now you're not running from. I think I might be in love in this.

[Teyana Taylor]

Because now it's kind of like we're. We're both in this space where it's like, it wasn't on our bingo cards. This wasn't supposed to be this. I mean, the energy was always there, but when you are fresh out of something and you are in that space, you're not thinking about, like, jumping to the next person. You know what I'm saying? However, again, like Kerry Washington said, like, two souls still learning how to love without armor. You know what I'm saying? It's just like, we just gonna go for it and figure it out as we go. And it's all about feeling safe. And once you out of survival mode, that just hit different. It's like, I'm big on my mind being occupied. Which is the reason why I was able to stay afloat within the industry, because, like, okay, cool, if I'm not gonna be singing, I could be doing this. I do everything I Do everything. And that's how I am in love, too. So I'm. If I'm occupied mentally, emotionally, and I feel safe, I instantly melt into your arms because that's what I've been yearning for. When you're yearning for something, you're never going to be guarded because you're yearning for that safety. Especially because I haven't had it with, even within the industry like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So who told you that fly when they was like you said, you, you feel safe with Aaron because he handles you with gentle care and you use the whole cup of tea water now.

[Teyana Taylor]

That was on me. That was on me. That was on me. I ain't go front. I'll be having bars. I was, I was talking to, I was talking to Joe and I was like, yo, we got to wear the same coat jersey. Whoever. He's like, who gave you that swag? Nah, chill. I be really. I be spitting. I be spitting. I be having. I, I really be spitting. I think that that's why I am a great lover, because I understand what it needs to be. I understand that we're not opponents. I understand that we wear the same color jersey. I understand that. You don't have to talk at me. You can just talk to me. I'm all big on how you handle me. That's really big for me because that's where I do it feel like I become a baby, you know? And it's kind of just like if I know we on the same team, then there's nothing. It's nothing to argue, it's nothing to combat, it's nothing to, I don't have to talk to you crazy. I'm too much of an empath to be like, oh, he was so sweet. And I just decided to just still turn up and curse the nigga out. Like, if I'm screaming, yelling, and hollering, it's well deserved. Like, nigga, you done pushed me to that point to do that. But I don't have to do that in this situation because I feel so safe. And I think safety is what I've been yearning more than anything. And I'm not seeking perfection. No, I'm not seeing perfect because that would be conditional, you know? And I'm an unconditional lover. I, I, I, I seek just understanding that we wear the same color jersey and that we're on the same team, you know?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You're a bad Tiana, man. And the other thing, I've always said this about you people. Have you haven't even. I still don't Think you scratched the surface?

[DJ Envy]

Nope.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, I think that one day we gonna look up and be like, God damn, Tiana just directed that movie that made $300 million. Like, I really see that for you. Like, you are a visionary in a whole lot of different ways.

[Teyana Taylor]

Just keep growing so much and you.

[Lauren LaRose]

Make things work that I never thought could work. Because I never thought I would hear Tyler on a song with Jill Scott.

[Teyana Taylor]

Never.

[Lauren LaRose]

I never thought before.

[Teyana Taylor]

I listened to it, I just looked.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And I was just talking.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah. Yeah, but it's like, still talking that shit.

[Lauren LaRose]

But when I hear Tyler, she talking that shit, right? When I. When you hear the song about Tyler, you think like, up beat the three little ass pumps, bump, bump, bump. And it was like a. It was a vibe. That's time. I could smoke a blunt too.

[Teyana Taylor]

Put your moomoo on, you know what I'm saying?

[Lauren LaRose]

And then let them say this.

[Teyana Taylor]

But I think that that's like the director in me, you know what I'm saying? Like, I. I could see the aesthetic of something and understanding the two voices together. You feel what I'm saying? Understanding where Jill come in? Like, I had the whole vision. This is what I need. This is what I need. I said, jill, I need you. I need you to talk. That breakfast, lunch, dinner that she came with her. Her spoken word killed that, you know what I'm saying? Like, she. She wrote that herself. Yeah, I just gave her guidance or what I wanted it to be talked about. I'm like, girl, I want breakfast, lunch, dinner, I need. And Jill just came and bited it, you know what I'm saying? Easy Ray is another one. I just, like, you could tell which ones are, like, freestyle. Gina King, too.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

So, like, the big ones are the ones, like, they're actual, like, monologues are the ones that me and Coco wrote. But like, Isa Tasha, like, the more freestyle ones was more so the ones of, like, me just giving them guidance and saying, hey, like, this could. This could be a safe space. Like that. Those took conversation.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

You feel what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Smith whispering. How the hell nobody make Tasha whisper.

