T.I. Says to Expect the Elephant in the Room on ‘The Family Hustle’

T.I.‘s family-based reality TV show will come to an end this season after five successful years on the VH1 network. Airing for the sixth and final season this month, T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle has become a staple for VH1 and a fan favorite since its debut.

First launched in December of 2011, the reality show became an instant hit among viewers and fans of the Grand Hustle leader. T.I.P., typically known for his hip-hop edge, showcases a different side on the show—as a dad and husband. Since then, viewers have also gotten a chance to get acquainted with the seven children in T.I. and Tiny’s household—King, Major, Messiah, Domani, Zonnique, Deyjah and Heiress—as they go through the different facets of life while learning valuable lessons from their celebrity parents.

With the last season of T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle set to air on Monday (April 17) on VH1, viewers will get an in-depth look at the trials and tribulations T.I. and Tiny face in their relationship. In addition, fans of the show will also get a chance to watch the couple welcome the newest member of the Hustle family, Heiress Harris.

During a recent visit to XXL in New York City, T.I.P. opened up about the final season of T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle show and what it’s been like to watch his family grow from the other side of the camera. Check out the conversation below.

XXL: What can fans expect from this final season of your reality show, T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle?

T.I.: The thing about the show is that every season the kids are in a different phase of life, which allows the viewers to see us adjust to that new phase of life for this particular kid. I think this year it’s about the addition to the family, Heiress. It’s about seeing Major in a big brother roll, you know what I’m saying? Major is not the baby anymore and he’s adamant about establishing himself as the next big brother-in-charge and I think that’s an interesting dynamic.

And of course, you know, there’s the pretty little elephant in the room [laughs], you know what I’m saying? You get to observe a little bit of that but don’t expect nothing outrageously, overtly inappropriate. Anything I do, or we do, we do it with class, you know what I’m saying? So this shall be no different.

As far as recording for your new projects, will viewers get to see any insight on the music you’ve been recording?

You will see parts of my work. You’ll see me working on a short film I just did that will air on BET Jams this April and you’ll see me in the process of filming it while having to pick up my daughter, Deyjah. Another day you’ll see me and B.o.B. shooting a full-length video, and I got something to do with Messiah and Domani, so, you know, throughout the season you’ll see me working but you know it’s not necessarily about me working, you know what I mean?

Throughout the entire filming process of the show, was there something you learned about yourself that you didn’t know?

I can’t say that there’s anything new that I learned about myself. I did, however, learn a lot about the kids and, you know, just a lot about the family.

So what did you learn about your kids that you didn’t know?

I didn’t know that Major had such a quick-with-it response mechanism in his brain. Like, he’ll set you straight right quick, you know what I mean? I didn’t know he had that in him. Deyjah is just like that too. Like she’ll be very, very quiet and then she’ll just burn you and you be like, “Where did that come from?” And to see Messiah and Domani, the thing is I see them together all the time, but it’s a different version of them when it’s just the camera and them two talking, and when I get to see that, it’s hilarious to me.

Of course, seeing Tameka and Niq Niq alone like that is equally entertaining, so those are just some things I learned about them. I always knew King was a nutcase—that comes as no surprise to me. He definitely reaches the bar of expectation in my mind all the time, on and off the camera.

With this being the final season of the show, why did you feel now is the time for it to end?

Well, I believe it’s time to wrap up the show because I think there’s nothing else to show. I think the majority of the family is ready for their next phase in life and this something that we all appreciate and we value and we cherish it, but you know it’s time to move on.

Would you ever be interested in doing another reality show?

Nope. No. Not at all.

What about your family? Are you cool with them wanting to continue in the reality TV show business?

I mean, if they’re interested, yeah. If they wanted to do the show without me, they can, you know what I’m saying? But the consensus is most people are ready to move on with their careers and lives. But we do value the time that was spent and that we were actually able to document the lives of our children. It was great. We fulfilled our obligations. We gave 100 episodes and now we gonna move on to something else.

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