Tekashi 6ix9ine’s blackball might’ve been finally lifted thanks to Gunna taking the spotlight on the controversial topic of snitching in hip hop.
Some veterans in rap, like Funkmaster Flex and Jim Jones, are coming to grips with the fact that there’s a new dawn in hip hop around the idea of snitching. For decades, rap has held strong views on the issue, but signs of cracks started appearing in 2019 following the plea deal and subsequent testimony of Tekashi 6ix9ine in the Nine Tr3y Gangsta Bloods racketeering trial that saw several members of the gang being sent to prison including the rapper’s former manager Kifano “Shotti” Jordan.
Some three years later and snitching is once again taking center stage in hip hop following a surprising plea deal Atlanta rapper Gunna cut with prosecutors that saw him walking free with a suspended sentence. His action didn’t come without a price, as several rappers, including Meek Mill, Polo G, Lil Baby, and more, have distanced themselves from him by hitting the unfollow button on Instagram.
Yesterday, Funkmaster Flex announced that he no longer has a ban on 6ix9ine’s music following Gunna’s plea deal.
“Spoke to [Jim Jones] he expressed that for him there will never be any tolerance for testifying and cooperating in today’s era,” Flex wrote while acknowledging that he and the former Dipset rapper may disagree on that but agree that times are changing and integrity among rappers at an all-time low.
“I’m no longer not ‘not’ playing 6ix9ine music anymore (speaking for myself only),” he added.
In the meantime, 6ix9ine has added his two cents on Gunna’s recent post announcing that he was back with new music while also calling for Young Thug to be freed and that YSL is a label. Gunna is having a hard time convincing fans and rappers in the hip-hop world that he should be welcomed back with open arms after he took a plea deal and was heard in court admitting that he had knowledge that YSL was a gang.
Among those who have been vocal about Gunna purportedly “snitching” on Young Thug is rapper 6ix9ine, whose own career took a massive hit and led to a downward spiral he is yet to recover from after he took a plea deal in 2019. 6ix9ine’s deal saw him testifying in court against his co-defendants, who were gang members.
The rapper had a short suspended sentence, but he has been alienated in hip hop, with many calling him a rat. Since Gunna’s release, 6ix9ine has not let up in calling out other rappers who have been silent in Gunna but were quick to call him a “rat” and “snitch.”
On Tuesday, Gunna posted that he did not switch sides as “it’s only one side,” and had two provocative hashtags, “#YslTheLabel #FreeThug&Yak GUNNA BACC.”
6ix9ine called out the Atlanta rapper contradicting himself on the internet.
“In court you said it was a gang here on IG u saying the label. Lol u can’t make this sh*t up,” 6ix9ine wrote in a comment responding to Gunna’s post.
Last month, 6ix9ine hit out at Gunna after he released a statement seeking to clarify that he had not done anything to jeopardize Young Thug’s defense and that he won’t testify against Young Thug if called or he will plead the 5th (although the 5th is for self-incrimination not incriminating others).
“Just stfu and listen I know ya don’t wanna accept it,” 6ix9ine had written. “Your man is fighting for his life in court on a gang RICO. Judge: You are aware YSL is a gang correct. Fatass gunna: Yes ma’am. Judge: ONLYYYYY you and Jeffrey are in the car and the police find a handgun and drugs. This didn’t belong to you correct? Fatass gunna: Yes ma’am.”
Gunna signed to Young Thug’s record label YSL Records which is an imprint of 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records, on or around 2015. So far, he has released ‘Drip or Drown 2’, and ‘Wunna’ in 2020, and ‘DS4EVER’ in 2022, both of which are Billboard No. 1 albums.
As for the YSL Rico trial, jury selection is currently underway, with an estimated 600 potential jurors expected to be screened.
