The self-proclaimed “internet’s busiest music nerd,” Anthony Fantano, recently observed that hip-hop is going through its “punk phase.” For Mr. Fantano, hip-hop is no longer a one-trick pony, as multiple lanes and dimensions to the genre have opened up to provide an outlet to build upon the more interesting sounds that have gained popularity. I would argue that hip-hop sub-genres have existed for quite some time now, but I see Fantano’s point. Hip-hop sub-genres in 2017 are extremely pronounced. Some artists have sounds so unique to the point that it’s impossible to truly label them in one manner or another, and less and less rappers seem to adhere to the established hierarchies and traditions that have impacted hip-hop since its inception. In fact, a lot of these guys seem to very loosely fall into the “hip-hop” category, changing form whichever way the wind might blow them. 6ix9ine is one of those guys.
Not a whole lot is known about the dude. He’s from Brooklyn (Bushwick, I believe). He’s Mexican and Puerto Rican in terms of ethnic background. He may or may not be into anime judging by some of his visuals and his overall aesthetic. And he is brazenly crazy as fuck. It seems that he had his first taste of internet stardom in 2014, when the cool-kid fashion forums referred to him as “Pussy Nigga” due to the following image.
He would pop up on those forums on numerous occasions (one recurring reason seemed to be that he rocked articles of clothing adorned with messages that celebrated sexually-transmitted diseases). He also gained notoriety for his social media posts, which contained God-knows-what (I was not following him on any social media platform during his rowdier stages). Eventually, people found out he rapped too. And he was pretty good. So much so, that “Pussy Nigga” rapidly gave way to “Tekashi69.”
Above is a 2015 track by 6ix9ine featuring someone much more famous than him – fellow New Yorker Bodega Bamz. Over a frantic trap instrumental, 6ix9ine and Bodega Bamz create a hard-hitting banger. It’s not exactly the most finely-crafted or original-sounding track 6ix9ine has ever had his hand in, but it provided early insight as to what would make him successful. His attitude. His I-don’t-give-a-fuck-about-anything-or-anyone-but-I’m-from-New-York-and-you-need-to-move-around attitude.
Eventually, 6ix9ine would fine-tune his attitude into his signature sound. Almost punk rock or heavy metal in nature, the dude’s screaming and yelling into the mic is a much more pleasant experience than a description can do justice. It doesn’t really come across as gimmicky or forced, as his unhinged New York attitude kicks any sense of that sort of thing to the curb. Against the back of its head. Teeth-first.
The above track is “Yokai,” which is a rolling ball of nonstop energy. It exemplifies the brashness that has given 6ix9ine the popularity he has attained so far. “Beat you to a pulp with a sock full of batteries, shotty to ya dome, make yo ass defy gravity,” he growls. The track also features ZillaKami, a rapper with a similar aesthetic. The chemistry between both artists is seamless, and there are a couple of instances on the track where the duo trades aggressive lines in a friendly battle of one-upmanship.
Another track of 6ix9ine’s worthy of note would be the very first I ever heard from him, “Hellsing Station.” I saw it featured on a No Jumper vlog, and the snippet that was played of “Hellsing Station” contained more than enough kinetic energy and wacky visuals to peak my interest. Another song featuring ZillaKami, “Hellsing Station,” is an exercise in callous insanity as far as the lyrical content goes. The East Asian strings and suffocating bassline of the instrumental intertwine with the hyper-agressive lyrics to form a sort of deranged battle music with anime overtones. I’d imagine that Flatbush Zombies might make music like this if they had a deep appreciation for Japanese culture and did more dissociatives than psychedelics. Nevertheless, the song is just as bizarre as it is compelling, with a few familiar “Beast Coast” sensibilities to keep it grounded.
There are tracks where 6ix9ine isn’t as oddball as he typically is. There are trap-inspired hard-hitters like “Sinaloa.” There are moments like “On the Regular,” where the abrasive New Yorker in him shines brighter than any of his other assets. There are songs like “Inferno,” where the young Brooklynite plays around with autotune and rock music-inspired chants. There’s nothing that screams “versatile” or “groundbreaking” about a lot these songs, but it’s tracks like the aforementioned ones that draw more attention to 6ix9ine’s raw abilities and angry charisma.
You might notice that 6ix9ine is joined by some friends on a few of his tracks, with some tracks not giving credit to these individuals in the title (ZillaKami, for instance). You might also notice that he shouts “Scum Gang” a lot. You might be scratching your head due to that fact that he seems to have been called “Tekashi69” at one point in time. To the best of my ability, I’m going to try to explain all of this.
“Scum Gang” seems to be a loosely defined collective consisting of 6ix9ine, Zillakami, and ScumBagChad (among others?). Whether or not they all still identify with the group remains to be determined. Around the time 6ix9ine went to jail, he identified as “Tekashi69.” When he got out, there seemed to be a lot of beef, especially between him and ZillaKami. Someone on ZillaKami’s side of the dispute (whether or not it was ZillaKami himself, I’m not sure) allegedly copyrighted the name “Tekashi69.” As to what caused the dispute, there’s a bit of speculation. There’s also a commonly accepted, albeit unconfirmed story behind it. At the risk of spreading rumors, I’m not going to describe the supposed happenings. Let’s just say that if the allegations are true, “Scum Gang” is an appropriately-named camp for 6ix9ine to be a part of.
Good person or bad person, 6ix9ine makes some intriguing music that is laden with aggressive rockstar energy. He has no official project out, just a collection of tracks that can be dug around for on YouTube and Soundcloud. He just began work on his debut project, so we’ll have to wait and see where that goes. Until then, his small catalogue is solid enough to get a taste and then some.
CHECK OUT:
FAVORITE TRACKS – Shinigami, Fuck is You, Inferno, ScumLife, Exodia, Hellsing Station, On the Regular, Sinaloa, Yokai, Zeta Zero 0.5
NOTEWORTHY GUEST APPEARANCES – POLES1469 by Trippie Redd, Jaguáre by Dalyb
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