Another day, another lawsuit in the world of Hip Hop and entertainment. This time, T.I. is finding himself on the other side of an intellectual property battle after being hit with a trademark lawsuit tied to his upcoming movie Situationships. The legal move comes from Cylia Senii, the creator of a web series by the same name, who claims the rap mogul swiped her original title and concept without permission.
Filed in Georgia, the lawsuit alleges that T.I.’s film, which he wrote, directed, and stars in, borrows not just the name Situationships but also overlaps with the spirit and elements of Senii’s series. Her digital show first premiered on YouTube in 2016, later gaining distribution through platforms such as BET Digital, Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi. The series focused on modern love and dating among millennials and ran for two full seasons.
According to Senii, from 2019 to 2024, she expanded the project into TV and film development, holding industry meetings to develop the brand further. She now claims that Grand Hustle Films, T.I.’s production company, ignored her prior work and moved forward with the film anyway.
The serious lawsuit also points out a few familiar faces. Individuals who previously worked on Senii’s project allegedly crossed over to T.I.’s production. One person named in the complaint is reportedly a longtime friend of T.I.’s family. Another had discussed the original show with Senii before jumping to the film side of things.
Furthermore, the complexity is compounded by a recent win for T.I. and his wife, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, who secured a $71 million judgment in a separate intellectual property case involving their former girl group, OMG Girlz. Senii’s legal team brings up that victory to underscore the irony, suggesting that T.I. should fully grasp the value of protecting original creative work.