T.I. doesn’t always nail his approach to parenting, but there is no doubt that his kids are taking in his valuable words of wisdom.
The rapper’s oldest daughter, Deyjah Harris, revealed that advice he gave her years ago about relationships has come full circle. In a series of Father’s Day posts shared to her Instagram Story, the 23-year-old revisited a televised chat her dad had with her about preserving her virginity on an early episode of “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle.”
In the clip, a significantly younger Harris is seated as her dad tells her, “Sweetheart, you are a pretty girl, so guys are always going to be after you. They’re going to tell you you’re pretty, they gon’ tell you you smart, and they’re only telling you that to get your sugar.”
At the time, Deyjah thought that “sugar” was simply a coded word for kiss, but the term carried much more weight in the context of the conversation. The “Live Your Life” artist would go on to explain the importance of discerning who is worthy of her “sugar.” Present day, the young lady said that not much has changed when it comes to her dad’s advice on the matter.
“He still says this til this very day and honestly he’s right. I make sure to tell myself every year ‘keep your sugar’ because of him, he’s so real for putting me on game,” Deyjah captioned the post.
Several social media users appreciated the lecture though noted that it was a message that needed to be shared with sons as well.
Among the comments was a perspective that stated, “Now she see he was only trying to protect her!” Another remark read, “So awesome that she remembers and listens to him putting her on to game. She 10 steps ahead!” However, the conversation in the comments took a sharp turn when T.I.’s 2019 remarks about attending Harris’ doctor appointments resurfaced.
T.I. says he goes to the gynecologist with his daughter Deyjah to make sure she’s maintaining her virginity.
— Best Tiktoks (@tiktokdopamine) November 6, 2019
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/KZJ1dDU858
One user asked, “She doesn’t have a choice but to keep her ‘sugar’ doesn’t he go to the DR with her and check her hymen?” While another said, “He’s always been a good dad and y’all hated him so bad for his doctors comments though very invasive he always only wanted to protect his daughter.”
During an appearance on the “Ladies Like Us” podcast, T.I. stated, “We have yearly trips to the gynecologist to check her hymen,” along with having “the talk,” when asked how he educates his kids about sex and virginity.
“The Rubber Band Man” was met with backlash from fans who felt he was overstepping a boundary. When he joined “The Red Table Talk” in conversation about “hymen-gate,” he clarified, “I never said I was in any exam room. That is an assumption. That is a falsity,” and that he never said that it was being done present day as an 18-year-old.
His wife, Tiny, was present for the latter discussion. The Xscape singer claimed that the appointments he referenced occurred when his daughter was 15 and 16 years of age. At his daughter’s request, he has since chosen not to discuss the controversial commentary any further.
