Shayla Somer Gibson Is Tyrese Gibson's Teenage Daughter He Once Bought an Island For

Shayla Somer Gibson is Tyrese Gibson's daughter, who has lived in luxury since birth. Unfortunately, she also endured watching her parents argue for many years amidst a custody battle.

Known in the entertainment industry as a jack of all trades, Tyrese Darnell Gibson is an actor, model, television producer, singer, songwriter, and author.

Tyrese has achieved success in his craft throughout the years, starring in hit films such as "The Fast and Furious" movie franchise, "Transformers," "Death Race," and "Baby Boy," among others. However, his most significant achievement remains his daughters, including his eldest, Shayla Somer Gibson.

Shayla came when her father had cemented his name in the entertainment industry. With a stable career and a lasting legacy in film and television, Tyrese had more than enough to give Shayla a comfortable life.

Shayla Is Tyrese's Only Daughter from His First Marriage

Shayla was the product of Tyrese's first marriage to Norma Mitchell, whom he met in London in 2002. Shayla's parents moved to Los Angeles shortly after and tied the knot in 2007. The same year, they welcomed their first and only child, Shayla.

Although the "Legion" star was already famous as a singer then, he went the extra mile to protect his relationship and keep their lives private. Fans considered Mitchell his secret lover as their marriage was kept from the public.

Following her allegations, the court granted Mitchell temporary legal and physical custody of Shayla alongside a 100-yard restraining order for the R&B singer to stay away from his ex and child.

Unfortunately, Shayla's parents' marriage was short-lived, and in 2009, her father filed for divorce. A messy custody battle for Shayla followed their separation.

Tyrese and Shayla's Mother Were Involved in a Heated Custody Battle

Shayla was still young when her parents fought for custody, and in the years following their split, they continued to reveal horrible things about each other. In 2015, Mitchell confirmed that the rumors about abuse in her relationship were true. She said:

"Yes, there was [physical and emotional abuse in my marriage]. Definitely, if you have this conversation with many women, they can tell you the exact same thing. Sometimes it's so covert that you don't know it's happening until it's happening."

Two years later, Shayla's mom came forward with an accusation, claiming that her ex-husband had abused their daughter. According to Mitchell, Shayla's father was diagnosed with manic behavior and bipolar disorder, a claim he vehemently denied.

Following her allegations, the court granted Mitchell temporary legal and physical custody of Shayla alongside a 100-yard restraining order for the R&B singer to stay away from his ex and child.

Tyrese did not stay silent amidst the feud and claimed his ex-wife was attempting to destroy their co-parenting efforts for the past nine years.

"There is nothing I love more in this world than my daughter, and I would never do anything to harm her wellbeing or happiness. Co-parenting is tough, and it's unfortunate when your partner tries to sabotage the situation with hurtful lies and irrational behavior," he said.

Shayla's father later shared an emotional video of himself on social media, crying while begging his ex not to take their daughter away from him.

After an investigation by the Department of Child and Family Service, a judge granted the parents joint custody of their daughter. The judge also denied Mithcell's appeal to keep the restraining order permanent.

Tyrese celebrated the rule in his favor but called it a win for Shayla and no one else. He said it was unfortunate that Shayla was between the mess her parents created.

Throughout their co-parenting years, the couple had several disagreements. Among them was Tyrese's fear that his ex-wife would not bring Shayla back to the US after a trip to Israel.

In 2015, "The Fast and the Furious" star bought his then-eight-year-old Shayla an island for Christmas. Although he did not disclose the island's location, Tyrese said it was called Love Island.

Included in their custody agreement was a clause that prohibited them from going to countries not governed by The Hague Convention. Fortunately for Shayla's mom, Israel was not on the list.

In 2019, the couple had another disagreement over their daughter's participation in sports. Shayla's dad refused to let her join the school's soccer program because of her academic grades, while her mother claimed that Shayla was "emotionally devastated."

To intervene, a judge ruled that Shayla could indeed play the sport as her grades were good enough. There were several other incidents where the couple disagreed over their child's wellbeing.

Tyrese Was Writing a Book Series with His Daughter Shayla

Although he can come off to some as an overprotective father, Tyrese loves his daughter unconditionally. In 2015, Shayla's dad revealed that he had become an author and penned six children's books with his daughter.

Shayla's ideas helped bring out the writer in her father as she told him what interests her friends had regarding books. Topics included being kind and friendly, faith, and bullying. In 2015, Tyrese said the books were in the process of getting their artwork done.

It would be published by his publishing company, Gibson and Gibson, with Shayla representing the second Gibson. Shayla appeared to be a big fan of reading herself and would pick up a book to entertain herself every night.

Following the revelation about being a children's book author, Tyrese has never shared any more updates. It remains unclear if the books have been published and are out in the market.

Tyrese Gibson Once Bought His Daughter an Island for Christmas

His love for Shayla is explicitly seen through the lavish gifts he buys her. In 2015, "The Fast and the Furious" star bought his then-eight-year-old Shayla an island for Christmas. Although he did not disclose the island's location, Tyrese said it was called Love Island.

Shayla isn't the only daughter of Tyrese. A few years after Shayla's birth, Tyrese and his wife, Samantha Lee Gibson, welcomed a daughter named Soraya Lee Gibson.

Shayla's father made another grand gesture in 2022 when he bought her a Rolls Royce for her middle school graduation present. Besides the expensive car was an LED truck that displayed photos and videos of his daughter.

Unfortunately, the actor was not present during the graduation ceremony but made sure Shayla would come home feeling loved. "Thank you, Momma Norma, for being there [...] Congratulations to our angel SHAYLA [ Princess ] Gibson you did it baby you have made daddy sooooooo proud!!!!! [sic]" he wrote on Instagram.

Shayla sometimes joins her father on vacations around the world, including Dubai, and during red-carpet events. Previously, the young girl attended the Grammy Awards and met some of her favorite artists, including Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez.

Shayla Gibson Has a Younger Sister Who Looks Like Her Doppelganger

Shayla isn't the only daughter of Tyrese. A few years after Shayla's birth, Tyrese and his wife, Samantha Lee Gibson, welcomed a daughter named Soraya Lee Gibson.

As Soraya grew older, she began to bear a resemblance to Shayla and was dubbed the teenager's twin. Although they don't share the same mother, Shayla and Soraya have a great relationship and are being raised like full-blooded sisters under their father's care.

Like Shayla, not much is known about Soraya. However, she receives the same love and support from Tyrese as her older sibling. Unfortunately, Tyrese and Samantha Lee later met the same fate and ended their marriage in divorce.

The former husband-and-wife had a messy divorce, as Tyrese had with his first wife. The actor also went the extra mile to make sure that Samantha did not get spousal support.

Shayla's father has dated several women but only became a father of two. Previously, he dated Sanaa Lathan, an actress most recognized for "Moesha" and "Family Matters."

Unlike Tyrese, Lathan remains unmarried. She has also never walked down the aisle, although she has dated other celebrities.