T.I. insists that his family is still intact months after making headlines for a public blowout at an NFL game.
Social media was buzzing for days when the “Bring Em Out” rapper, his wife Tiny, and their son King were involved in a tense disagreement that seemingly ended with the 19-year-old being snatched up by his father.
Footage of the incident revealed that King was adamantly defending the narrative that he came from the streets and not the gated community his parents’ wealth provided him. T.I. and Tiny both contended that their son’s claims were false and that while he did spend time at his grandmother’s house, it was as close to the street life as he got.
The clip of the showdown, which was recorded in November inside of a box suite at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, ended with King yelling, “You know I stand on business,” and T.I. saying, “Boy, you can’t do nothing with me. Ain’t s—t you can do with me,” as they appeared to be locked in a scuffle of sorts.
In a new interview for the “Willie D Live Podcast,” the Grammy-winning artist explained the ordeal was an isolated moment of contention. T.I. described it as “just a Harris Family counseling session.”
As for the conflict that led him and King to come to blows, the “ATL” actor said, “I think he be thinkin’ that I think he soft, you know what I’m sayin’. And he tryin’ to show me he can protect himself. … That he’s a man of a certain stature that I have inspired him to be by being myself.”
As for the difference of perspectives on the aspiring hip-hop artist’s street persona, T.I. added, “I’m like, ‘Bruh, I’m not saying what you are and aren’t capable of doing, but the facts of the matter are you from a very good home, from a very good home, whether you at our house or your grandmama house.”
He continued, “You wasn’t abused. It wasn’t no other problems. … If you had problems you was dealing with, you went outside and you went and volunteered for some problems.”
T.I. said his son’s tough persona is one that he adopted in recent years, and that regardless of the young man’s attempt to be perceived as having a similar upbringing as his father, the rapper added, “I ain’t finna treat you like you a hardened criminal.”
The Grand Hustle Records co-founder further stated, “He’s not just behaving this way for cameras. He’s really the personality that he has assumed for himself. And all in all, it’s really just a personality because he’s not out there selling no dope and committing crimes, and nothing like that. It’s … just the way he’s wired.
As for their scuffle, T.I. said it was more of a moment where he had to “love on” his son a little bit. “Disrespect is not going to be tolerated,” said the host before T.I. agreed, adding, “Mhmm Mhmm.”
“No matter how many bodies you go out there and get I’m still gone treat you with love,” added Willie D if it were his son under scrutiny. “I’m gon’ still look at you like my son and with the same reverence and love. I mean don’t get it twisted.”
When the Geto Boys emcee asked what was said when the King of the South had his son in a headlock, T.I. laughed.
“That’s privilege information,” he stated before explaining, “We had a little slight conversation. I mean, it wasn’t a headlock. It was more like a bear hug. … A bearhug with one of these at the end,” he added with a demonstration of headlock-like motion. “I just pulled him close to me … real tight, so we could, you know, be joined together as one.”
T.I. SON "KING" READY TO FIGHT HIS DADDY EXPEDITIOUSLY FOR RESPECT #RAHRAHNEWS pic.twitter.com/R3Zngm9aSo
— RAH RAH NEWS (@RAHRAHNEWS) November 28, 2023
In the interview’s YouTube comments, one person remarked, “How you got a son act like nu-nu fr though we want to know?” A second individual shared, “TI you’ve been in and out of jail, prison and lived a gangsta lifestyle! You don’t think that affected your kids and household.”
The Atlanta native’s run-in with the law dates back to 1998, when he was convicted and sentenced in connection with drug charges. Additional prison stints in 2007, 2009, and 2010 stemmed from weapons and parole violations.
