Tia Kemp has spent the better part of two decades in and out of the public eye, mostly because of her long, often turbulent history with hip hop mogul Rick Ross. She is the mother of his oldest son, William Leonard Roberts III, and over the years she has gone from a private figure mentioned in tabloid blurbs to a full blown social media personality with her own podcast, her own fan base, and her own running feuds. Her name resurfaces in entertainment headlines whenever there is a new dispute with Ross, a milestone in their son’s football career, or a fresh viral clip from one of her livestreams. This article breaks down who Tia Kemp really is, how she connects to Rick Ross, what she has done with her platform, and why people keep searching for her name today.
Quick Bio Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Tiallondra Kemp |
| Also Known As | Tia Kemp, “Yuntie Tia” |
| Date of Birth | Reportedly October 31, though sources disagree on the year (accounts vary between the late 1970s and late 1980s, so her exact age is unconfirmed) |
| Birthplace | Miami, Florida, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Social media personality, podcast co-host, entrepreneur, author |
| Known For | Being the mother of Rick Ross’s son and for outspoken livestreams and public disputes involving Ross and his circle |
| Relationship History | Reportedly dated Rick Ross around 2003 to 2007; later reportedly married and divorced another partner |
| Children | Three sons total, including William Leonard Roberts III (with Rick Ross); the identities of her other two sons have largely been kept private |
| Notable Media | Self published memoir referencing her relationship with Ross; co-host of the “Aunt Tea Podcast” on the Zeus Network |
| Social Media | Active on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube under variations of “Yuntie Tia” |
Early Life and Background
Detailed, independently verified information about Tia Kemp’s childhood is limited, which is typical for public figures who became known primarily through a relationship rather than a traditional career. What is consistently reported is that she was raised in Miami, Florida, a city closely tied to the Southern hip hop scene that Rick Ross himself came up in. Several entertainment biography sites state that she grew up in a large family and faced a difficult home life, including a parent who was incarcerated for an extended period, though these specific claims have not been confirmed by primary sources and should be treated as reported background rather than settled fact.
What is clear is that Kemp came of age in the same Miami social and nightlife circles that produced many of the city’s rap and entertainment figures in the early 2000s. That world is where her connection to Rick Ross, and eventually her public profile, began to take shape.
How Tia Kemp Connects to Rick Ross
Tia Kemp’s primary claim to public recognition is her relationship with Rick Ross, born William Leonard Roberts II, one of the most commercially successful rappers of the last two decades. According to multiple entertainment outlets, the two met at a Miami nightclub in the early 2000s, with several sources pointing to 2003, and were involved in a relationship that lasted several years before ending around 2007.
Their relationship predates Ross’s mainstream rap stardom, which took off with his 2006 debut album “Port of Miami.” That timing matters, because it means Kemp knew him before he became one of the biggest names in Southern hip hop, a detail she has referenced publicly on more than one occasion when discussing their history.
The most significant and lasting connection between the two is their son, William Leonard Roberts III, born in September 2005. Their co-parenting relationship has played out publicly for years, often through Kemp’s own social media commentary, occasional legal proceedings over child support, and, more recently, a very public disagreement over who should cover their son’s college expenses.
The Child Support and College Tuition Dispute
The clearest and most recent example of the Kemp and Ross dynamic played out in the summer of 2024. Around Father’s Day, Rick Ross posted a message on social media appearing to celebrate that he had made his final child support payment for their son, who had just turned eighteen. Kemp responded publicly and pointedly, arguing that a milestone birthday and a completed high school career did not mean financial responsibility was over, since their son was headed to college.
Their son had graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, a school known for producing talented football players, and had committed to play football at Bethune-Cookman University, a historically Black university in Daytona Beach, Florida. Shortly after the child support exchange went public, Kemp shared what she described as her son’s tuition bill, reportedly around $200,000 for his college years, and publicly called on Ross to help cover it. The exchange, complete with pointed commentary from both sides, was widely covered by hip hop and entertainment outlets and became one of the more talked about celebrity co-parenting stories of that summer.
This pattern, of private family matters becoming public content, has defined much of Kemp’s visibility in recent years. Rather than staying out of the spotlight, she has consistently used her own platforms to share her side of ongoing disputes with Ross and people in his orbit.
Life, Career, and Public Persona
Tia Kemp is not simply a bystander in someone else’s story. Over the years she has built an identity of her own, primarily as an outspoken social media personality and, more recently, as a podcast host.
Author and Early Public Statements
Not long after her relationship with Ross ended, Kemp released a self-published memoir often referenced under the title “Deeper Than Rap: Clarity, Truth, and Exposure,” a project that discussed her version of their relationship. The book generated attention in hip hop media circles at the time, partly because of reported involvement from rapper 50 Cent, who was engaged in a well documented rivalry with Ross during that period. Some coverage has suggested 50 Cent had a financial or promotional interest in the book’s release, though the full details of that arrangement have never been fully confirmed and should be read as reported rather than verified fact.