[Teyana Taylor]

Way to get over one is the get another one. Yeah, she definitely was. That was as soft as I heard her talk. But it's just like those other ones were important. And it's crazy because it was very intentional, too. When I wrote that last poem for Regina, I knew that it was for Regina. You feel what I'm saying? When I wrote the one for Kerry, I knew that was for Carrie. Sarah Poston, I knew that was for Sarah Poston. Like, I knew what I wanted it to be like this. This tour is going to be so crazy. It's going to be so crazy.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah. So I'm. I'm excited.

[Lauren LaRose]

Maybe my voice to make it on.

[Teyana Taylor]

To the next album I got you. You know, I'm doing a deluxe.

[Lauren LaRose]

Good.

[Teyana Taylor]

I'm doing. I'm. It's getting crazy. You said, you know, we both got deep voices. I know.

[Lauren LaRose]

I don't be talking.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yeah, no, I think. I think J gonna be like, yo, dead ass. Make this poom poom jump. Well, since we keep talking about poom jump, should we go to poo poo jump or Hard Part?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We can do both.

[Lauren LaRose]

That, that, that album, Hard Part with her and Lucky Day. That reminds me of like a. A Brandy. Like something like the little runs with the. It just gives me a back in the day Brandy. Feel like. That's so fire to me.

[DJ Envy]

Let's get into it.

[Lauren LaRose]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

We appreciate you for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen, Tiana Taylor. Thank you so much. I wouldn't even FaceTime because I feel like she's doing sign language to curse me.

[Teyana Taylor]

Oh, my God. Thank you so much for joining us. I love y'. All. Thank you.

[DJ Envy]

Album is out right now. Escape room. Make sure you get it, make sure you download it, make sure you stream it.

[Teyana Taylor]

And a short film on YouTube and Amazon Prime.

[DJ Envy]

Alrighty. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every day I wake up.

[Teyana Taylor]

Wake your ass up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The Breakfast Club.

[Teyana Taylor]

Yo, I'm finished. Or y' all done?

[Carlos Miller]

Taking control of your career is empowering. Just don't tell my boss I said that. Just kidding. I am the boss. This is Carlos Miller from the 85 South Show. And building a career isn't just about a job. It's about creating a path that impacts our community and future generations. Whether you're starting out or even making big moves, State Farm is here to support you with resources to help protect what you're working hard to achieve. They've got your back every step of the way. Because like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Find out [e-mail] untold stories.

[Teyana Taylor]

Life with a severe autoimmune condition, a production from Ruby Studio in partnership with.

[Commercial Announcer]

Argenics, is back with season four.

[Teyana Taylor]

Join me, Martine Hackett, as we explore the realities of life with myasthenia gravis.

[Commercial Announcer]

Or mg, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, or cidp. We'll uncover the stories of resilience and self advocacy in the face of uncertainty. From overcoming misdiagnosis to finding empowerment in small victories. These are moments that change us. Here's a glimpse of what's in store.

[Host]

Whenever I go to my specialist, he mentions the R word.

[Teyana Taylor]

Remission. Is it possible?

[Host]

Like is it over?

[Teyana Taylor]

But also knowing it's never really over.

[Host]

But just being able to say, hey, there's light at the end of the tunnel.

[Teyana Taylor]

Stay the course.

[Host]

Don't give up on yourself. Every single person living with the autoimmune illness has a life worth living, and it's up to you to define that, to capture that, and to go guns blazing.

[Commercial Announcer]

Follow and listen to untold stories on.

[Teyana Taylor]

The iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. At Hill's Pet Nutrition we know that pet parent guilt is real. Leaving too long, playing too little. New homes, new babies, waking them up when they look so comfy. Running out of patience, running out of treats, running the vacuum. You can only do so much. That's why there's hills. Science led nutrition to help you give more love than humanly possible because you're only human. There's hills. Find the right [e-mail] science does more.

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[Teyana Taylor]

This is an I Heart podcast.