- The rapper
Tekashi 6ix9ine — whose real name is Daniel Hernandez — released a music video Friday for a new song titled "Gooba." - He's currently finishing a two-year sentence in home confinement after pleading guilty to crimes related to his work in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang.
- An accompanying livestream racked up 2 million simultaneous views. He said he doesn't regret "snitching" on the gang, who he says treated him poorly.
- It's not clear how Hernandez made the
music video so quickly, since a judge gave him permission to film it less than two weeks ago, and only for two hours per week. - Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Tekashi 6ix9ine — the rapper whose real name is Daniel Hernandez — released a new music video on Friday.
It comes under unusual circumstances: Hernandez is currently under home confinement — released from prison early because of the coronavirus pandemic — serving a 2-year sentence after pleading guilty to several crimes in relation to his involvement with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang.
In the song, titled "Gooba," Hernandez dares people to "tell me how I ratted." He was branded a "snitch" for betraying his gang and cooperating with prosecutors.
Following the music video's release, Hernandez held an Instagram livestream viewed by more than 2 million people simultaneously. He suggested he has no regrets about cooperating with prosecutors.
"Kidnap me? Beat the s--- out of me and everything? I'm supposed to be loyal to that?" he said.
Hernandez expressed pride at the enormous number of people who watched his livestream, saying it marked a comeback for the rapper, who also turns 24 today.
"Y'all could never cooperate with the government and come back," he said. "Y'all could never do that. I'm a living legend at the age of 24 years old."
It's not clear how the music video was released so quickly. A ruling from US Southern District of New York Judge Paul Engelmayer was released on April 29, permitting him to film music videos for just two hours a week as part of "employment-related activities." Hernandez lived in Brooklyn prior to his arrest, but he's currently living in a rental property, the location of which is redacted in court documents reviewed by Insider. The music video features several women, including Rachel "Jade" Wattley, Hernandez's girlfriend. Engelmayer's ruling left the details of Hernandez's filming to his probation officer.
In parts of the video, Hernandez also appears to be choking a woman — possibly a crass reference to his ex-girlfriend, who says he repeatedly choked her. His security guards also appear visible at one point, and he points to his ankle monitor. The video's YouTube description says it was directed by CanonF8, David Wept, and Hernandez himself.
Hernadez had worked on music while in prison and signed a $10 million record deal, according to previous reports.
"Gooba" marks the first of his new music. It was advertised in advance with a billboard in Times Square, broadcast to streets emptied amid the coronavirus pandemic.
At the end of his livestream, Hernandez thanked Lance Lazarro, his defense attorney, as well as Engelmayer.
"I want to thank the judge for letting me come home to my family, allowing me to celebrate my birthday with my family," he said.
You can watch the music video for "Gooba" below. It's not safe for work.
- Read more:
- Michael Cohen won't be let out of prison because of the coronavirus after all. Here are 12 other high-profile inmates who tried to get home early.
- Tekashi 6ix9ine can spend up to 2 hours a week making backyard music videos while in home confinement, a judge ruled
- Tekashi 6ix9ine has been released from prison to serve the rest of his sentence at home because of the coronavirus
- Tekashi 6ix9ine was sentenced to 2 years in prison after snitching on his gang