The director of an upcoming 6ix9ine docuseries doesn’t have a lot of nice 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 kid who got sucked into wanting fame and fortune.
“I think viewers will be shocked to realize how hyper calculated the rapper is,” Gill said. “Tekashi was someone who never did anything online on accident. Every click, word, and action online was designed with care to spark a reaction.”
The director didn’t meet 6ix9ine personally to make the three-part project. Instead, the series is based on Stephen Witt’s January 2019 Rolling Stonefeature “Tekashi 6ix9ine: The Rise and Fall of a Hip-Hop Supervillain.” Though they never met face-to-face, Gill believes he has enough information to make a judgment on the artist’s character.
“The public and media hates him because he is truly a horrible human being who has done terrible things,” Gill said. “And from an overall perspective, he loves to instigate and aggravate which is something that naturally sparks a reaction.”
This was on full display when 6ix9ine coaxed Meek Mill into a near physical altercation this weekend. Despite being a known informant with police surveillance and security, 6ix9ine recited lyrics from Pooh Shiesty’s “Back in Blood” when screaming that Meek moves with off-duty cops. Like the beefs and incidents that made him a household name, 6ix9ine filmed the entire encounter, creating a viral moment.
Not only has Tekashi threatened the lives of beloved iconic rappers like Chief Keef, he’s also rattled rap and street culture by openly working with federal authorities. This type of behavior nearly turned Gill off from the project, but he ended up creating the series because he feels like it is an “important story.”
“I never really wanted to explore Tekashi’s story specifically, and actually was hesitant about the project at first because of how he has been such a toxic individual in our culture,” Gill continued. “[But] from a wider scope, I realized it’s an extremely important story that shines a light on where we are as a culture. We’re living in the era of manufactured celebrity, where people can create inauthentic online personas and rise to fame without any talent or morals. Tekashi’s story is exactly that—he’s someone who realized the power of having your own platform.”
6ix9ine caught wind of Gill’s comments, prompting his lawyer, Lance Lazzaro, to come to his client’s defense. He tells TMZ that Gill knows nothing about the rapper. Also, 6ix9ine has nothing to do with this upcoming docuseries so the director shouldn’t pass judgment on someone he’s never met. Instead, he should focus on the positive things 6ix9ine does like helping “young people who were dying from cancer.”
Showtime’s three-part series Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine will debut on Feb. 21.
