6ix 9ine : The Rise and Fall

By HUBERT KING ‘21

6ix9ine, or Tekashi 69, is one of the most polarizing and controversial figures in the hip-hop industry today. Born Daniel Hernandez, his legal troubles seem to stem from his troubled past. His father was shot when he was thirteen, causing Hernandez to act out in school and subsequently get expelled in eighth grade. Recently, he was arrested on gang-related charges but managed to strike a deal in which he pled guilty and testified against his fellow gang members in exchange for a lighter sentence. As a result, his reputation has suffered greatly; the public has labeled him as a “snitch,” and threats against his life have been so dire that he has been placed into 24/7 witness protection.

Hernandez’s career has been unconventional, to say the least. His hardcore style of rap takes on elements of trap and heavy metal music. His controversial rise to fame came as a result of the pervasive influence of social media in hip-hop today. His debut single, “Gummo,” rose to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. And despite the negative critical reception that stemmed from his intense, gruff style, his debut studio album reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 200. According to Jon Caramanica of the New York Times, Hernandez’s success was a manifestation of a growing trend of “soundcloud rappers,” which are rappers who gain the majority of their following off of soundcloud.com.

Last Friday marked the end of Hernandez’s grueling two-day testimony and cross examination. In his testimony, he recounted the dealings of a gang called the Nine Trey crew, which included “robberies, drugs, and assaults.” He dissected the lyrics from his songs, explaining their meaning within the gang and the connections that his music had to the inner workings of the gang. In addition, he testified to an assault that he and other gang members carried out on Trippie Redd, a rapper who he was feuding with. In another instance, Hernandez explained his dealing with an associate named “Kooda,” whom he offered 20,000 dollars to murder Chief Keef, another subject of Hernandez’s feuding. More notably, he recounted his kidnap by the Nine Trey gangsters around the time of his first gang-related arrests. The kidnap came soon after a falling out with the gang member. Hernandez did not report the incident because he was still adhering to the gang’s code, which is adamantly against “snitching.”

As he faces a minimum sentence of 47 years, Hernandez has evidently decided to help himself at the expense of his safety, career, and reputation. While his career has not completely fizzled out, the future remains bleak for this rapper’s unconventional and remarkable rise to stardom.

Image courtesy of fordhamram.com