Image via Getty / MICHAEL CAMPANELLA / Redferns
The director of a forthcoming 6ix9ine documentary series does not have many good things to say about the rapper.
During a conversation with Page Six, Supervillain: the making of Tekashi 6ix9ine director Karam Gill explained that the Brooklyn native is far from a naive boy who was sucked into wanting fame and fortune.
“I think viewers will be shocked to realize how hyper calculated the rapper is,” said Gill. “Tekashi was someone who never did anything online by accident. Every click, word and action online has been carefully designed to trigger a reaction. “
The director did not meet 6ix9ine personally to do the three-part project. Instead, the series is based on Stephen Witt’s January 2019 book Rolling Stone present “Tekashi 6ix9ine: The Rise and Fall of a Hip-Hop Supervillain.” Although they never met face to face, Gill believes he has enough information to make a judgment about the artist’s character.
“The public and the media hate him because he is really a horrible human being who has done terrible things,” said Gill. “And from a general perspective, he loves to instigate and aggravate, which is something that naturally provokes a reaction.”
That was on full display when 6ix9ine persuaded Meek Mill to quasi-physical strife this weekend. Despite being a well-known informant for police surveillance and security, 6ix9ine recited the lyrics to “Back in Blood” by Pooh Shiesty, shouting that Meek moves with off-duty policemen. Like the fights and incidents that made him a household name, 6ix9ine filmed the entire encounter, creating a viral moment.
Not only did Tekashi threaten the lives of beloved iconic rappers like Chief Keef, he also rocked rap and street culture by working openly with federal authorities. This kind of behavior almost drove Gill out of the project, but he ended up creating the series because he feels it is an “important story”.
“I never really wanted to explore Tekashi’s story specifically and, in fact, I was hesitant about the project at first because of how he was such a toxic individual in our culture,” continued Gill. “[But] more broadly, I realized that it is an extremely important story that shows where we are as a culture. We are living in the era of manufactured celebrity, where people can create inauthentic online personas and reach fame without any talent or morals. Tekashi’s story is just that – he is someone who realized the power of having his own platform. “
6ix9ine learned of Gill’s comments, prompting his lawyer, Lance Lazzaro, to defend his client. He tells TMZ that Gill doesn’t know anything about the rapper. In addition, 6ix9ine has nothing to do with this upcoming documentary series, so the director must not judge someone he has never met. Instead, he should focus on the positive things that 6ix9ine does, like helping “young people who were dying of cancer”.
Showtime three-part series Supervillain: the making of Tekashi 6ix9ine will debut on February 21.
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