6ix9ine's rapidly evolving legal case has captured the attention of the world. Most people following the case know the young rapper, and many are aware of his former manager Kifano "Shotti" Jordan, but there is another person caught up in the indictment who should be familiar to many hip-hop fans, too.
Jamel Jones is listed with the aka "Mel Murda" in the state's indictment, but you might know him by another name: Mel Matrix.
Jamel was reportedly caught on tape threatening to "super-violate" 6ix9ine, leading to a chain of events that culminated in the arrests two Sundays ago. But before that, he had a history in hip-hop as a member of the Jim Jones-led group Byrd Gang. We trace some of the highlights below.
He Goes Way Back With Jim Jones
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In a 2010 interview, which you can watch above, Mel talks about how he met Jim Jones.
"That started in the Tunnel days," Mel says, referring to the NYC nightclub that had a famous hip-hop night in the 1990s. He doesn't give a specific date, but the Tunnel's time as a hip-hop staple began in 1993 and ran until 2001. According to Mel, he and Jim bonded over "street shit." At the time, he explained, Jim "was running around with Cam. I was in Brooklyn, doing what I was doing. I always had a knack for the rap, so when his situation popped, he just came back."
He Started Rapping in 2004
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In a 2009 interview (above), Mel explains that he began rapping in 2004. He was on tour with Jim Jones, who heard him rap and insisted he head to the studio. He explains here that his time in the rap game started after a stint in jail. After he came home, he said, Jim "snatched me."
In an interesting bit of trivia, this interview also includes another of Mel's co-defendants, Fuguan "Fu Banga" Lovick.
He Was a Member of Byrd Gang
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Mel's first tracks appeared in 2006, and he quickly became a part of Jim's Byrd Gang crew. He appeared on a number of projects by Jim, as well as related artists like Max B, Stack Bundles and the Riot Squad, and even Tony Yayo. You can see Mel's entire discography here.
He has one mixtape of his own, released with DJ Big Mike. It's called Red Apples Falling, and you can check it out here.
He Beefed With Max B
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Max B and Mel were collaborators, but were also, at one point, foes. Mel recorded a diss song to Max called "On the Run." While the exact origins of the beef are difficult to discern, the video above contains a clue. It shows that Max at one point, when asked about Mel, said, "Mel is not a big fish." You can see Mel's response in the clip above.
He Is Very Close to Shotti
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In an Instagram Live broadcast that was captured for posterity, Shotti explained that he and Mel have a strong relationship. At around the 4:50 mark of the video above, Shotti calls Mel his "best friend" and "big brother." "You can't say 'Shotti' and don't say 'Matrix,'" he explains. "And you can't say 'Matrix' and don't say 'Shotti.'" Shotti also says that Mel is the reason that he has so much leeway in the music industry.
"6ix9ine can talk shit 'cause I say so," Shotti says. "I talk all this shit because Melly sanctioned my shit years and years ago."
