Teyana Taylor on Ye, Loyalty, and Where She Draws the Line

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has spent the past few years dominating headlines for reasons far beyond music. From public rants to offensive statements, his actions have pushed fans, brands, and collaborators away. Still, not everyone from his past has fully walked away. Teyana Taylor recently shared why, for her, Ye remains someone she cares about, even as she openly rejects his behavior.

In a Vanity Fair cover story published Tuesday (Jan. 13), Taylor was asked whether she is still friends with Ye, nearly ten years after appearing in his “Fade” music video. Her answer showed both loyalty and boundaries. She described Ye as family, while making it clear that family does not mean agreement.

“I don’t have to agree with everything that he do or say, but I’m not going to, like, abandon him and be like, ‘Yeah, eff that mother---er,'” she told the publication.

Taylor compared her relationship with Ye to dealing with relatives who make choices you do not support. You can love someone without defending their mistakes.

“My brothers do s–t that I don’t agree with … I don’t get into none of that.”

Taylor’s connection to Ye goes back to an earlier chapter of his career. She starred in the “Fade” visual and worked with him on music, including 2010’s Dark Fantasy. At the time, Ye was celebrated for his creativity and influence.

That image began to crack as his behavior grew more erratic. In October 2022, Ye posted that he was going to go “death con 3 on Jewish people” on X. This came shortly after he wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt at Paris Fashion Week. The response was immediate. Adidas, Universal Music Group, Balenciaga, and several other major brands cut ties with him.

Instead of backing away, Ye continued posting antisemitic statements over the next two years, including comments that praised Hitler and Nazis. His words shocked many and further damaged his reputation. In May 2025, Ye said he was “done with antisemitism,” and later that year, in November, he publicly apologized to a Jewish rabbi. Even with those statements, his recent history continues to shape how the public views him.

While Taylor refuses to abandon Ye on a personal level, she does not excuse his actions. She made it clear that she does not support the antisemitic hate speech he has promoted in recent years. Her stance is not about defending Ye in public or minimizing harm. It is about separating her personal relationship from his public behavior.

Her comments highlight a difficult truth. People can play meaningful roles in our lives and still cause harm that must be called out. Taylor’s honesty reflects that tension without trying to smooth it over.

As Ye’s career faced serious setbacks, Taylor’s moved in the opposite direction. In 2025, she released her album Escape Room, earned her first Grammy nomination, and won her first Golden Globe for her performance in One Battle After Another.

During her acceptance speech, she spoke about doubt, strength, and visibility.

“I almost didn’t write a speech because I didn’t think I’d win,” she said. “To my Brown sisters and little Brown girls watching tonight: Our softness is not a liability. Our depth is not too much. Our light does not need permission to shine. We belong in every room we walk into. Our voices matter and our dreams deserve space.”

Taylor’s words do not rewrite Ye’s actions or soften their impact. Instead, they show how complicated his legacy has become. To the world, Ye is a figure marked by controversy and harm. To Taylor, he is also someone tied to her past, creativity, and personal growth.

By speaking openly, Taylor adds another layer to the conversation around Ye, one that recognizes accountability while admitting that human connections are rarely simple.