Harris Hustle: The Best Of T.I.'s Fatherly Lessons From Season One
In honor of T.I. Father's Day weekend, the team here at VH1 is celebrating one of our favorite dads, who also happens to be a successful rapper, actor, and businessman. T.I., the man who needs no introduction, has opened the door to his lively Atlanta home and his adorable brood via T.I. And Tiny: The Family Hustle, putting his best teaching moments on full display.
We'll be highlighting some of the more tender and thoughtful experiences Tip has shared with Zonnique, Messiah, Deyjah, Domani, King, and little Major, beginning with Season One. Now back, back, back to the archives (but stay out of the White Room!):
1. Get Your Priorities In Order
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After Domani expresses interest in following in his dad's footsteps by pursuing music, Tip helps him get stage-ready before his first live performance. Lyrics and flow are important, but style and execution matters most, and those can only be achieved through hard work--and maybe borrowing one or two moves dad's put in temporary retirement.
2. Respect Yourself
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When 10-year-old Deyjah informs Pops that she has a boyfriend (!), he makes sure she understands that most some men are only after one thing. "Guys are going to tell you you’re pretty, they’re going to tell you you’re smart, and they’re only telling you that to get your sugar," he says. Trying not to lose his cool, he encourages his daughter to be smart and to be safe, because there is only a limited amount of her precious "sugar" to spread around.
3. How Do You Treat a Woman?
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Tip informs his four sons that as Harris men, they have been blessed with a very wonderful, yet very powerful gift, and that they must use it accordingly. As they grow and meet different women, they must remember to always protect them, and to treat them with the same dignity and respect they'd expect someone to treat their own mother with. Basically, don't be "bad and sneaky." Sorry, Major.
4. That Don't Kill Me, Can Only Make Me Stronger
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When a restless King fights for having a later bed time, Tip explains that not everything in life is fun, but every experience is something you can grow from. "Sometimes the things in life that you don’t like, they make you stronger," he explains. "Me, as a father, I have to make sure that the best thing for you is what is being done, whether you like it or not." As you get older, King, you'll understand the importance of "beauty sleep."
5. Can You Count Money? Can You Spell "Billionaire"?
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In effort to help teach Domani get back on track with his school work, Tip attempts to show him the many real-life scenarios in which the subjects he's avoiding will come in handy. Stacks on deck.
Stick around VH1 Blog, VH1 Celebrity and VH1 Tuner this weekend as we salute King Tip and his fatherly wisdom by unveiling a slew of exclusive interviews, video content, never-before-seen photos, and T.I. performances. It all culminates in a 7-hour on-air marathon of The Family Hustle on Sunday at 12 pm ET/PT.