T.I. is opening up about what he enjoys most about being a father and the parenting philosophy that has helped shape his children.
During a recent interview with BET, the rapper was asked what he considers the best part of being a dad. Rather than pointing to a specific milestone, T.I. said the greatest reward has been watching each of his children grow into their own unique individuals.
“The best part of being a dad is watching your little human beings evolve into their own personality that comes from your personality, but it’s still theirs,” he explained.
He said each of his children has taken something different from him, embracing the qualities they connected with most while developing their own identities.
“They take whatever piece of you that they respond to the most and they enhance it and they chisel it and make it their own,” he said.
The father of seven added that although his children are all different, he can recognize pieces of himself in each of them.
“All of my children have a different piece of my personality, a different piece. They’re all completely different, but I see where they spent time around me and was like, ‘You know, I like that. I’mma keep that. I don’t need that so much, but I like this.’ That’s real cool to see. It’s cool to watch.”
Later in the conversation, T.I. was asked how he has managed to raise children who remain grounded despite growing up with successful parents and public attention.
His answer was simple: make them work for what they want.
“Just make them work for it. Whatever they want, make them work for it,” he said. “It ain’t no easy yeses. You got to present it to me the same way you present it to the bank. If you wanted a loan, you got to make it make sense.”
The Grammy Award-winning artist shares children with several partners, including wife Tiny Harris. Together, their blended family includes Messiah, Domani, Deyjah, Zonnique, King, Major, and Heiress. Over the years, many of the Harris children have stepped into the spotlight through reality television, music, fashion, and social media, carving out paths of their own while continuing to receive support from their parents.
