Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine pleaded guilty Thursday to violating his probation for the third time in less than a year after admitting he attacked a man who taunted him over his cooperation with federal authorities.
The 29-year-old rapper, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, appeared in Manhattan federal court and told Judge Paul A. Engelmayer he assaulted the man with an accomplice at a Florida gym on Aug. 8, 2024.
“Me and another individual hit a person, and it was wrong,” 6ix9ine said. Prosecutors said the confrontation escalated after the victim mocked him for testifying against members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang. 6ix9ine and his associate allegedly punched and kicked the man before fleeing when they realized he was armed, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Rebold.
Thursday’s admission marks 6ix9ine’s third probation violation in 12 months. In July, he pleaded guilty to drug possession charges after authorities found cocaine and MDMA in his Florida mansion. Last November, he served 45 days in jail for unauthorized travel, failed drug tests, and testing positive for methamphetamines.
Judge Engelmayer voiced frustration with the rapper’s repeated infractions. “This is the third occasion this court has seen him in the past year,” the judge said, adding that Hernandez appeared to believe “the rules don’t apply to him” because of his celebrity status.
As punishment, Engelmayer ordered 6ix9ine to remain under home detention in Florida with electronic monitoring until a November sentencing hearing, where he could face additional prison time.
Hernandez’s troubles trace back to his 2019 racketeering conviction, when he received a two-year sentence after testifying against the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. His cooperation earned him early release — and the enduring label of “snitch” that has sparked multiple violent encounters.
In March 2023, he was hospitalized after three men ambushed him inside an LA Fitness gym in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. During that attack, his assailants shouted expletives interpreted as a reference to his testimony. A father-and-son pair involved in the beating was later arrested and charged.
The August 2024 incident echoes that earlier assault, with prosecutors arguing Hernandez’s notoriety continues to invite confrontation.
His attorney, Lance Lazzaro, said Thursday that 6ix9ine is often targeted because of his past. “He is not seeking conflict,” Lazzaro said. “He is confronted by his past.”
6ix9ine could face additional prison time at his November sentencing for the probation violations.
