‘I began to embellish, exaggerate’ — TI apologises to daughter for his virginity remarks

Clifford Harris Jr., American rapper and actor better known as TI, has apologised to Deyjah, his 18-year-old daughter, for making some controversial remarks about her virginity.

The rapper has become a headline fixture in recent weeks after he revealed that he visits gynaecologist every year to check if his daughter’s hymen “is still intact”.

He had made the controversial remark during a chat with Nazanin Mandi and Nadia Moham, the hosts of a podcast titled ‘Ladies Like Us’.

The development has since generated mixed reactions on social media platforms with many shading the rapper for his action while others supported him.

Halima Abubakar, Nollywood actress had backed TI, stating that her own father used to do the same with her when she was younger.

Gloria Steinem, US political activist, however, described it as a “very suspicious” case of “human rights abuse.”

In the wake of the controversies trailing the issue, Deyjah had deactivated her social media accounts.

But speaking with Jada Pinkett Smith on Monday’s episode of ‘Red Table Talk‘, the 39-year-old rapper apologised to Deyjah, saying the matter was blown out of proportion.

“I came to clear up any misconceptions that have been surrounding how we interact and parent and what is appropriate and inappropriate. I think all of this surrounds a conversation I was having in a very joking manner,” he said.

“From a place of truth, I began to embellish and exaggerate and I think that a lot of people took it extremely literal.

“I think that my intentions have been terribly misconstrued and misconceived.

“She did have a problem with me talking about it, however, and I understand that, and I am incredibly apologetic to her for that. She understands my intentions and she knows who I am, who I’ve always been.”

He however, said he had settled the matter with her daughter, stressing he would not have appeared on the show if the issue wasn’t addressed yet.

“My daughter said just let it go, don’t say nothing, just let it go and I did — until l I had different directives. I would not be here today had I not had those different directives. I’d still be sitting in silence,” he added.

TI also “set the record straight” about some of the points of his comments, telling the ladies, “I never said I was in any exam room. That was an assumption. That is a falsity. I never said it was being done present day as an 18-year-old… I never said that her mother wasn’t present. Her mom was present.”

“This false narrative has just been sensationalized,” he added.