VH1 has halted production on “T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle” following allegations of sexual abuse.
The hit reality series stopped filming as of Friday (Feb. 5) while the network looks into the assault allegations. According to Deadline, the decision to pause production was made mutually by MTV Entertainment, T.I., and Tiny.
“We are aware of the allegations, and while they are not connected to our show, we have reached out to T.I. and Tameka Harris, as well as local and state officials,” said an MTV spokesperson. “Given the serious nature of the allegations, we have decided to suspend production in order to gather more information.”
The suspension comes after T.I. and Tiny’s former friend Sabrina Peterson shared messages she received from multiple anonymous women accusing the couple of coercing them into comprising sexual situations. The Harrises strongly denied the “egregiously appalling allegations” in a statement through their rep and T.I. called them “false” and “baseless.”
“Whatever we ever have done has been done with consensual adults, who into what we into and like what we like. If we want something, we know exactly where to go and get it,” Tip said in an Instagram video. “We ain’t never forced nobody, we ain’t never drugged nobody against their will, we ain’t never held nobody against their will, we ain’t never made nobody do anything. We ain’t trafficked anything–well, sexually trafficked anything.”
According to TMZ, none of the accusers have reported claims to law enforcement or filed lawsuits thus far. However, famed attorney Lisa Bloom says she is representing one of the alleged victims.
Peterson previously accused T.I. of holding a gun to her head in front of her children. She announced plans to pursue “civil legal action” against the couple and posted the results of her polygraph test. “STOP VICTIM SHAMING!” she wrote.
In January, VH1 renewed “T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle” for season four, which started filming in December.