T.I. Addresses Controversy Surrounding Daughter’s Hymen/Virginity: I Thought People Knew Me Better Than That … Some Of My Words Were Misconstrued 

T.I., Deyjah Harris

T.I. Addresses Controversy Surrounding Daughter’s Hymen/Virginity: I Thought People Knew Me Better Than That … Some Of My Words Were Misconstrued

Social media went up in flames when news broke of rapper T.I. reportedly checking his 18-year-old daughter, Deyjah Harris‘, hymen to ensure her virginity was still in tact on the podcast, “Ladies Like Us.” However, today (11/25/19) he and his wife, singer Tameka “Tiny” Harris sat down with Jada Pinkett-Smith and her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, to address the controversy. T.I. says his words were “misconstrued”.

He explains,

Let me go set this record straight. Never said I was in any exam room. That is an assumption. That is a falsity. I never said it was being done present day, as an 18-year-old. ‘Cause she was 15 and 16 years old at the time. And I never said that her mother wasn’t present. Her mother was right there, too.

T.I.’s wife, Tameka “Tiny” Harris adds,

They went together…most fathers don’t go, but he was just present, you know? And he didn’t make the doctor’s appointment. There was already an appointment.”

Deyjah Harris

T.I. says that his entire quote about attending Deyjah’s gynecologist appointments was a joke based on their real life:

“I came to clear up any misconceptions that have been surrounding how we interact and parent, and what is appropriate and inappropriate. All of this surrounds a conversation that I was having in a very joking manner…from a place of truth, I began to embellish and exaggerate, and I think a lot of people kinda, like, took it extremely literal. Because if you put any of my reputation- like, who I am as a father and who I’ve been – I honestly thought people knew me better than that.”

He says that the controversy has made him more careful about discussing Deyjah’s personal life:

“No, [but] I understand it now. Yes, I do- absolutley. However, my intentions, I think, have been terribly misconstrued and misconceived…I didn’t get it, but I’m sensitive to it for her.”

Deyjah Harris, reportedly, told her famous father to publicly clear the air:

“When the number two hit the fan and I hadn’t addressed it, you know, at her request, I was taking the bullets – and I don’t have a problem with that. My daughter said, ‘Just let it go. Don’t say nothing. Just let it go.’ And I didn’t [comment] until I had different directives: [Deyjah said,] ‘Okay. Go ahead and make it stop.’ And I would not be here today had I not had those different directives.”

Lastly, T.I. issued an apology to his college-aged daughter:

“She did have a problem with me talking about it, however. And I am incredibly apologetic to her for that…to you, sweet baby Deyjah- not to any of these other strangers and any of these weirdos, who just kinda toss lies around for fun. She understands my intentions, and she knows who I am. She knows who I’ve always been.”

What are your thoughts on T.I.’s remarks? Let us know in the comments. 

[RedTableTalk]

Written by Miata Shanay