Are Teyana Taylor's parents rich? Meet Nikki Taylor and Tito Smith
Are Teyana Taylor's parents rich? This is a question that most of the star's fans have been asking after she revealed that her parents heavily influenced her career in the entertainment industry. Teyana's mother, Nikki Taylor, has been her manager since the beginning of her career, while her father, Tito Smith, remains less publicly known.
My mom is one of the most intelligent people I know. She’s taught me so much and she went to measures above and beyond to make sure I got where I was today.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Teyana Taylor was born to Nikki Taylor and Tito Smith.
- Although she was accused of being a nepo baby, Taylor has strongly denied these claims.
- The popular American choreographer-turned-actress was primarily raised by her mother, Nikki Taylor.
- Her mother has worked as her manager since her debut in the entertainment industry in the mid-2000s.
- Teyana Taylor's parents were not famous or influential within the entertainment industry. They primarily rose to fame due to their daughter's success.
Are Teyana Taylor's parents rich?
There are no official records indicating Teyana Taylor's parents are notably rich, and there is no publicly available information about their net worth. However, her mother was financially supportive and invested in Teyana's upbringing and career.
During a chat with Jeremy O. Harris of Interview magazine on April 10, 2023, Teyana credited her mother for investing in her. She said,
By the time we got to my sweet 16, I had just signed my first contract with Star Trak, Pharrell Williams’s label, and me, my mom and Pharrell, and the label, we came together. That was from her hard-earned money and my hard-earned money from getting my record deal.
Additionally, Teyana Taylor's mother bought her lavish gifts for her sixteenth birthday, which aired on MTV's My Super Sweet 16. In an episode, which aired in 2007, Nikki reportedly gifted her daughter an $8,000 bike, a Range Rover, $700 Nike sneakers, and a $275,000 bracelet.
Source: Original
A look at what Teyana Taylor's parents do for a living
Teyana Taylor's mother juggled multiple corporate jobs, went to college, and supported Teyana while her father remained low-key. Her job later transformed into managing her daughter's career in the entertainment industry.
Nikki has since helped her daughter found Taylormade Management Group, Inc., and Taylormade Enterprises. However, not much is known aboutTito Smith's career.
Exploring Teyana Taylor's career
Teyana debuted her career in the entertainment industry when she featured in Beyoncé's Ring the Alarm in 2006. She was later signed by Pharrell Williams' Star Trak Entertainment in 2007.
In 2008, Taylor released her first music single Google Me followed by a mixtape From a Planet Called Harlem in 2009. Some of her other songs include:
- Gonna Love Me
- How You Want It
- Wake Up Love
- Bare Wit Me
- Bed of Roses
- Rose In Harlem
Source: Instagram
Acting
Teyana is a talented actress, having landed her first role in 2010 with a feature in Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming. She has since featured in over 67 movies and TV shows, which include:
Year | Movie/TV show | Role |
2025 | One Battle After Another | Perfidia |
2023 | The Book of Clarence | Mary Magdalene |
2022 | Entergalactic | Boxing Instructor |
2021 | Miracles Across the 125th Street | Tammy |
A look at Teyana Taylor's net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Teyana Taylor's net worth is estimated at $5 million. She is rich primarily due to her multifaceted career and business ventures in entertainment and beyond.
Is Teyana Taylor richer than Iman?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Iman Shumpert's net worth is estimated at $10 million, making him richer than Teyana Taylor. Iman Shumpert is a former professional basketball player.
Iman and Teyana have two children together, Junie and Rue. They finalised their divorce in July 2024.
Source: Getty Images
Is Teyana Taylor a nepo baby?
Teyana Taylor has been accused of being a "nepo baby" for having an upper hand in the entertainment industry thanks to her mother's connections. However, she has actively refuted these claims in the aforementioned interview with Interview Magazine. Taylor elaborated,
I’ve seen all these tweets like, ‘That’s crazy. I never knew Teyana was a nepo baby,’ and I’m like, ‘Tell me who my celebrity parents are? Let’s be clear. My mom was literally a workaholic, she worked to make sure I had everything that I needed.
Exploring Teyana Taylor's age and upbringing
Teyana, whose full name is Teyana Me Shay Jacqueli Taylor (34 years of October 2025), was born in Harlem, New York, United States, on December 10, 1990. She was raised primarily by her mother, Nikki Taylor, who also manages her career.
Her father, Tito Smith, was less involved in her life as Nikki and Tito were not together during her childhood. Growing up in Harlem, Teyana was exposed to a vibrant cultural environment that influenced her artistic talents from a young age.
Teyana also credits her mother for influencing her musical taste. She revealed,
My mom would play all these records, the greatest hits of the ‘90s, ‘80s, and ‘70s. And while the kids would play, I would literally have my ear against the wall just singing all the songs.
Although she is an only child to her mother, she has other half-siblings from her father's side. However, it is unclear if she has a relationship with her paternal half-siblings.
Source: Instagram
Is Teyana Taylor in a relationship?
Teyana Taylor is not married but is dating Aaron Pierre, an English actor. They have been together since early 2025 and made their relationship official in June of that year.
Trivia
- Teyana won the BET Award for Video Director of the Year twice, in 2020 and 2023.
- Her breakthrough acting role was in the film A Thousand and One (2023), for which she earned numerous nominations.
- Teyana owns a fitness brand called Fade2Fit.
Final word
Teyana Taylor's parents' rich reputation is more about supportive wealth than inherited riches. However, her mother's management and financial backing propelled Teyana's rise, but did not come from celebrity fortune.
READ MORE: Teyana Taylor's net worth, parents, husband, measurements, tattoo
Briefly.co.za shared an article about Teyana Taylor, a multifaceted artist who is a producer, entrepreneur, songwriter, actress, director, and choreographer.
Thanks to her career in the entertainment industry, which spans her teenage years, Teyana has since accumulated a significant fortune for herself.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