Social Media Personality
In the years since, Kemp has steadily built a following on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, often posting under names like “Yuntie Tia” or similar variations. Her content typically blends personal life updates, commentary on hip hop and reality television culture, and, periodically, direct exchanges with Ross or people connected to him. She has developed a reputation for candid, unfiltered livestreams that often go viral within hip hop gossip and entertainment communities.
This kind of content has made her a recognizable figure within a specific corner of celebrity and hip hop culture, sometimes described as part of an ecosystem of outspoken commentators and family members of celebrities who build platforms by sharing insider perspectives and personal opinions.
Kemp’s rise mirrors a broader shift in celebrity media, where relatives and former partners of famous people no longer need traditional press coverage to reach a large audience. A single livestream or short clip can circulate across TikTok and Instagram within hours, picked up and reposted by gossip focused accounts that repackage the clip with commentary of their own. Kemp has benefited from this cycle repeatedly, with moments from her livestreams often getting a second life on entertainment blogs and video compilation channels well after the original broadcast ends. That secondary spread is part of why her name keeps surfacing in search results even for people who never watched one of her streams live.
The Aunt Tea Podcast
More recently, Kemp expanded her media presence by joining the Zeus Network’s “Aunt Tea Podcast,” alongside fellow outspoken personalities Tokyo Toni and Karlissa Saffold. The show is built around candid conversation, celebrity commentary, and the kind of frank, opinionated discussion that has already made all three women known quantities on social media. The podcast represents a shift for Kemp from being someone commented on in entertainment coverage to someone actively producing entertainment content herself, and it has broadened her audience beyond people who only know her as connected to Rick Ross.
Family Life Beyond Rick Ross
Kemp has spoken publicly about being a mother of three sons, with William being the eldest and the only one whose father is a public figure. She has generally kept the identities of her other two children more private, sharing only limited details about their lives. Some reports indicate she was previously in another relationship or marriage that also ended, though, as with several details of her personal history, this has not been confirmed through primary sources and should be treated as reported rather than established fact.
Why People Search for Tia Kemp Today
There are a few clear reasons Tia Kemp continues to draw search interest well over fifteen years after her relationship with Rick Ross ended.
First, her son’s football career keeps her name relevant. As William Leonard Roberts III has progressed from a standout high school player to a college athlete, sports and entertainment audiences alike have taken an interest in his family background, which naturally leads back to both of his parents.
Second, her ongoing public exchanges with Rick Ross generate recurring news cycles. Whenever child support, tuition, or co-parenting comes up between them, hip hop media outlets cover it, and those stories consistently drive people to search for more background on who Kemp actually is.
Third, her own media career has given her an independent audience. Fans of the “Aunt Tea Podcast” and her social media content follow her not just as “Rick Ross’s ex” but as a personality in her own right, someone with opinions, a platform, and a following that exists separately from her past relationship.
Finally, there is a broader cultural interest in the family members and former partners of major celebrities. Audiences are often curious about the people who knew a star before fame, and Kemp fits that role for Rick Ross, having reportedly met him years before he became one of the best known names in Southern hip hop.
There is also a simpler explanation worth mentioning: curiosity about co-parenting stories in general. Kemp and Ross’s back and forth over child support and tuition is a relatable, if heightened, version of a conversation many separated parents have privately. Because Kemp airs her side so openly, her story functions almost like a public case study, and that combination of celebrity proximity and everyday relatability is a large part of what keeps her searchable years after her relationship with Ross ended.
Conclusion
Tia Kemp’s public identity began with her relationship with Rick Ross and her role as the mother of his son, but it has grown well beyond that starting point. Through a memoir, years of candid social media commentary, public disputes over co-parenting and college costs, and now a recurring role on a Zeus Network podcast, she has built a recognizable presence of her own within hip hop and entertainment media. As her son continues his football career and her media career continues to expand, it is likely that Tia Kemp’s name will keep appearing in entertainment headlines for the foreseeable future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tia Kemp? Tia Kemp is a Miami based social media personality, podcast co-host, and author best known as the mother of rapper Rick Ross’s son, William Leonard Roberts III.
How is Tia Kemp connected to Rick Ross? Tia Kemp and Rick Ross reportedly dated in the mid 2000s, and the couple share a son together, though they are no longer romantically involved and have had a long, publicly documented co-parenting relationship.
Does Tia Kemp have a podcast? Yes, Tia Kemp co-hosts the “Aunt Tea Podcast” on the Zeus Network alongside Tokyo Toni and Karlissa Saffold, where the trio discuss celebrity news, relationships, and current events.
What is the name of Tia Kemp and Rick Ross’s son? Their son is named William Leonard Roberts III, a football player who graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School and committed to play college football at Bethune-Cookman University.
Why did Tia Kemp and Rick Ross publicly disagree in 2024? After Rick Ross celebrated making his final child support payment, Tia Kemp publicly pushed back and called on him to help cover their son’s college tuition at Bethune-Cookman University, sparking widespread entertainment media coverage.
