Photo by Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images
Roommates, the internet is in complete shambles and it’s all because of T.I. and his hair. The rapper just debuted a whole new look, and now fans can’t stop screaming that the rubber band man is BACK!
It looks like T.I. is stepping into a whole new era or maybe spinning the block on an old one. He dropped a video on Instagram on Saturday, January 18, showing him in a barber’s chair, and without even showing his face, he let his locs hit the floor. Then he finally pops up on camera, revealing a fresh low fade. Fans instantly said Tip was tapping back into his rubber band man era with his haircut. The quick flash of his Air Force 1s sealed the deal and sent folks straight back to the early 2000s. T.I. kept the caption short and let the visuals do all of the talking, writing, “Hes Baaaaaaack!!!!!!”He also added #LetEmKnow, which instantly had fans thinking this teaser ties to new music that might be on the way.
Once T.I. dropped his teaser video, folks ran straight to The Shade Room’s comment section. Plenty of fans said they were on the edge of their seats, wondering if his new hair means a new album is coming. Peep some of the reactions below.
Instagram user @rnb.radar wrote, “THE KING IS BACK ”
Instagram user @itsdrshannonmichelle wrote, “Nowwwww see thats the rubber band man I fell for in 03”
While Instagram user @iamkasirene wrote, “The middle school/high school girl in me is smiling right now ”
Then Instagram user @kyrachaos wrote, “Thats the TIP we know!!! ”
Another Instagram user @diannecottlepope wrote, “It’s about Time ”
Instagram user @freckleherface wrote, “This the T.I. I grew up on ”
While another Instagram user @paradiseparis wrote, “He back rapping the world is healing.”
Then another Instagram user tremaynenorris wrote, “Jay-Z, youre next”
Finally, Instagram user @meya__sophia wrote, “Tip AND J. Cole in the same year?!?! 2026 gone be alright after all!! ”
T.I.’s hair has been a trending topic before. Back in December, a video that surfaced online had folks confused after it showed a man who looked just like him on stage at a concert with a noticeable bald spot at the back of his head. The clip sees the man removing his hat and then T.I.’s ‘Swagger Like Us’ starts blasting. Fans instantly went into detective mode, assuming it was definitely Tip.
But when he pulled up to the ‘Streetz Morning Takeover’ radio show, he cleared the air quick. T.I. said he peeped the video and immediately ran to the mirror to double check. But even with all of that, he thought it was funny and decided to skip addressing it online, but kept his hat off for a minute.
“It’s comedy, I laughed. It wouldn’t be funny if it was true. I didn’t even respond to it, I just took my hat off and walked around,” T.I. told the radio crew.
