One thing is for sure when it comes to rap music. It's not uncommon to find rappers in the middle of legal scandals. Since the days of 90s gangsta rap, where rappers came from real situations involving violence and drugs and ended up rapping about them, legal trouble and rap have gone hand in hand.
At this point rap has grown to where people from all different backgrounds are in the mix, however, there are still plenty of famous rappers who get in trouble, or are doing things that could get them in trouble. The most recent victim is the young rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine who was recently arrested by the feds.
Tekashi 6ix9ine is the tattoo-faced, colorful-haired rapper from Brooklyn who has taken the world by storm. You may have heard his songs such as "FEFE" and "BEBE" on the radio, or you've seen his face and wondered "who is that?" Read on to find out what this young star rapper did to get charged by the feds.
Tekashi 6ix9ine is from Brooklyn, and his real name is Daniel Hernandez. At only 22 years old, he could find himself in prison for life due to his crimes. He has been charged with racketeering and firearm charges. The charges come following the shooting of a bystander in July, as well as a robbery at gunpoint. Who did he rob? A rival of his gang. It all sounds like something out of a Denzel Washington movie, but it's his real life.
Daniel "Tekashi 6ix9ine" Hernandez wasn't the only one arrested. Four people were arrested along with Tekashi 6ix9ine, including Jensel "Ish" Butler, Faheem "Crippy" Walter, and Kifano "Shotti" Jordan. As of Monday, Tekashi 6ix9nine's former lawyer did not respond for comment, and it's not completely clear if the other three arrested have their own lawyers outside of a public attorney.
Although stars come and go in the rap world, Tekashi 6ix9ine is the newest and biggest rapper. His song "Fefe" features rap God Nicki Minaj, and reached No. 3 on the charts. Love him or hate him, his music is popular and speaks to people. In February he released his album "Day69: Graduation Day" and it spent time on the iTunes top records charts. He's a man with a lot to lose, but for Tekashi 6ix9ine, his past lifestyle has remained despite his musical success.
He's been a publicly identified member of a New York Gang called the Trey Bloods ever since his earlier encounters with law enforcements. Prosecutors believe that Tekashi 6ix9ine, along with his gang, are responsible for a series of robberies, narcotics trafficking, and murders that have occurred since 2013. They are all gang related.
The crimes that Tekashi 6ix9ine and his cohorts are accused of are all gang-style crimes. According to law enforcement, the crimes were part of a gang requirement for each member of the posse to commit two crimes. They call this "Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods," akin to gang initiation-style crimes.
These aren't the only crimes that have gotten Tekashi 6ix9ine in trouble in the past. He's pleaded guilty in Brooklyn Criminal Court to disorderly conduct at a traffic stop, and in 2015 he was involved in a sexually explicit video involving a minor. The video was posted on social media and shows graphic footage involving Tekashi 6ix9ine. Although he is famous and popular, these past crimes will not look good in the eyes of the court, and he could see life in prison. That's one way to ruin your career.
