Taiye Selasi was born in London, England, and raised in Brookline, Massachusetts, the elder of twin daughters of Dr. Lade Wosornu, of Ghanaian descent, a surgeon in Saudi Arabia[3] and author of numerous volumes of poetry,[4][5] and Dr. Juliette Tuakli, of Nigerian heritage, a paediatrician in Ghana[6][7] known for her advocacy of children's rights, including sitting on the board of United Way.

[8] Selasi graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a BA degree in American studies from Yale,[9] and earned her Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in international relations from Nuffield College, Oxford.

"[11] Selasi does not seek recognition as the originator of Afropolitanism, "She makes a point not to claim to have coined it, and she downplays her own role in the whole phenomenon that followed from it.

The same year she wrote the essay, she penned a play that was produced at a small theatre by Avery Willis, Toni Morrison's niece.

[24] Selasi has been outspoken on publishers' tendency to pigeonhole African writers, making them bear the burden of representing their continent.

[25][26] She chooses to identify herself with localities, rather than with countries, having lived in New York City, Berlin, Rome, and Lisbon, as well as regularly visiting Accra.

[32] In October 2023, it was announced that Selasi is writing and exec producing a Lagos-set comedy drama series entitled Victoria Island.