The American rapper Tekashi 69, born Daniel Hernandez, is known for his aggressive rapping style and controversial public persona. Hernandez's distinctive appearance includes rainbow-coloured hair, face tattoos, and an extensive tattoo collection. Hernandez's legal troubles, publicized celebrity feuds, and history of controversial behaviour have been well-documented. However, the origin of his stage name, Tekashi 69, remains a mystery.
In an Instagram post, Hernandez offered an explanation for his stage name, stating: I never lost sense of where I came from. That’s what makes me 69. The true meaning of 69 is just because you’re right doesn’t mean I’m wrong. You just haven’t seen life from my perspective. Turn the 6 upside down, it’s 9 but remains the same in a different perspective. Open your mind and heart.
Despite this, the meaning of 69 remains unclear, with speculation that it refers to the sexual position or the yin-yang symbol.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Real Name | Daniel Hernandez |
Stage Name | Tekashi69, Tekashi 6ix9ine, 6IX9INE, Teka$hi69, Tekashi69, Teka$hi 6ix9ine |
Date of Birth | May 8, 1996 |
Height | 5ft 5, or 165cm |
Net Worth | $4 million (as of 2020) |
Nationality | American |
Origin | Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York City |
Parents | Natividad Perez-Hernandez and Daniel Hernandez Sr. |
What You'll Learn
Tekashi 69's real name is Daniel Hernandez
Hernandez struggled academically and was expelled from school in the 8th grade for bad behaviour. He worked various odd jobs to help his mother financially and also dealt drugs to supplement his income. He was eventually arrested and served prison time at Rikers Island, where he associated himself with the Nine Trey Gangsters, a prison subset of the Bloods street gang.
Hernandez began his career as a rapper in 2014, releasing songs such as "69" and "Scumlife". He adopted the stage name "Tekashi69", with "Tekashi" referencing Japanese anime, of which he was a fan, and "69" referencing both the sex position and the yin-yang symbol.
Hernandez gained mainstream fame in late 2017 with the release of his debut single "Gummo", which was certified platinum by the RIAA. He rose to prominence on social media and became known for his distinctive rainbow-themed look, tattoos, aggressive style of rapping, public feuds with fellow celebrities, legal issues, and controversial public persona.
In addition to his musical career, Hernandez has been involved in several controversies and legal issues. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to a felony count of using a 13-year-old child in a sexual performance and received a four-year probation period. He has also faced charges related to racketeering, firearms, and drug possession, and has been arrested multiple times for assault, robbery, and kidnapping.
Despite his legal troubles, Hernandez has maintained commercial success and has collaborated with artists such as Nicki Minaj, Trippie Redd, and Kanye West. He has a significant following on social media, with over 15 million Instagram followers as of 2020.
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He was born in Brooklyn, New York
Daniel Hernandez, better known as the rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, was born in the Bushwick neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York City, on May 8, 1996. His mother, Natividad Perez-Hernandez, was a factory worker and house cleaner from Mexico, and his father, Daniel Hernandez Sr., was from Puerto Rico. Hernandez was raised in a church throughout his youth, singing during mass and reading from the Bible. He played baseball and soccer and was assigned a scout for a major league team at 13, but his mother declined as she did not trust a stranger taking her son.
Hernandez did not know his father until he was nine years old and had only a brief relationship with him. His mother told him his father was dead, but his father claimed she was lying. Hernandez Sr. had a heroin addiction and was in prison for five years for selling drugs.
Hernandez's childhood was marked by tragedy and financial instability. When he was 13, his stepfather was shot and killed outside their apartment. The crime was never solved. Emotionally disturbed by the death, Hernandez stopped showering or eating, losing a significant amount of weight. He was given therapy and was hospitalised for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. He also started acting out and was expelled from school in the eighth grade.
Hernandez and his family struggled financially after his stepfather's death. He and his older brother, Oscar Osiris, wore used clothes, and he had to share a bed with his mother. To help support the family, Hernandez took on various jobs, including working as a busboy and a delivery boy at a grocery store.
Hernandez's difficult teenage years set him on a path towards a life of crime and gang involvement. Despite this, he maintained his Christian faith and, according to an interview with American radio personality Angie Martinez, often prayed for God to change his life. This prayer would seemingly be answered when, at 18, he decided to pursue a career in rap music.
