T.I. Says Being On "Family Hustle" Has Made People Too Comfrt

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In a new interview with Vulture to promote the release of his latest album, The L.I.B.R.A, T.I. discussed his storied career, including his successful foray into reality TV. According to the 40-year-old rapper, actor, podcaster and TV personality, the idea for T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle came from a desire for the star to fix his image after winding up in prison for nearly a year on a federal weapons charge.

“Talked about it in the visiting room at Forrest City Prison,” he told the publication. “I felt like people were judging me based off my headlines and not off the life that I had invested in. I had to clear up a bunch of bullsh-t that I had in my path from poor decisions, being impulsive, lack of planning, and just trauma — understanding that I had been through a bunch of sh-t that f–ked me up a little bit. I had to work through that, and it took time. In that time, I was working through it, I godd–n … f–ked up my freedom. However, that is a blip on the radar in comparison to how far we have left to go.”

The show certainly did that after its 2011 premiere, running for six seasons before returning as a revamped T.I. & Tiny: The Friends and Family Hustle in 2018. The decision to bring in other players to have their stories told may have been done purposely, as T.I. said in the interview that his family’s business became a little too public. There was a point where people would see him out in the world and try to speak to him about his life, which he didn’t like at all.

“Only two times have I felt like my family business was too public. That was when me and my lady were going through our sh-t and everything, when we had our separation. We both had our moments in the public. She and I had come to an understanding that we weren’t necessarily seeing eye to eye anymore and were making decisions for ourselves based off what we felt was best for our futures,” he said. “But I would be out at a business meeting or just socially but harmlessly at a bowling alley or something, and an old lady would come up saying, ‘You all need to work that out. You need to get back with your wife.’ In the airport or anywhere. That’s the sh-t that upsets me, not the comments on social media. That sh-t isn’t even real until it hits your face.”

He said he drew a line though when it came to people trying to talk to him about daughter Deyjah and his admission that he was taking her to see the gynecologist yearly before she needed to go to ensure that she was still a virgin.

“Same thing with the situation that I had with Deyjah. If a motherf–ker come up to my face talking about my daughter, I’m gonna beat your a–. That’s straight up, period,” he said. “Don’t play with me. Either you kicking some a– or I’m kicking some a–. One of us is walking away with a a– whooping if you pull up on me. Whatever your opinion is, I don’t give a f–k what you got to say if you got my daughter’s name in your mouth. If you within arm’s reach, man, we will be reaching.”

Despite the knee-jerk reaction to commentary regarding how he parents, his eldest daughter Zonnique Pullins said he has certainly changed since the backlash he received from the public and from Deyjah. And in addition to that, it seems that his relationship with Tiny is stronger than ever before, and who knows if the urging from fans helped in any way. Hit the flip to see photos of the couple together and happy since reuniting in 2017 after their separation.

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Since Tiny filed for divorce in 2016 and the pair reunited the next year, they have seemingly been all smiles.

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 22: Tameka “Tiny” Cottle and T.I. attend the 51st NAACP Image Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2020 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/FilmMagic)

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The rapper keeps his arm around his lady, as he was spotted doing here at a BET event in LA earlier this year.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 20: Rapper T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris attend META – Convened by BET Networks at The Edition Hotel on February 20, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for BET)

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

Tiny also keeps a hand on her man when they’re spotted out together. She kept him close at a boxing match last December in Atlanta.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 28: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Tameka “Tiny” Harris and T.I. attend 2019 World Lightweight & World Light Heavy Weight Championships at State Farm Arena on December 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

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She said when he was on house arrest following his release from prison, it was like she was supposed to be on it, too.

“You could not move. You could not go anywhere,” she said. “I was still in the house like I was on probation but because I had a voice that wasn’t so timid he felt like this is not the woman I left. And this is not what I want. I want somebody that if I tell her this she’s going to listen and then she’s going to do it.”

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 13: T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris attend the Nipsey Hussle Exhibit Unveiling at The Trap Music Museum on August 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

She said when he didn’t like the way she changed during his time in prison, he started seeking attention outside of their relationship.

“That’s what he did. He went and found him, somebody, that he can be like hey don’t move and I was not her,” he said.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 22: Rapper T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Harris attend “Queen & Slim” screening and conversation at Woodruff Arts Center on November 22, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. ( (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

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What helped them work through their issues though was counseling.

“I think counseling is a great way to bridge things,” she said. “She taught us different ways to talk to each other. And letting the old stuff go.”

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 23: (L-R) T.I. & Tameka “Tiny” Harris pose in the press room at the 2019 BET Awards on June 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

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That didn’t stop the couple from having some bumps in the road after reuniting, including when he was seen on camera at an event slapping the backside of another woman.

“The video ain’t really the issue. The video being posted up on social media is the issue,” he said at the time in 2018. “If someone had sent her that video privately, she and I would’ve had one conversation about it, and it would’ve been over.”

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 20: (L-R) Tameka Dianne “Tiny” Harris, T.I., Heiress Diana Harris attend the 2019 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on June 20, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for ASCAP)

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What helped the couple move forward though was T.I. realizing he was going to miss out on a truly good thing if he didn’t get his act together.

“It’s very rare where you are able to be married to the best friend you have and the best sex you’ve ever had,” he said on the show. “You don’t just toss that away.”

MIAMI BEACH, FL – OCTOBER 06: Tiny and T.I. during the BET Hip Hop Awards 2018 at Fillmore Miami Beach on October 6, 2018 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)

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Tiny said that as long as her husband is willing to put in the work with her, she will continue work hard on her marriage, saying “it’s got to be a two-way street. If he’s in tune and trying to work with me, then that keeps me motivated to fight.”

ATLANTA, GA – JULY 19: Tip “T.I” Harris and Tameka “Tiny” Harris attend “The Grand Hustle” Exclusive Viewing Party at The Gathering Spot on July 19, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)