Teyana Taylor is choosing peace over pride, and it comes with a hefty price tag she’s more than willing to pay. The multi-talented singer, actress, and director recently opened up about the $70,000 fine she incurred for violating a gag order after her contentious divorce from former NBA player Iman Shumpert, calling the payment “the best little coin” she’s ever spent in her life.
The financial penalty stems from Taylor’s decision to go live on Instagram in March 2025, where she publicly addressed details about their divorce settlement — a direct violation of a court-imposed gag order from their 2024 divorce judgment.
Despite the substantial cost, Taylor maintains she has zero regrets about speaking her truth, even if it meant facing contempt of court charges and covering Shumpert’s legal fees within a two-week deadline.
During her recent appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” Taylor addressed the situation with characteristic candor, explaining how she eagerly paid the fine.
“However, if it’s going to give me my peace and we can be done this is for good I sent that wire so fast I sent that wire so fast that was the best little coin I’ve ever spent in my life because I never have to deal with this again and I will never allow a person to,” she declared.
When host Jess Hilarious brought up Taylor’s “$70,000 bill” for “defending herself,” Taylor called it “the best little coin I ever spent.”
Taylor’s frustration reached its breaking point when she claimed to have evidence that Shumpert and his team were orchestrating negative publicity about her. The timing of these allegations particularly stung, as they seemed to coincide with positive developments in her career.
“Every single time something amazing is going on in my life it’s something about this divorce,” Taylor explained.
She added, “We went to court July 25th, this thing about me paying him $70,000 or his lawyer $70,000 came out a week before my album drop.”
Here is further context surrounding what the fee imposed by a Georgia court on Aug. 5 actually was for.
According to Page Six, Taylor was slapped with a contempt of court ruling after breaching the terms of her 2024 divorce settlement with former NBA player Iman Shumpert by going live on Instagram during the Spring.
During her stream, Taylor addressed the breakup and denied rumors she had taken money from her ex — violating a clause that barred both from publicly discussing their split.
According to Hot 100.9, she also addressed rumors about the assets she received in the divorce, including four homes, a Maybach, a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van, and a tour bus. She clarified that she had purchased these items herself and did not receive them from Shumpert.
The Harlem native further mentioned the child support arrangement, stating that Shumpert was ordered to pay $8,000 per month, which was part of the leaked information.
The fallout has been costly. A judge ordered the “Rose in Harlem” singer to pay $70,000 to cover Shumpert’s legal fees, rejecting her request that he cover her own. Taylor’s claims that Shumpert leaked details of their divorce to the media were also dismissed for lack of evidence.
While Taylor refused to disclose her income, the court cited her film and TV projects as proof she could afford the payment. Shumpert’s separate bid to hold her in contempt over parenting issues was thrown out.
The couple’s relationship timeline tells a story of love that gradually unraveled under pressure. Taylor and Shumpert first met in 2011, began dating in 2013, welcomed daughter Junie in 2015, secretly married in 2016, and had their second daughter, Rue Rose, in 2020.
However, by September 2023, Taylor announced their separation, emphasizing that infidelity wasn’t the cause of their split.
Court documents revealed a marriage strained by professional jealousy and emotional manipulation.
Taylor accused Shumpert of displaying “extreme narcissistic behavior” and being envious of her growing success in entertainment, despite his own lucrative NBA career that included a $40 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to the Def Jam artist, Shumpert would send “condescending” and “manipulative” text messages in response to her achievements, leading her to “intentionally dim her light” to maintain peace in their marriage.
The drama took an unexpected turn when influencer Kayla Nicole, during an appearance on Angel Reese’s podcast, shared a story about dressing up as her ex’s famous new girlfriend for Halloween after being dumped via text message.
The legal battles intensified when Taylor reportedly sought to have Shumpert jailed for 20 days, accusing him of leaking private divorce details to the media this year.
She claimed these leaks were strategically timed to coincide with her romantic photos with actor Aaron Pierre going viral, suggesting Shumpert was using their divorce drama to promote his own music career.
In her March Instagram Live, Taylor declared, “I have the proof that you’re paying people to post this stuff.”
Taylor defended her approach to the divorce settlement, emphasizing her fairness throughout the process.
“I walked away with what I came in with. Iman walked away with all his cars. I walked away with all my cars. Iman walked away with all his properties. I walked away with all my properties,” she explained, pushing back against narratives that she took advantage of her ex-husband financially.
The Shade Room followers have had mixed reactions to the ongoing drama.
“Trust and believe she made that 70k twice over,” one supporter commented, while another said, “She dumped that man in lake Lanier with that 70k.”
A more sympathetic voice noted, “This is really sad because I loved them as a couple, but I’m so glad that she found peace.”
Some had words of warning for her.
One said, “Teyanna .. babe you’re still chatting love youuu but we don’t want the cost to keep adding up babe,” as another said, “She keep talking she’ll be paying him again. Just say next question lol.”
Great Job Nicole Duncan-Smith & the Team @ Atlanta Black Star Source link for sharing this story.
