T.I. is one music artiste that has popularized trap music, a sub-genre of hip hop music, alongside Jeezy and Gucci Mane. The prominent southern rapper, record producer and actor is also the Chief Executive Officer of his record album, Grand Hustle Records which was founded in 2003.
Once described as the Jay Z of the South, T.I’s musical career has spanned decades with 10 albums to his credit, out of which seven have reached top five in the U. S billboard top 200. He has earned several awards as a result of his superb talent including three Grammy awards and two American Music Awards.
T.I. Biography, Age
Clifford Joseph Harris, also known by his stage name T.I. was born on September 25, 1980, in Atlanta Georgia U.S. and is the son of Clifford “Buddy” Harris Sr and Violeta Morgan. His parents stayed in New York for professional reasons while he was being raised by his grandparents in the Atlanta Center Hill neighbourhood. His father later died from Alzheimer’s disease.
T.I started expressing himself through rap at the age of 8. He enrolled into Douglass High School but dropped out later. He lived on the streets as a teenager and began dealing in drugs. He continued in the dangerous lifestyle such that by the time he was 14, he had been in jail several times. He was known as the ‘rubber band man’ during his time on the streets due to his habit of wearing a rubber band around the wrist, which symbolized wealth in terms of drug or money.
Subsequently, rap provided a way out of the notorious life and soon began to be noticed for his music. In 1996, he befriended local rapper, Big Kuntry King and together, they sold mixtapes out of the trunk of their car. Soon after, a record executive Karan ‘KP’ Prather discovered him and signed him on to Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment.
In 1999, at the age of 19, he was signed by Laface records, a subsidiary of Arista records. T.I, who used to be called T.I.P as a child, had to shorten his name to T.I, in order not to be mistaken for fellow Arista label-mate Q-Tip. The record label launched his debut album “I’m Serious” in 2001 but it was a commercial failure and despite its guest appearances, it refused to chart.
Thereafter, he was dropped from the record label and he formed Grand Hustle Entertainment and began to drop several mixtapes with the help of DJ Drama. He produced an underground CD In da streets, which sold more than 20,000 copies, however, it was his appearance on Bone Crusher’s single ‘ Never scarred’ that brought him into the limelight. After the success of the collaboration, he signed up with Atlantic Records in August 2003 and soon dropped his sophomore music album, Trap Muzik.
The album was a big hit, ranked 4th on the billboard top R&B chart and was also certified platinum by the RIAA. His next album, Urban Legend was released in 2003 featured collaborations with prominent artists such as Manny Fresh, Nelly and Lil Wayne, and it was a resounding success. It reached no 7 on the billboard top 200 on its first week of release and went on to top the Billboard top R&B hip hop. It sold over a million copies in America. It also became the fastest hip hop album by a southern artist and was certified double platinum by the RIAA.
T.I’s fourth album ‘King’ was released in 2006 and debuted at number 1 on the billboard top 200. It sold over 500,000 copies in its first week. It was followed by the fifth album, T.I vs TIP which dropped on July 3, 2007, and the sixth album, ‘Paper trail’ in 2008. Paper trail was very successful and sold over 5 million copies worldwide.
Furthermore, T.I released his 7th album titled No mercy (2010) debuted at no 4 on the billboard top 200. He also dropped his 8th album Trouble man: heavy is the head (2011), followed by ‘Paperwork’ (2014) and Dime Trap (2015).
Besides music, T.I. has also established himself as an actor. He featured in his debut film ATL in 2006, which was a movie loosely built around his early life in Atlanta. He made appearances in other movies such as American Gangster, Takers, Entourage, Get Hard among others. Likewise, in 2009, he initiated the reality show centered on his personal life as he tries to adapt to life outside prison titled, “Road to Redemption” on MTV as well as the hit show “T.I and Tiny: The Family Hustle, which is focused on his family.
T.I is also the author of two books, titled “Power and Beauty’ and “Trouble and Triumph”.
Wife
T.I. married Tameka ‘Tiny’ Cottle, a former Xscape member on July 30, 2010, in Miami Beach, Florida. The couple is blessed with three children – two sons and a daughter. However, in December 2016, Tiny filed for divorce from T.I but has been working on a reconciliation ever since.
Meanwhile, the rapper previously wedded Lashon Dixon in 1995, but they broke up in July 2001 after having two kids together. Other women from T.I’s past relationships are Ranniqua (1999 – 2001), Nicole Alexander (2006 – 2010), Blac Chyna (2009 – 2010), Jasmin Jaye (2013 – 2014), Analicia Chavez (2016) and model Bernice Burgos (2016).
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Children, Daughter
T.I. has two sons and one daughter with Tiny. They are Clifford “King” Joseph Harris III ( August 25, 2004), Major Philant Harris (May 16, 2008) and daughter, Heiress Diana (June 2016). He also has a stepdaughter Zonnique Jailee Pullins, from Tiny’s past relationship with Zonnie Zebo Pullins.
That’s not all, as T.I has three kids from his past relationships. His two sons, Messiah Ya’ Majesty Harris (February 2, 2000) and Domain Uriah Harris (March 19, 2001) were born by ex-wife, Lashon Dixon. He also has a daughter named Deyjah Imani Harris from his past relationship with the singer, Ms Niko.
The beautiful Deyjah Imani Harris was born on June 17, 2001. She graduated from high school in May 2019 and is currently in her first year of college. She is active on social media and has over 1.5 million followers on Instagram. Her father T. I came under heavy scrutiny when he disclosed on a podcast that he accompanies her on an annual gynaecology checkup to make sure that her hymen is still intact. He said that he schedules the checkup right after her birthday and declared that she is still a virgin as at her 18th birthday.
The father of six considers his action necessary to steer her daughter away from making any bad decision that she might regret later.
T.I. Net Worth
T.I. net worth is estimated to be $50 million. His wealth comes from his music label, acting, endorsements for brands such as Chevrolet as well as his clothing line AKOO, which has been doing marvellously well. He owns one of the most popular night clubs in Atlanta known as Club Crucial. He also has a strip club called V – line.
The rapper is living the good life with a luxurious home in Atlanta and other posh houses around the U. S. He also has a variety of choice cars in his collection such as Rolls Royce Ghost, Dodge Challenger SRT8 worth $44,125 and a Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren worth $350,000.
T.I equally uses his wealth for philanthropy. He donated to victims of Hurricane Katrina and also assists troubled youths at the Paulding Detention Center for troubled youth. He and wife Tiny launched a charity for people with Alzheimer’s named ‘For the love of our fathers’, to honor both their fathers who died from the condition.
