A new documentary about the rise and fall of Tekashi 6ix9ine is streaming now on Hulu.
Tekashi 6ix9ine rise to fame and his subsequent fall from grace have been fascinating to witness. The Brooklyn-born rapper started his career overseas, blowing up in Eastern Europe before creating his gang-affiliated image in New York. He became the master troll, beefing with a who’s who of prominent rappers in the industry and bragging about his formulaic Billboard recipe, gloating about going 10/10 on the Billboard Hot 100 with his single releases.
Then, everything exploded in his face when he was arrested for racketeering. Days after his arrest, it became clear that 6ix9ine’s allegiance was not to his gang, as he proceeded to rat out everybody he could think of.
Several documentaries and docu-series have been announced, diving deeper into the rapper’s story, including the recently-premiered 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez on Hulu.
The doc is officially live, described as “part investigative documentary, part real-life gangster movie”. Director Vikram Gandhi consulted with childhood friends of the rapper, who knew him before the face tattoos and destructive personality. His project looks into how 6ix9ine “repeatedly broke the internet with his sensationalist music videos and social media beefs before infamously testifying against Brooklyn gang the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods in a landmark trial”.
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“All of my films explore identity, specifically the inner life of charismatic figures,” said the director, via Variety. “I’m fascinated by the difference between the perceived person on the surface and the real person underneath…. What made him so fascinating were the contradictions built into his very existence: A Mexican kid with facial tattoos and rainbow hair shouting the n-word, flaunting gang affiliation, starting beef, and posting his own violent acts online. As I moved further into the story, I met a motley crew of personalities who were integral to Tekashi69’s development as an artist and celebrity. Danny Hernandez wanted to be famous so badly that he was devoured by his digital avatar, Tekashi69.”
Will you be watching this one?