Teyana Taylor Decided To Retire After Feeling "Underappreciated" By Her Label

BY Erika Marie 7.0K Views
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Teyana Taylor, Sip N Smoke, Retirement, Cam Newton
Back in December, five months after releasing her acclaimed project "The Album" was released, Taylor announced her retirement.

Fans were disappointed to learn of Teyana Taylor’s retirement. The singer shared the news back in December 2020, just five months after releasing her acclaimed, stacked project, The Album. Taylor poured her heart and soul into the record, but within those few months, something occurred behind the scene to make her feel as if it was time to bow out of her career—at least, temporarily.

The wife and mother of two recently sat down with Cam Newton on his Sip ‘N Smoke series to share bits about her career, including an explanation as to why she felt “underappreciated” by her record label.

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“At the end of the day, I’m a mom first,” said Taylor. “A mom, a wife, a woman. And I think for me, I put in a lot of work. I work very, very hard. So, if you feel unheard and unseen—like how I said earlier with my husband. He sees me, he hears me. I take that sh*t serious. Everything that I do. So if you’re my husband, or I’m signed, everybody that I’m aligned with should see me. They should hear me. They should feel me. If you don’t see me, hear me, or feel me, it’s a dub for you.”

“And I felt like the label wasn’t really hearing me and seeing me,” she continued. “I felt underappreciated. So, for my mental health, my mental well-being, for my kids, let me just put this on ice for a little [bit]. It’s not that I retired permanently. It’s more like, I just don’t feel like I want to move another inch for a company.”

Watch Teyana Taylor’s insightful Sip 'N Smoke episode below.


About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.