T.I. Pushes Back on Lawsuit Over ‘Situationships’ Film Name

Rapper and actor T.I. is at the center of a trademark battle after a lawsuit filed last month by Cylia Senii, creator of the web series Situationships. The case accuses T.I. and his production company, Grand Hustle Films, of infringing on Senii’s brand by using the same title for his upcoming film.

According to court documents, Senii alleges that T.I.’s project piggybacks off the recognition and identity of her long-established digital series. The suit, first reported by AllHipHop, claims the rapper’s use of the name amounts to unfair competition and civil conspiracy. Senii is asking for financial damages and a court order blocking the film from being released under the Situationships title.

“Defendants are engaging in a common scheme and effort to take advantage of the public’s association of Featherstone’s ‘Situationships’ brand by marketing their own film and entitling it ‘Situationships,’” the complaint reads.

Production stalls as title dispute tests creative ownership

In an early win for Senii, a federal judge this month issued an injunction barring T.I. and Grand Hustle Films from producing or promoting any content under the contested title while litigation proceeds. The ruling has stalled production and brought added scrutiny to the dispute. T.I.’s legal team has pushed back, arguing the term Situationships is too generic to be trademarked. His attorneys claim Senii has failed to prove she owns exclusive rights to the word and argue the case should be tried in Georgia, where most of the involved parties are based—not in the Southern District of New York.

This trademark fight adds to a string of legal entanglements for T.I. and his wife, Tiny Harris. The couple is gearing up for a retrial in their ongoing legal battle against MGA Entertainment, the toy giant behind the “O.M.G.” dolls. Earlier this year, the pair had secured a $71 million jury verdict in the case, but the matter remains unresolved.

The outcome of Senii’s lawsuit could set a key precedent for how intellectual property rights are enforced around titles in the entertainment world. And for T.I., who has worked to expand his brand beyond music, the ruling could reverberate far beyond this single project.