Ms. Niko (Ranniqua Brannum): T.I.’s Baby Mama, Rapper, and Mother of Deyjah Harris

Who Is Ms. Niko?

Ms. Niko, born Ranniqua Brannum on September 22, 1980, is an American singer and rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. She’s best known as the mother of Deyjah Imani Harris, her daughter with Grammy-winning rapper T.I. (Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.). While public attention often centers on her connection to one of hip-hop’s biggest names, Ms. Niko has her own story — one rooted in Atlanta’s music scene, a genuine love of songwriting, and a dedication to raising her daughter outside the constant glare of celebrity life.

Standing at 5 feet tall, Ms. Niko carries a presence that goes well beyond her stature. She grew up surrounded by Southern hip-hop culture during the genre’s explosive rise in the 1990s, and that environment shaped both her artistic ambitions and the path her life would eventually take.

Early Life in Atlanta

Ranniqua Brannum was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia — the city that would become the undisputed capital of Southern rap by the time she reached adulthood. Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, she was immersed in a music scene that was producing legends at a rapid clip.

From a young age, Ms. Niko showed a strong pull toward music. She enjoyed writing songs as a child and teenager, finding inspiration in artists who spanned genres. KRS-One, the pioneering hip-hop MC known for his lyrical depth, was one of her earliest influences. But her taste wasn’t limited to rap. She also drew heavily from the vocal power of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, two of the best-selling female artists in music history. That blend of sharp lyricism and melodic strength would go on to define her own approach to making music.

Atlanta in the 1990s was fertile ground for anyone with musical ambition. The city’s hip-hop scene was booming, with acts like OutKast, Goodie Mob, and the Dungeon Family putting the South on the map. For a young woman writing songs and dreaming of a career in music, there was no better place to be.

Music Career as Ms. Niko

Ranniqua Brannum adopted the stage name Ms. Niko (sometimes credited simply as Ranniqua) and pursued a career in music as both a rapper and singer. Her style reflected those early influences — she could switch between rapping and singing, blending the hard-edged delivery of hip-hop with smoother R&B-inflected melodies.

Details about Ms. Niko’s discography and specific releases remain limited in the public record. Unlike many artists connected to major hip-hop figures, she didn’t leverage her personal life for widespread commercial attention. Instead, she appears to have worked on music more independently, building a presence within Atlanta’s local scene rather than chasing mainstream fame.

What is clear is that music wasn’t just a passing interest. It was something she’d carried with her since childhood and continued to pursue as an adult. The Atlanta music community is enormous, and plenty of talented artists operate within it without necessarily landing major label deals or dominating streaming platforms. Ms. Niko is among those artists whose work exists more within the fabric of the city’s creative community than on Billboard charts.

Relationship with T.I.

Ms. Niko’s name became widely recognized through her relationship with T.I., the Atlanta-born rapper whose real name is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. T.I. rose to massive fame in the early 2000s with albums like Trap Muzik (2003), Urban Legend (2004), and King (2006), becoming one of the defining voices of the trap music subgenre he helped popularize.

Ms. Niko and T.I. were together during the late 1990s and into the early 2000s. The two were never married. Their relationship produced one child — their daughter Deyjah Imani Harris, born on June 17, 2001. By the time Deyjah was born, T.I.’s career was beginning its steep ascent toward superstardom.

After the relationship ended, T.I. went on to marry singer Tameka “Tiny” Harris (of Xscape fame) in 2010. Ms. Niko, for her part, maintained a far lower public profile. She didn’t pursue tabloid attention or engage in public disputes, choosing instead to focus on her own life and her daughter’s upbringing.

Daughter Deyjah Harris

Ms. Niko’s daughter, Deyjah Imani Harris, was born on June 17, 2001, in Atlanta. Deyjah has grown into a well-known personality in her own right, amassing a significant social media following and appearing on television alongside her father.

Deyjah was featured on the VH1 reality series T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle, which premiered in 2011 and ran for multiple seasons. The show followed T.I. and Tiny’s blended family, and Deyjah’s appearances gave viewers a glimpse into her life as a teenager growing up in a high-profile household. The show highlighted the dynamics of co-parenting and the challenges of raising children when one parent is a major public figure.

In 2019, Deyjah made headlines after T.I. revealed in a podcast interview that he had accompanied her to gynecologist appointments to “check her hymen.” The comments sparked widespread backlash and a national conversation about bodily autonomy and parenting boundaries. Deyjah herself addressed the situation on social media, and the incident became a significant moment in public discourse about the treatment of young women.

Through it all, Ms. Niko has largely stayed out of the spotlight. While T.I.’s parenting decisions drew intense public scrutiny, Ms. Niko didn’t insert herself into the media frenzy. Her approach to motherhood has been more private, and she’s allowed Deyjah to navigate her own public identity on her own terms.

As of 2026, Deyjah Harris is 24 years old and continues to maintain an active social media presence. She’s carved out her own space separate from her father’s fame, and Ms. Niko deserves credit for providing the grounded foundation that helped her daughter develop into an independent young woman.

Personal Life

Ms. Niko has kept her personal life remarkably private, especially considering her connection to one of hip-hop’s most prominent figures. She doesn’t maintain a widely known public social media presence, and she rarely appears in tabloid coverage or entertainment news.

What’s known is that she was born under the zodiac sign Virgo (September 22 falls on the cusp of Virgo and Libra, but is traditionally classified as Virgo). She’s spent most of her life in the Atlanta area, the city where she was born and raised.

Her net worth has not been publicly verified by any reliable source. Unlike many figures in the celebrity orbit, Ms. Niko hasn’t pursued endorsement deals, reality TV contracts, or brand partnerships that would bring her financial details into public view.

At 45 years old in 2026, Ms. Niko represents something increasingly rare in celebrity culture — a person connected to enormous fame who has chosen, deliberately and consistently, to live outside of it. That choice speaks to a quiet strength and a clear sense of priorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Ms. Niko?

Ms. Niko, born Ranniqua Brannum on September 22, 1980, is an American singer and rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. She’s best known as the mother of Deyjah Imani Harris, her daughter with rapper T.I.

How old is Ms. Niko?

Ms. Niko is 45 years old as of 2026. She was born on September 22, 1980.

Were Ms. Niko and T.I. married?

No, Ms. Niko and T.I. were never married. They had a relationship in the late 1990s and early 2000s and share one daughter, Deyjah Harris, born in 2001.

Who is Deyjah Harris’s mother?

Deyjah Imani Harris’s mother is Ms. Niko (Ranniqua Brannum). Deyjah was born on June 17, 2001, in Atlanta, Georgia.

How tall is Ms. Niko?

Ms. Niko stands at 5 feet 0 inches (152 cm).

What is Ms. Niko’s net worth?

Ms. Niko’s net worth has not been publicly verified. She maintains a private life and has not disclosed her financial details.

What music does Ms. Niko make?

Ms. Niko is a rapper and singer who grew up influenced by KRS-One, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston. She has pursued music independently within Atlanta’s local music scene.