Where is 6ix9ine now? He seems headed to financial ruin

6ix9ine (real name: Daniel Hernandez) is an American rapper who gained fame for his confrontational rapping style. The rapper stands out, not because of his musical prowess, but due to his rainbow-colored hair, extensive tattoos, extravagant jewelry, and controversial nature. 

At the height of his fame, 6ix9ine was arrested, pleading guilty to a litany of charges. 6ix9ine faced close to 50 years in prison, but after testifying against other Nine Trey gang members, 6ix9ine was sentenced to two years in the slammer. 

6ix9ine recently testified before a judge that his money’s running out. He stated that his career stagnated following his arrest and didn’t believe it could recover to its previous height. 

The rapper’s contract with TenThousandProjects and his merchandise contract expired in February 2022. Therefore, he isn’t getting money from his career as a recording artist or from merchandise sales. 

“Right now, I am struggling to make ends meet. I do not know if I will ever command the kind of advances I was paid before my arrest, and my career stalled,” 6ix9ine said.

The rapper is the defendant in a civil lawsuit brought by two victims of a 2018 robbery he pleaded guilty to. 6ix9ine and members of the Trey Nine Bloods ambushed Seketha Wonzer and Kevin Dozier in April 2018, believing the pair were affiliated with J. Prince’s Rap-A-Lot Records. 

Seketha and Dozier are seeking more than $5 million in damages. “It will undoubtedly bankrupt me in a way from which I will never recover, to the permanent disadvantage and hardship of the family members who rely upon me,” 6ix9ine said in a final plea to the judge. 

6ix9ine’s brother, mother, and two children rely on him for financial support. 

If 6ix9ine assertions are factual, he faces tough financial times ahead. He was recently forced to settle a lawsuit from two producers who claimed the rapper used the melody, structure, and composition of a song titled Regular to create the hit GOOBA. 

6ix9ine and his team initially described the suit as a sham, but in February 2022, it emerged that the rapper would settle the suit. If the defendants in his civil case obtain a judgment against 6ix9ine, he’ll have to fork out the millions from somewhere, despite claiming that he’s broke. 

In October 2021, 6ix9ine advertised an NFT sale on the handle @trollznft69. According to the website hosting the collection, the project was ‘made to interact with 6ix9ine’s fans and supporters but also give long term value to holders.’

However, the sale seemed suspicious. The website had no contact details or a terms and conditions page; the promoters promised that $100,000 would go to various charities, but the site didn’t name the charities. 

The site, however, had a frequently asked questions section. One of the questions was, “Is this a scam or rug pull?” The answer was unconvincing, to put it mildly:

“R U DUMB? No! This is a project in direct correlation with 6ix9ine. He is aware and privy to the inner workings going on behind the scenes. This project is directly influenced by his involvement, so anything promised on TROLLz web/discord will be delivered.”

A couple of days before the NFTs went live, 6ix9ine declared his association with the project. “STOP QUESTIONING MY DISCORD,” he wrote and turned off the comments.

Matthew Gould, an NFT expert, cast doubt on the authenticity of the sale. He told Rolling Stone that legitimate sales would have well-known promoters backing it, yet no one knew the entities behind the Trollz sale. 

Gould also stated that the project’s speed raised suspicions. “When you go to research the project you should be able to see a history of Discord activity or other community engagement that shows how they developed the idea over time,” he said. 

As Rolling Stone suspected, the project proved to be a scam. Six Trollz holders speaking to Rolling Stone said they believe the sale was a hastily orchestrated cash grab or rug pull, a maneuver used by malicious developers who promise a product only to abandon it and steal investors’ funds. 

6ix9ine resort to scamming may indicate that he’s facing dire financial times. 

It’s been over a year since 6ix9ine released a song. He seems to have taken a break from music after releasing the single Zaza. 

6ix9ine has no recording deal, and few labels seem interested in signing him, making it unlikely that he’ll return soon. Shawn Setaro, author of Complex Presents Dummy Boy: Tekashi 6ix9ine and The Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, told Complex that 6ix9ine will likely pursue another career. 

Setaro wrote the book about 6ix9ine after realizing that the tons of information he had about the rapper could fit into a cohesive story. Having covered the rapper for years, he’s best placed to offer an opinion as to his next move. 

Shawn said he wouldn’t rule out a potential 6ix9ine comeback, but the rapper needs to adapt to a market that no longer responds to his calls for attention. Setaro pointed out that people give less attention to 6ix9ine’s attempts to troll people. However, Shawn also said that the rapper’s trolling style might still work:

“I don’t know if he can leave that tactic behind. I think it’s always worked for him. Poking at people and insulting people got him from hunting for clothes in the garbage to worldwide stardom, so it’s like, who is it for anyone to tell him to stop or that it won’t work again?”

Setaro noted 6ix9ine’s collaborations with YouTubers and opined that the rapper might transition into a YouTube content creator, Twitch streamer, or video game live streamer. “I can’t see him giving up public life,” he said. “I don’t necessarily know if he’ll be a musician.”

6ix9ine last posted on Instagram in May 2021, leaving fans worried about his health. He’d previously left Instagram for six months to focus on losing weight. 

The rapper wrote that he ate a lot during his home incarceration, ballooning to 204 pounds. He wrote:

“The real reason I LEFT Instagram and MUSIC for 6 months is because in September I was the biggest I ever got. I told myself to put the music to the side and focus on myself and here I am today 60 pounds lighter at 140 [pounds] … ALL THIS TO SAY … – IN LIFE everyone needs a break.”

In October 2020, 6ix9ine was treated at a Florida hospital for pairing coffee with diet pills. The rapper told The Shade Room that taking two doses of Hydroxycut instead of one affected his heart rate, leading to his hospitalization. 

6ix9ine’s mental health struggles might have caused his latest social media hiatus. In April 2021, Tekashi wrote on Instagram that he was not happy despite his success in music. He wrote alongside a video of himself in the Dominican Republic:

“I’m sorry I been away from music. In all reality I’m not happy. The fame and the money doesn’t mean anything to me because it doesn’t bring me joy. I say all this because when your chasing your dreams in life remember God comes first. will continue my journey to find happiness within myself and find the joy I once had.”