Rapper 6ix9ine, real name Daniel Hernandez, dropped a bombshell in a fresh interview. He said he dangled a $1 million deal in front of NBA YoungBoy for a spot on “Shaka Laka.” They even chatted on the phone about it, but NBA YoungBoy Kentrell DeSean Gaulden passed. The slot ended up going to Kodak Black. Stuff like this shines a light on how big bucks play into rap hookups these days. Personal vibes and what fans think can make or break deals. Right now, in early November 2025, it’s stirring up talk about what’s real in hip-hop.
A tweet from X.
From what 6ix9ine shared in chats, like that clip reposted on X by @akzwhomatter, he put it straight:
“We offered NBA Youngboy a million dollars. Me and NBA Youngboy got on the phone and everything.”
He mentioned NBA YoungBoy pushing for upbeat vibes, which didn’t match 6ix9ine’s edge:
“NBA Youngboy said he wanted the song to be more positive. I’m not on no positive shit.”
Kodak Black, whose full name is Bill Kapri, jumped on a deal close to $1 million. Wack 100, 6ix9ine’s connect, handled it through Fume, that vape company. But 6ix9ine set the record straight later:
“I didn’t pay Kodak Black, people have to do their research… There’s a whole company called Fume… bank statements, videos online.”
Then there’s the bit about Lul Tim Timothy Leeks who supposedly laid down a verse for “Giné,” that 2022 track throwing shade at folks like King Von. 6ix9ine said:
“Little Tim recorded the verse. He actually recorded a verse.”
It got held up because of Lul Tim’s self-defense court stuff back then. Nobody from NBA YoungBoy or Lul Tim’s side has backed this up yet, and there’s no outside proof floating around.
But in hip-hop, collaboration is not all about the money. Street credibility means a whole lot, most especially to the US and UK fans who love authenticity of stories and staying true to one’s roots. 6ix9ine’s 2019 court snitch move against Nine Trey Gangsters stuck him with a bad label. That makes working with him a gamble for anyone else’s image. NBA YoungBoy saying no makes sense he’s guarding his name over quick money. Kodak taking it? That got heat from guys like Boosie Badazz, who called it out as chasing dollars without thinking about the code.
Places like HipHopDX and XXL picked up on it, pointing to Wack 100’s shared docs as some proof of Kodak’s payout. Over on X, folks aren’t buying everything threads call out NBA YoungBoy’s smart dodge and knock Kodak for maybe hurting his own buzz. A post from @AkademiksTV echoed the $1 million talk, kicking off chats on how the game works. A lot of comments hit on how these links can mess with plays and fan support.
All this points to bigger headaches in music cash bumping heads with staying true and earning respect. With everyone on social media, artists weigh short wins against long-term trust. It changes how they pick partners in a time when one post can flip everything.
