T.I. and Tameka 'Tiny' Cottle marry in Florida

07/30/2010 by Corinne Heller

T.I. married his girlfriend Tameka Cottle in a courthouse in Miami, Florida on Friday, according to official records.

The 29-year-old Grammy-winning hip hop star, whose real name is Clifford Harris, and Cottle, 35 and nicknamed "Tiny", have reportedly been dating for at least nine years. Cottle used to be part of the 1990s R&B group Xscape.

The two broke up several times and became engaged about three years ago. The couple plans to repeat their vows on Saturday in front of close family and friends on a small private island off the coast of Miami, Us Weekly magazine said, adding that Cottle will wear Valentino. The couple will then returning to their hometown of Atlanta for a reception on later that day before flying to Las Vegas to celebrate with friends, it said.

They have two sons - King, who is about 5 and Major, who is more than a year old. Cottle has a daughter named Zonnique Jailee who is about 13 and the T.I. has two sons and a daughter from previous relationships, named Messiah, Domani, and Deyjah.

Several years ago, Cottle became pregnant with T.I.'s daughter but she was delivered stillborn. Cottle said the tragedy brought her and T.I. closer.

T.I. began serving a one-year prison sentence in May 2009 for possessing firearms, which he is not allowed to do because of a previous drug conviction, before he was moved to a halfway house six months later. He was released in March.

T.I. had pleaded guilty following a plea deal with prosecutors, made after he had spent time on house arrest before his sentencing and after he had spoken before community groups and high schools about the dangers of drugs and violence. He later starred in his own reality series - T.I.'s Road to Redemption.

"Depending on the situation and the person, you should stick it out through thick and thinthe good and bad times," Cottle told Essence magazine in 2009. "If you know you're with someone who would give his life for you and is somewhat a responsible better half, then stand up for him. I know my man's heart and because of that I'm going to be everything I need to be for him. Yes, he's made mistakes, but so have I."