In the highly-anticipated premiere of the sophomore season of T.I. & Tiny: Friends and Family Hustle last night, the Harris household wastes no time in jumping right back into the family drama, personal curveballs and professional pursuits that make their unique dynamic so intriguing. Joined by season one regulars Toya, Monica, Reginae and LeToya, the Harrises navigate the peaks and pitfalls of life in the public eye while proving time and again that to be family, you don't always have to be blood.
As said so eloquently by Tip himself in the teaser for the premiere, "We all goin' through life's ups and downs and nobody can really tell what the future holds."
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Warning: Spoilers Ahead
Martial Bliss...Under One Roof?
From cheating scandals, constant claims of infidelity to divorce filings and more, there's no denying that Tiny and wife T.I. have gone through it all together. While they have now finally reconciled and agreed to put the past behind them, that doesn't mean that it's all smooth sailing for the formerly estranged couple. With his house in full reno-mode, Tip had no choice but to move into Tiny's house while work on the lake house wraps up and he is very vocal about wanting to get back into his own space. Lounging next to one another on Tiny's bed, Tip reminds his wife that his place is better in nearly every way (including a more comfortable bed) and he can't wait to get out of her "raggedy-ass" digs. Reminding him of their vows, Tiny then playfully prods Tip that's what's hers is his, and this is their house, not just hers--until they can both move into the lake house together. Going off of their intimacy and chemistry, it's clear that all really is well between the longtime couple, even if Tip has to slum it in Tameka's less-than-modest house.
"I'm excited to move back in with my husband, and you know, make things work," said Tiny.
Zonnique's An Independent Woman
With the family all gathered in the kitchen, Tip and Tiny prod Zonnique about stepping out from under their thumb and shacking up with boyfriend Bandhunta Izzy. Niq Niq is nothing but smiles as she reassures her fam that she's happy, and they, in turn, offer their support for coming into her own as a fully-grown, independent woman. Clarifying just what "shacking up" means for the benefit of the younger Harris children, Tip tells everyone that Niq Niq is letting Izzy "put the thing on it before he puts a ring on it." Swooping in to save her daughter, Tiny then playfully reminds Tip that he shacked up for 10 years before getting down on one knee. Put Tip in his place, Tiny.
Family Matters
While all lounging together in the living room, Tip checks in with his kids about how they're doing in school and in general. It's no surprise that Tip's oldest daughter Deyjah is loving school and excelling (she gave the senior speech for her graduating class and is now college bound), but that's not the case for all of the kids. "King doesn't see much value in his education right now," revealed Tip in a talking head. If you remember back in season one of Friends and Family Hustle, King's failing grades were a huge stressor in the still-strained relationship between Tip and Tiny. Clearly, things aren't looking up for King and his rebellious streak/disinterest in school. Will Tip be able to lay down the law in a way that makes King finally get in line?
Wrapping up the family convo, Tiny pipes in and adds that with everyone growing up and moving out, she wants to enforce a strict attendance policy for their Sunday night dinners. She mentions Kim Porter's passing as the proverbial slap in the face that she needed to remind her just how short life really is.
Tommi Needs To Step Up
There's no doubt that Tommi and LeToya are fully besotted with their newborn baby girl. Showing off their new (temporary) apartment as they are having a house custom built in Dallas, LeToya explains to Tommi just how caring for their one-month-old daughter is going to go down. Refusing to be the only one putting in the work and doing the hard jobs like tending to their daughter Giana's tongue-tie condition, LeToya is kind but firm in her demands for Tommi to step up.
"I ain't the big bad mom," says LeToya. "That's not what's goin' on here, and there's about to be some changes."
Also, while Giana's birth brought LeToya closer to her mother and her once-estranged father, tensions escalated when LeToya's father shared a screenshot of their FaceTime call with the public without her knowledge. A bold move for a man who just recently re-entered his daughter's life in a major way.
Toya's Money Moves
Steady with money on her mind, Toya fills Tiny in on her latest move for her Before Bed Headz bonnet line, which is, putting her products in mall vending machines. Ever the supportive friend, Tiny is here for Toya's idea and builds it up. Piggybacking off of Tiny hyping her up, Toya reveals that her motivation is treating her well in both business and in her personal life as she and Red are still rock solid. With a new fitness venture in the works, Toya is no doubt securing the bag.
Monica's Vocal Cord Emergency
Now, this is something you definitely don't see every episode-- Monica keeping her mouth shut and staying quiet. When Tiny and Toya pay Monica a visit, she has to communicate exclusively through a text-to-talk app on her phone as the doctor told her she's suffering from a vocal cord injury. Gotta keep those pipes in working order for the Super Bowl weekend concert! Eager to back up her talent, Monica says that she's never lip synced before and she's not about to start now.
"I've never known Monica to be at a loss for words," said Toya. "This is really different."
Toya And The Girls Freeze It Off
Toya, Reginae, Tiny and Niq Niq hit the CyroClub to burn calories and freeze off some inches with cyrotherapy. Reginae reveals that since her pilot just got picked up, she's eager to shed some pounds to look trim on the small screen (and yes, for those of you wondering-- she's still with YFN Lucci at this time). While Niq Niq is down to freeze and tone up, she takes the time to throw another jab at Tiny about her mandatory Sunday dinners. Here's to hoping the girls get snatched from spending time in the super cooler. In contrast, Tip shows off his own fitness journey with an intense workout session alongside K-Dubb, son Messiah and his personal trainer. Aiming for a prison body without the jail time, Tip works to push his pain threshold to the max while pumping some serious iron. While at the gym, Tip hounds Messiah about how he wants to celebrate his upcoming 19th birthday and pushes him to reflect on what he wants out of life. Although he is uncomfortable with the impromptu heart-to-heart, Messiah reveals that he has his sights set on conquering the music world.
LeToya's Postpartum Problems
In a conversation with her mother, LeToya lets it all hang out. Irritated by her mother's prodding, LeToya quickly sets the record straight that she's well aware of the fact that everything is different after baby. Not only did her entire life change, but her body changed as well. From the weight gain that accompanies pregnancy to the breastfeeding-boob-drop struggle, she's fully tuned-in to what's going on under her clothes. She also lets her mother know about her father's newfound interest in her life thanks to Giana's arrival, and makes it clear that the two need to put their differences aside when they're around their granddaughter. There's no room for drama in this chapter of LeToya's life.
A New Love Connection For Tip and Tiny?
A newly-committed T.I. is now fully invested in keeping the spark alive in his marriage to Tiny. Organizing a date night for the two of them, T.I. shows his wife just how attentive and interested he is in her life and in return, Tiny nearly glows with affection for her man. The two dish on their future plans, their struggle to keep King's head out of the clouds and his schooling on track, and the ongoing renovations at the lake house.
Sunday Dinner
Tiny sticks to her guns and is able to pull off the "Harris Sunday Family dinner" that the kids have been griping about for the entire episode. Joined by Tiny's mom, Tip's mom and his late sister Precious, the family sits down to break bread and bond. Despite all the good vibes, dinner time heats up when King gets loud about wanting to put school on the back burner and focus on his budding music career. Quick to shut him down, Tip reminds his son that he hasn't put in enough work to make it to the top and that success in the industry doesn't just happen overnight. After all, who would know better than the King of the South himself?
"When you get outta school, the struggle don't stop," says T.I. in a heart-to-heart with his son.