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He has two daughters
Takashi 69, also known as Tekashi 6ix9ine, has two daughters. The rapper's eldest daughter, Saraiyah, is shared with his ex-girlfriend, Sara Molina. His youngest daughter, Briella Iris, is shared with a woman named Layla.
Takashi 69, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, was born on May 8, 1996, in the Bushwick neighbourhood of Brooklyn, New York City. He rose to fame in 2017 with his viral hit "Gummo". Hernandez's distinctive appearance, including his rainbow-coloured hair and extensive tattoos, has made him a memorable figure in the world of hip-hop.
Hernandez's career has been marked by both commercial success and numerous controversies, including legal issues and public feuds with other rappers. Despite the criticism he has faced, Hernandez has a dedicated fan base, with over 19 million followers on Instagram as of 2020.
Hernandez's personal life has also been the subject of public interest. In addition to having two daughters, he has faced domestic violence allegations and has been open about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse.
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He was a SoundCloud rap star
Daniel Hernandez, better known as the rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, rose to fame as SoundCloud rap's most notorious star. In 2017, Hernandez appeared outside a Brooklyn row house to shoot the video for his viral hit "Gummo", which would make him a star and eventually ruin his life. In the video, Hernandez and a crowd of men in red bandannas danced, waved guns, and made cryptic symbols with their hands. Hernandez's hair was dyed rainbow, and he had recently debuted a tattoo of the numerals "6" and "9" covering half his forehead.
Hernandez's road to becoming a rap star began in 2012 when he decided to pursue a career in rap after meeting Peter "Righteous P" Rodgers, the CEO of New York record label Hikari-Ultra. Hernandez began releasing rap songs in 2014, starting with "69", and soon gained a following as an internet meme for his rainbow-dyed hair, extensive tattoos, and rainbow-plated grills.
In 2017, Hernandez rose to prominence on social media due to an Instagram post that went viral on both Reddit and Twitter. That same year, he released his commercial debut single "Gummo", which eventually peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Hernandez followed up on this success with several other hit singles, including "Kooda", "Keke" (with Fetty Wap and A Boogie wit da Hoodie), and "Gotti", all of which entered the Billboard Hot 100.
Hernandez's success, however, was not without controversy. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to a felony count of using a child in a sexual performance and received a four-year probation period and a 1,000-hour community service order. Despite this, Hernandez continued to gain popularity, and in 2018, he released his debut album "Dummy Boy", which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
Hernandez's career and life took a turn in November 2018 when he, his former manager Kifano "Shotti" Jordan, and three other associates were arrested and charged with federal RICO and firearms charges, including conspiracy to murder and armed robbery. Hernandez pleaded guilty to nine charges and was sentenced to two years in prison. He was released early in August 2020 due to concerns over his vulnerability to COVID-19 due to his asthma condition.
Despite his legal troubles and controversial public image, Hernandez briefly maintained commercial success following his release from prison, with his 2020 singles "Gooba" and "Trollz" (with Nicki Minaj) peaking at numbers three and one on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. However, due to his role as an informant in the Nine Trey Gangsters trial, he has been condemned and ostracized by many in the hip-hop community, leading to a severe decimation of his public image.
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He was a member of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods
The rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, born Daniel Hernandez, was a member of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, a subset of the violent prison gang founded at New York's Rikers Island jail in 1993. The gang was formed by Omar Portee, a.k.a. O.G. Mack, and Leonard "Dead Eye" McKenzie, initially as protection against the Latin Kings and the Netas, a Puerto Rican gang.
Hernandez was introduced to the gang through Kifano Jordan, also known as "Shotti," who became his unofficial manager. Shotti was allegedly a member of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods and produced the music video for Hernandez's viral hit "Gummo." Hernandez was facing a lengthy prison sentence when he took a plea deal on the condition that he would testify in the concurrent investigations of his associates in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.
Hernandez's testimony helped put away his former fellow gang members, including a gang leader who received a 17-year sentence on drug dealing and racketeering charges. Hernandez was granted early release from prison in April 2020 due to concerns over his vulnerability to COVID-19 because of his asthma condition. He was placed under house arrest for the remainder of his term and was released in August 2020.
Due to his role as an informant in the Nine Trey Gangsters trial, Hernandez has been condemned and ostracized by several major hip-hop figures and personalities, leading to a severe decimation of his public image.
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