Gang affiliations are a common thing in the world of rap music. Several rappers from years gone by have been able to make a name for themselves in the industry after showcasing their gang affiliations which went a long way in giving them credibility in the streets.
Rappers like Snoop Dogg, Birdman, Nipsey Hussle, and Game to name a few, are some of the more successful gang-affiliated rappers. But while this lot has rightly spoken about being members of street gangs, what set them apart from those of the younger generation like Tekashi69 was the fact that they never outrightly promoted gang activity and did not court controversy wherever they went to.
Having had a difficult childhood, Tekashi was drawn into the throes of a gang as a teenager. It made so much sense for him since he was hoping to build a career as a rapper. As things would pan out, however, being gang-affiliated did not only mean he could be protected and validated by the streets as he enhanced his reputation as a rapper and provocateur, but it also made him a target for extortion and gang violence.
6ix9ine, as he is also called, has since found himself behind bars on federal racketeering, weapons, and drug charges, including conspiracy to murder and armed robbery, which had him facing up to life in imprisonment. The New York native ended up pleading guilty and was given a 2-year prison sentence for helping prosecutors convict several other violent gang members.
Tekashi69’s Life Before Becoming a Rapper
Tekashi69’s story begins in the working-class neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York City. He was born on May 8, 1996, as Daniel Hernandez to a Mexican mother and a Puerto Rican father. His father left the family when he was young so he was raised solely by his mother and a stepfather who was later gunned down near the family home.
Hernandez, who has asthma, was treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression as a result of the incident. Things, however, never remained the same for the young man as he began to act out in school before eventually being expelled in the 8th grade. He was left with little option but to get a job in order to support his mother financially. He also sold drugs to help his income stream but was eventually arrested and convicted for this.
Tekashi69 did time at Rikers Island for drug dealing and it was here that he became associated with the Nine Trey Gangsters, a prison subset of the Bloods street gang. After regaining his freedom, 6ix9ine began rapping, releasing multiple songs accompanied by anime videos. His work gained attention for his aggressive rapping style as well as his rainbow-dyed hair and excessive tattoos.
Controversies Surrounding Him and Feuds with Other Artists
Tekashi69 gained notoriety for his constant clashing with SoundCloud rappers, including Trippie Redd. His first feud, however, was with a former associate, rapper Junius ‘ZillaKami’ Rogers. The pair disagreed over the ownership of songs they created together, leading ZillaKami to release images and information that pointed towards 6ix9ine being a pedophile.
Despite working together in April 2017, Tekashi’s feud with Redd began after the latter came across the pedophile allegations. The pair went on to trade jabs on social media before it became so intense that Redd was attacked in the lobby of a New York hotel. 6ix9ine insinuated via Instagram that he was responsible for the attack and the two have since then continued to go at each other on social media.
In May 2018, Tekashi69 garnered more controversy as he was involved in a shoot-out with the entourage of rapper Casanova. The fallout from the shooting would prove costly for the rapper as he lost a $5 million headphone deal and was banned from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
For the rest of 2018, 6ix9ine has had feuds with rappers Chief Keef, Tadoe, and Lil Reese among other people. He later confessed to having paid an associate $20,000 to shoot Chief Keef during one of his visits to New York.
How Tekashi69 Ended Up Behind Bars
Tekashi69’s first problem with the law came in February 2015 when he was accused of having sexual contact with a minor while shooting a music video. The girl was believed to have been 13 years old at the time of recording while the rapper was already an adult. In October that year, he pled guilty to one count of use of a child in a sexual performance. He took a plea deal that helped him escape serving jail time and registering as a sex offender as he received a four-year probation period and had to do 1,000 hours of community service.
In January 2018, 6ix9ine choked a 16-year-old at the Houston, Texas Galleria Mall. According to police reports, the boy was accosted by the rapper and his bodyguards after he tried to record him. Hernandez was arrested months later in New York for misdemeanor assault in relation to the incident, but the boy decided not to press charges.
A few weeks after that arrest, Tekashi69 became the victim of a kidnapping and armed robbery incident by fellow Nine Trey gang members who beat him up and made away with over $750,000 in customized jewelry and about $35,000 in cash.
In November 2018, the FBI arrested him and his associates on several charges that had him facing life in prison. The rapper pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him and proved to be cooperative with law enforcement as he testified against his former associates and fellow gang members in exchange for a lesser prison sentence. He was later sentenced to two years in prison and is set to regain his freedom in 2020.
What We Know About Members of His Family
Tekashi69’s mother, Natividad Perez-Hernandez, immigrated to the United States in 1988 from Mexico. She raised her son alongside his older brother, Oscar Osiris Hernandez. While not much is known about the whereabouts of his brother and the relationship the two have, 6ix9ine is known to be really close with his diabetic mother who he has made sure to always look out for after he found success as a musician.
Following his incarceration and decision to testify against his fellow Nine Trey Gangsters, Tekashi has feared that the gang members may attack his family in retaliation. It has been reported that the immediate members of his family have hired extra security and are taking the extra precaution of not appearing in or anywhere near the courthouse.
Who is Tekashi69 Dating?
Tekashi69 is reportedly dating bartender and aspiring rapper Jade, whose real name is Rachel Wattley. The duo met a few weeks before 6ix9ine was arrested for his association with the Nine Trey Gangsters.
Despite knowing his past and gang affiliations, Jade has been supportive of the rapper throughout his ordeal. She even wrote a letter to Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, calling 6ix9ine a kind-hearted person who was respectful, caring, and generous. As a show of support and loyalty, she has tattoos of 6ix9ine’s face and the numbers ‘69’ on her chest.
Like her boyfriend who has fathered two daughters; Saraiyah born on March 20, 2013, to a woman named Sara Molina, and an unnamed daughter born on November 19, 2018, to a woman named Marlena, Jade also has a daughter of her own. She has a 4-year-old daughter named Jae’la from a previous relationship.
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