Rapper and actor T.I. is facing a lawsuit over his upcoming film Situationships, with a web series creator accusing him of lifting the title—and potentially more—from her original work.
Cylia Senii, creator of the Situationships web series, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in Georgia, alleging that T.I. and his production company, Grand Hustle Films, knowingly used her series’ title for their new project without permission. Senii’s series debuted on YouTube in 2016 and was later picked up by BET Digital, Amazon Prime Video, and Tubi.
The original show explored the complexities of millennial dating and ran for two seasons. Senii claims that between 2019 and 2024, she developed expanded versions of the project for TV and film and took multiple meetings to grow the franchise. According to her, T.I.’s film—written, directed, and starring the rapper—encroaches on her brand.
In a surprising twist, the lawsuit alleges that individuals once involved in Senii’s web series, including one of T.I.’s longtime family friends, have since joined the rapper’s film production. One of them reportedly discussed the original Situationships project with Senii before switching teams.
Adding fuel to the fire, the lawsuit references T.I. and his wife Tameka “Tiny” Harris’s recent $71 million win in a separate intellectual property case. The couple successfully sued a toy company that based dolls on Tiny’s former girl group, OMG Girlz. Senii uses that case to point out the irony—arguing that T.I., having just prevailed in his own IP battle, should recognize the value of creative ownership.
Senii says she issued a cease and desist letter to T.I. last December and has actively opposed his attempts to trademark the film’s title. One such application was denied in May by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for potentially confusing consumers.
Now, she’s seeking a court injunction to block the film’s release under the Situationships name, along with monetary damages for the alleged infringement. T.I. and Grand Hustle Films have not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
