Creativity Quote by Teyana Taylor

Teyana Taylor’s “I’m big on ownership. If you can own it, own it” lands like a mantra that’s half pep talk, half warning label. The repetition does the work: “own” shifts from vibe to strategy, from self-possession to literal possession. In a music industry built on renting yourself out - your image, your sound, your time, your masters - she’s drawing a hard line between being the product and being the proprietor.

The intent is practical, not abstract. Taylor isn’t preaching some billionaire fantasy; she’s talking about leverage. Ownership is the difference between a hot moment and a durable career, between getting paid once and getting paid every time the work travels. “If you can” is the key clause: it admits the barriers. Not everyone can, not right away. That small concession keeps the statement from sounding like hustle-culture scolding. It’s a conditional, not a commandment.

The subtext is gendered and racial without having to announce itself. For Black women in pop culture, “own it” is often demanded as performance: own your body, your sexuality, your “attitude,” your brand - while someone else owns the paperwork. Taylor flips that script. Confidence isn’t the endpoint; control is.

Contextually, it tracks with the larger era of artists publicly renegotiating power: masters disputes, creator-led fashion and beauty lines, celebrities turning themselves into enterprises. Taylor’s line is a reminder that visibility is not security. The goal isn’t just to be seen; it’s to be unexploitable.