Teyana Taylor and Spike Lee are collaborating on a new commercial, and the “Made It” singer took to Instagram to express her delight at meeting one of her inspirations. Taylor, who has directed videos for musicians such as Macy Gray and ScHoolboy Q, pays homage to Lee with the alias Spike Tey, and has shot many of her own videos.
“THE STUDENT & THE TEACHER……. So if you follow my journey as “Spike Tey” @aspiketeyjoint then you know what THIS MOMENT MEANS TO ME!! 😩😩😩😩😩🥺🥺🥺🥺 SPIKE LEE X SPIKE TEY?!!!!!! It was such an honor to be able to collect so much wisdom & knowledge from my directing idol!!!! The fact that @officialspikelee surprised me with an autographed “Do the right thing” street sign with my director name “SPIKE TEY” is the crazy flexxxxxxxx cause that means he co signssssss!!!! (Mind you, this is on set of a commercial we did together that he requested me for 😩😩😩),” posted Taylor.
The multi-talented triple threat Taylor, who most recently acted in Eddie Murphy’s Coming 2 America, also shared a few gems with the Malcolm X director.
“He told me that he is honored that he was an inspiration for my director name and that he loves all my work!!! I’m sorry y’all I’m gagging rite now!!!! It’s so dope to know ya hard work is recognized especially by the greats before us that we love and respect so much!!!!! Truly a dream come true!!!! I had a dream and I made it a reality!!!!! Won’t he do it?!!! Amennnnnnnnnn 💚💚💚💚,” she wrote.
Taylor was named Video Director of the Year at the 2020 BET Hip Hop Awards, and she also spoke with Forbes in April about working behind the camera and assisting other artists with their projects.
“It’s therapeutic for me. I really get in my zone. I really get in my bag. And I really just enjoy being behind the screen — I think more so because you’re helping someone bring their vision to life. And one thing I’ve always been is a helper,” Taylor previously told Forbes about her directorial game.
While Taylor kept the specifics of the new commercial under secret, she did share a few photographs from her meeting with Spike Lee, her mentor.
