NEWS'Truly A Horrible Human Being': Director Of Tekashi 6ix9ine Docuseries Reveals How He Really Feels About The Destructive Rapper
Everyone is talking about Showtime’s upcoming docuseries Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine, which details the controversial rapper's “epic rise to notoriety and spectacular fall to convicted criminal.”
Now the director is shedding some light on the destructive star, whom he calls “truly a horrible human being” with no "talent or morals" — but also a “social media mastermind.”
“I think viewers will be shocked to realize how hyper calculated [he is],” Supervillain director Karam Gill said. “Tekashi was someone who never did anything online on accident. Every click, word and action online was designed with care to spark a reaction.”
TEKASHI 6IX9INE SENTENCED TO 2 YEARS IN PRISON DESPITE SNITCHING ON GANG MEMBERS
Because of the toxicity surrounding Tekashi 6ix9ine, Gill said he was unsure if he even wanted to take on the project.
“I never really wanted to explore Tekashi’s story specifically, and actually was hesitant about the project at first because of how he has been such a toxic individual in our culture,” the director said. “From a wider scope, I realized it’s an extremely important story that shines a light on where we are as a culture. We’re living in the era of manufactured celebrity, where people can create inauthentic online personas and rise to fame without any talent or morals. Tekashi’s story is exactly that — he’s someone who realized the power of having your own platform.
“I was surprised to find out how much of a social media mastermind [Tekashi] truly was,” he added. “His understanding of how human beings operate on these platforms is incredible.”
Although Gill never met the rapper while working on the docuseries — the interview seen in the film is from unreleased post-prison tapes — he understands how he operates.
“The public and media hates him because he is truly a horrible human being who has done terrible things,” he said. “And from an overall perspective, he loves to instigate and aggravate which is something that naturally sparks a reaction.”
Even if viewers aren’t fans of Tekashi 6ix9ine, the director said the overall theme of the film will resonate.
“To me this project was an opportunity to capture this time in human history,” he told Page Six, “a time where we have seen pop culture figures, and even presidents, shape their own realities and manipulate us all through digital media.”
Following the director's sharp words, 6ix9ine's attorney Lance Lazzaro told TMZ that Gill has "no clue" what he's talking about and that he believes the director is speaking out simply to gain viewership on the upcoming project.
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Tekashi (real name Daniel Hernandez) burst onto the music scene in late 2017 after the release of his debut single "Gummo." He subsequently released the mixtape Day69, which was supported by the singles "Kooda," "Keke" and "Gotti," all of which charted on the Billboard Hot 100. "Fefe," featuring Nicki Minaj and Murda Beatz, a single from his debut album Dummy Boy, peaked at number three on the Hot 100.
In 2015, the heavily tattooed, rainbow-haired artist pleaded guilty to a felony count of use of a child in a sexual performance and received a four-year probation period and a 1,000-hour community service order.
Three years later, he was arrested on racketeering, weapons and drugs charges. He pleaded guilty to nine charges including conspiracy to commit murder and armed robbery in February 2019 and was given a two-year prison sentence after testifying for the prosecution.
In April 2020, he was granted early release during the COVID-19 pandemic following fears over his vulnerability to the disease due to his asthma condition. He was put on house arrest for the remainder of his term.
After his release from prison, his single “Gooba,” recorded under home confinement, debuted at number three in the U.S. and broke YouTube’s record for the most-watched hip-hop video in a 24-hour span.
Most recently, as OK! previously reported, tension between 6ix9ine and fellow rapper Meek Mill came to a head on Sunday, February 14, when the rivals almost got into a physical altercation outside of an Atlanta nightclub.
Both musicians posted their views of the spat in the parking lot on social media. Though the original posts have been taken down, the footage was captured and posted by others on the internet.
The pair had been feuding online for months after Mill posted a freestyle video denouncing "snitches," in reference to Tekashi 6ix9ine testifying against alleged fellow gang members to avoid a lengthier prison sentence.
Mill tweeted last May, "I hope that rat going live to apologize to the people he told on or the victim..... Y’all forgot that fast a 'rat' killed nipsey he wasn’t suppose to be on the streets! That’s the only thing ima day because he’s dead... left his baby mom and child like a coward as targets!"
Tekashi 6ix9ine shot back in an Instagram Live: "If there is a street code and there’s something called 'no loyalty' and snitching and all that I get it. But, where was the loyalty when you were sleeping with my baby mother? Where was the loyalty when you were caught on the wiretap trying to kill me? Where was the loyalty when you tried to kidnap my mother? Where was the loyalty when you stole millions of dollars?"
The three-part Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine debuts February 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.
