New York rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine suffered a brutal beating at the hands of a group of men while at a South Florida sauna on Tuesday night. A video of the rapper battered and bruised has gone viral showing his face bleeding and swollen while his body also appears bloodied.
The rapper was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital in an ambulance to receive medical treatment. Details about the attack are limited except that the rapper’s attorney Lance Lazzaro confirmed that his client was attached at an LA Fitness sauna on Tuesday.
The men reportedly attacked the controversial rapper unprovoked, although his lawyer seemed to hint that the attack may be connected to his 2019 RICO case, where he cooperated with authorities in exchange for less time.
The lawyer said 6ix9ine, who was unarmed and who was not accompanied by security, tried to fight off his attackers, but they outnumbered him and managed to beat him badly.
The incident was reported to the police by staff at the gym while the rapper was taken for immediate medical treatment. In the meantime, photos of the rapper’s battered face have gone viral on social media showing deep gashes on his cheek while his ears and nose appeared to be bleeding and the forehead and nose swollen.
According to TMZ, 6ix9ine sustained injuries to his jaw, ribs, and back. A video by a gym goer shows the artist wearing a black leather sweater and shorts. The rapper accused the man videoing of “jumping” him, but the man filming denied jumping the rapper and said he was a fan. The video also showed another man stumping and yelling at 69 who was on the ground.
In the meantime, the rapper’s lawyer Lazzaro says he will be calling federal authorities to get the rapper protection. However, he didn’t say whether the attack could have been motivated by the rapper’s decision to cooperate with the feds, which led to several gang members going to jail. The rapper has been called a “snitch,” with many threatening him online with violence for cooperating with authorities.
Despite possibly being a target as a result of his cooperation with federal prosecutors, Tekashi 6ix9ine has been actively inviting problems into his life, possibly as a PR move to sell more music and get bookings. He regularly trolls other rappers in the industry and often times walk around with a large quantity of cash and shares his location. In one video, he was even spotted at a gas station in his Lamborghini without security.
It appears that move might’ve just backfired this time after coming in contact with someone brave enough to confront him physically.
