Teyana Taylor says peace cost her $70,000 in legal fees: ‘The best little coin I ever spent’

Despite the penalty, Taylor called it a small price to pay for peace as she embraces a new era in her career and personal life.

Teyana Taylor says peace cost her $70,000, and it was worth every penny.

During an appearance on “The Breakfast Club” on Wednesday, August 27, the 34-year-old singer and actress addressed the fallout from her divorce with former NBA player Iman Shumpert, 35, revealing that she was ordered to pay $70,000 in legal fees after being found in contempt of court. 

The penalty came after she went live on Instagram to deny rumors she believed were coming from Shumpert’s camp about how she may have taken “everything” he was worth. 

“That was the best little coin I ever spent in my life,” the “A Thousand and One” star said ultimately of the payment. 

Taylor and Shumpert, who met in 2014 and married in 2016 before welcoming two daughters, 9-year-old Junie and 4-year-old Rue, announced their separation in 2023. After nearly a decade together, their divorce was finalized in July 2024. In the months since, their split has led to public disputes over custody and finances. 

Even though the contempt ruling left her with a hefty bill, the “Straw” actress admitted she’s relieved to have paid it. She stressed how exhausting she found the court filings and divorce headlines that kept resurfacing just as she stepped into a new era of her career. She made it clear she’s ready to be “left alone” to focus on what’s next, and plenty is on the horizon. 

This month alone, she’s celebrating a return to music with a sprawling self-directed visual album called “Escape Room,” starring in a wave of major acting projects, including the upcoming film “One Battle After Another” with Leonardo DiCaprio, and even preparing to enroll in culinary school. The multi-hyphenate has also been making headlines for delving into a new romance with actor and “Escape Room” co-star, Aaron Pierre. 

“I’m tired, but in the best way,” she told InStyle in her September cover story about the whirlwind. “I’m tired from the hard work and understanding that the more and more tired I get, it really means everything’s paying off.”

She also opened up to i-D magazine in a cover feature released this week, reflecting on her career and the freedom she’s claimed since her divorce. 

“Once you take a woman out of survival mode, she will blossom, and I feel like I’ve blossomed out loud into the woman that I’ve always been versus being blocked by rain and thunder,” she said. “Now, it’s just clear skies.”