Daniel Hernandez, TEKA$HI69 or simply 6ix9ine as he is most commonly known, has endured one of the biggest 'blow-ups' in hip-hop in recent memory. The 22-year-old Brooklyn native gained major traction in mid-2017 thanks to a photo of him, complete with his trademark rainbow 'grill' on his teeth, the number '69' tattooed in countless places all over his body and his multicoloured long hair, going viral coining him as the 'final boss' of SoundCloud rappers - a subgenre of artists noted for their extravagant hairstyles and excessive tattoos. However, if his current status counts for anything, that claim may not be as outlandish as it first seemed.
Hernandez has kept a steady rate of song production since he started gaining traction, dropping new music approximately once a month, with his first major hit 'GUMMO' - released in November of 2017 - being his most successful to date, reaching number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 6ix9ine then dropped 'KOODA' in December, followed by 'KEKE' in January, which featured renowned rappers 'A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie' and 'Fetty Wap'. His debut mix-tape, unsurprisingly named 'DAY69' was then released on February 23rd, to mixed reviews from critics. The 11-track project features appearances from big names such as Young Thug and Offset, but drew criticism due to its 'unremarkable production' and 6ix9ine's 'limitations as a rapper'.
It is these 'limitations' which also make 6ix9ine's style somewhat unique though. Harking back to the style of an early XXXTENTACION, Hernandez relies on a form of harsh, aggressive 'shouting' or 'screaming' in the majority of his music, with notable uses of this in 'GUMMO', 'BILLY' and 'RONDO'. This of course, draws harsh criticism as the talent and lyricism in Hernandez's music is called into question more often than not. This isn't the only aspect of 6ix9ine that has drawn controversy though, with his legal issues becoming a constant plague to his career. In October of 2015, Hernandez pled guilty to one felony count of 'the Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance'. Hernandez was charged with three counts of the offence in February of 2015 where he had sexual contact with a 13-year-old minor. In a November in 2017 though, Hernandez claimed to have had 'no sexual contact' with the girl and denied knowing she was a minor.
All of this put fans and other artists on high alert regarding 6ix9ine's behavior. Former friend and collaborator Trippie Redd denounced 6ix9ine in the summer of 2017, saying that "1400 (how Trippie references himself) don't promote pedophiles". Blows have been exchanged between 6ix9ine and Trippie since then, with their 'beef' seeming to simmer off and on every second week. This feud has culminated in recent weeks though as 6ix9ine seemed to finally lose his temper with Trippie's jibes, shouting through an Instagram video that Trippie's girlfriend cheated on him, that he has no platinum-rated songs, and that none of his music has gained any recognition unless it has a big-name feature appearing on it.
Trippie of course replied to this, listing off music that he claims has gained platinum status. Since then, 6ix9ine has went on Instagram live with Trippie to try and resolve matters, which only resulted in Trippie - real name Michael White - ignoring much of Hernandez's pleas for calmness and shouting over him. In response to this, 6ix9ine then claimed that Trippie had slept with then-14-year-old Danielle Bregoli - also known as 'Bhad Bhabie' - who gained recognition for the 'Cash Me Outside' meme in early 2017.
Trippie denied these allegations, but on another Instagram live video with 6ix9ine, Bregoli confirmed they had kissed - but nothing more. This leaves Trippie Redd in a dangerous situation because, if all this is true, he not only stands as an enormous hypocrite, but also as a person no better than 6ix9ine himself.
Accusations and allegations aside though, let's focus on 6ix9ine's music and his ability. In regards to his 'screaming' techniques in most of his popular music, 6ix9ine seems to fully acknowledge and even embrace this style, but as of late, seems to be trying something new in his music. Whether the criticisms of his 'limitations' have aggravated this, or whether he had this planned all along, 6ix9ine's recent trend is undeniably an interesting one. His most recent release, 'GOTTI' (available to view below), was included as part of the deluxe version of DAY69, and is a song which features a much softer, rhythmic, melodic beat to it - with Hernandez providing vocals that one could almost call 'sing-song'.
On top of this, 6ix9ine has previewed multiple snippets on his Instagram account of Latin-like songs, and sounds that are not dissimilar to that of GOTTI. It certainly looks like the New York native is not only looking to expand his capabilities and horizons in the world of hip-hop, but possibly move back towards his Mexican heritage through these Latin beats.
If one watches the official Youtube video for GOTTI, you can see 6ix9ine handing out $100 bills to countless residents of a town in the Dominican Republic, in a style very similar to that of Drake in his viral 'God's Plan' video. This isn't the first time 6ix9ine has given back to the community either, as the rapper donated approximately $10,000 to his old high school in 2017.
With all of this in mind, it truly seems as though 6ix9ine is trying to move away from the negative images, cliches and stereotypes that he has become associated with in the world of rap. His past will undoubtedly plague his career for much of the foreseeable future, but I for one believe that 6ix9ine has changed for the better since fame came his way - not something that happens often when an artist blows up the way that he has. Whether you love him or hate him though, one thing is for certain - 6ix9ine will continue his meteoric rise to the top.
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