Both she and Diane Parish have played Leah Russell in different productions of "Beautiful Thing"; Parish in the 1994 West End production and Empson in the 1996 film version (Beautiful Thing (1996)). Parish and Empson play sisters on the soap opera EastEnders (1985).
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 36, a daughter Nylah in March 2014. Child's father is her husband.
Parents were from Ivory Coast and emigrated to England before Tameka was born.
Trained at the Anna Scher Drama School in Islington, London.
Nominated for the 2006 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical for "The Big Life".