NBA baller and boyfriend of R&B singer Teyana Taylor, Iman Shumpert believes Empire's producers are ripping off his relationship and a check needs to be cut!
If you know anything about Taylor & Shumpert then you know they're both known outside of their working field for having distinct, signature looks (flattop and big curly hair). The characters from Empire Hakeem Lyon, played by Bryshere Gray and Tiana, (even pronounced the same) played by Seraya McNeill, share a striking resemblance. So did the producers of Empire really bite their entire relationship? He thinks so!
"They're using my girl's character, her style, her look and she's not getting anything for it. They didn't even change her name. They could have at least let my girl audition for the part instead of stealing her character completely.
And come on man, they're really using a guy with a flat top like me. Come on. That's ridiculous. They never called us. We were blindsided. We found out by our family and fans when the show aired. I don't see how they can deny it. Everybody knows.
My girl and her fans are more mad about it than I am," Shumpert said, via Haynes. "I'm a ball player, but that's her field. That's what she does. Me personally, I don't plan on taking any action but I don't know about her."