We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours
Who is rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, what’s his net worth and why was he released from prison?
RAPPER Tekashi 6ix9ine broke an Instagram record after 2 million followers watched his livestream after he was released from prison. But who is he and why was he released from prison? Here’s what we know about the controversial star. Who is rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine? Tekashi 6ix9ine, 24, is an American rapper from New York who […]
RAPPER Tekashi 6ix9ine broke an Instagram record after 2 million followers watched his livestream after he was released from prison.
But who is he and why was he released from prison? Here’s what we know about the controversial star.
Who is rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine?
Tekashi 6ix9ine, 24, is an American rapper from New York who first found viral fame by uploading tracks to SoundCloud.
As of this year, his net worth is roughly estimated at nearly £3,230,000.
The rapper, whose name is pronounced “six nine”, first began releasing songs in 2014 and gained mainstream attention for his style of aggressive rap mixed with anime visuals.
He rose to fame in late 2017 with the release of his debut commercial single Gummo which became platinum, but his career has also been blighted by personal and legal issues.
Prior to his music career he sold marijuana to support his family after his father was murdered in 2009.
Why was he released from jail early?
He was originally arrested in 2018 on racketeering charges and could have faced up to 47 years in prison before striking a plea deal with prosecutors to testify against fellow gang members Anthony ‘Harv’ Ellison and Aljermiah ‘Nuke’ Mack.
Following the deal, he was sentenced to just two years in jail, 13 months of which he had already served.
He was then released from jail last month over fears he would catch the coronavirus in a New York prison.
He is now serving the remaining four months of his prison sentence at home in incarceration.
During the Instagram Live rant following his release from prison, he claimed he was “the biggest artist in the world” and denied that he was a “snitch” after testifying against members of the gang in court.
He said: “I appreciate every little thing and I did nothing wrong. Yes, I didn’t need all of that beef. I’m the biggest artist in the f***ing world.”
The rapper has a complex criminal history, and is associated with the Nine Trey Gansta Blood gang of New York – labelled a “violent city gang” by the US Attorney Office.
What is Tekashi 6ix9ine’s real name?
The rapper was born Daniel Hernandez on May 8, 1996, and has one daughter, with his partner Sara.
He was raised in Brooklyn, New York, to a Mexican mother and a Puerto Rican father.
His debut mixtape, Day69, was released on February 23, 2018, and peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and No20 in the UK.
What are Tekashi 6ix9ine’s biggest songs?
The rapper has notched up quite a few hits his highest-ranked hit, Fefe, reaching No17 in the UK charts.
The hits include (in order of popularity):
- Bebe
- Fefe
- Stoopid
- Billy
- Tati
