This marks the second time in just over a year that the 29-year-old rapper (born Daniel Hernandez) has been sent back to lockup for violating the terms of his supervised release. While his previous stints were marred by fear of gang retaliation, this surrender felt different. It was a content house production.
The scene outside MDC Brooklyn on Tuesday, January 6, was surreal even by 6ix9ine’s standards. The rapper arrived in a luxury van flanked by security and his influencer entourage.
Adin Ross, who has frequently collaborated with the rapper on Kick, streamed the entire procession. In a moment that went instantly viral on social media, SteveWillDoIt helped 6ix9ine remove his ankle monitor from the vehicle. The mood was a bizarre mix of tension and bravado. At one point, 6ix9ine looked at the camera and joked about fleeing back to Miami, which was a dark bit of humor considering his legal history involves unauthorized travel.
Before exiting the vehicle, Hernandez posted a final message to his Instagram Story. It was a simple text overlay:
“Thank you guys so much see you in 3 months 
.”
He then stepped out into the cold Brooklyn air, wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, and walked toward the facility’s entrance. The livestream captured him waving one last time before entering the intake center. For his millions of followers, the screen went black. For Hernandez, the reality of life at MDC Brooklyn was just beginning. This jail currently houses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and UnitedHealthcare murder suspect Luigi Mangione.
To understand why Hernandez is sitting in a federal cell today, you have to look back at a turbulent 2025. The rapper has been under strict federal supervision since his release from prison in 2020, which was a condition of his plea deal in the infamous Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods racketeering case.
This current three-month sentence stems from a series of violations that tested Judge Paul Engelmayer’s patience.
- Drug Possession: In March 2025, police raided Hernandez’s home in South Florida and discovered cocaine and MDMA.
- Assault: In August 2025, he was involved in a physical altercation at a Palm Beach County mall. The rapper was filmed punching a man who had been taunting him.
During his sentencing hearing on December 5, 2025, prosecutors argued that Hernandez had a “flagrant disrespect” for the law. They pointed out that this was not his first mistake. He had already served a 45-day sentence in late 2024 for traveling to Las Vegas without permission and failing drug tests.
The sentencing hearing last month was high drama. Hernandez, dressed in a red hoodie and white Crocs, delivered an emotional plea to Judge Engelmayer. He argued that his violations were a reaction to the constant harassment he faces for cooperating with the government.
“I walked away,” Hernandez told the judge. His voice broke as he held up printed photos of various confrontations. “How many times do I have to walk away for you guys to see it’s a pattern?”
He detailed terrifying incidents that had not been previously reported, including a coffin being left on his front lawn and his mother being held at gunpoint by masked intruders. He claimed the mall fight was self-defense against people trying to make a name for themselves by attacking a “snitch.”
Judge Engelmayer was sympathetic but firm. He acknowledged the unique danger Hernandez lives in but noted that possessing hard drugs and brawling in public places were choices rather than consequences of his fame.
“From time to time, your actions suggest that you believe that ordinary rules don’t apply to you,” Engelmayer said before handing down the sentence. He ordered Hernandez to surrender on January 6, which gave him the holidays to get his affairs in order.
Hernandez is no stranger to federal prison, but his new temporary home has a dark reputation. The Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park is the only federal jail in New York City. It is also widely considered one of the worst in the country.
In recent years, judges have refused to send defendants there due to “inhumane” conditions. Inmates have reported power outages, freezing temperatures, and rampant violence.
Hernandez will be in protective custody because he is a government cooperator. However, the facility’s roster of high-profile inmates makes it a powder keg. In addition to the recently arrested Venezuelan leadership and the suspect in the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting, the jail has housed R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Hernandez’s attorney, Lance Lazzaro, told reporters last month that his client simply wants to “get this over with.” The hope is that this 90-day stint will be the final chapter of his supervision saga. Upon release in April 2026, he will still have one year of supervised release remaining.
It is impossible to discuss 6ix9ine without mentioning the 2019 RICO case that made him a household name. Facing 47 years in prison for his role in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, he chose to testify against his former crew.
The testimony earned him a lenient two-year sentence and immediate release in April 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. It also earned him a permanent target on his back. For the last six years, Hernandez has trolled his way through the controversy. He released music and flaunted his wealth while constantly looking over his shoulder.
Critics say his return to prison proves that he cannot leave the “street life” behind, even after the government gave him a golden ticket out. Supporters argue he is a victim of a system that used him for information and then left him to fend for himself in a hostile world.
Adin Ross summed up the sentiment of his fanbase during the livestream. “Free 6ix9ine,” Ross said as the van pulled away. “He’s going to come out stronger.”
Whether he comes out stronger is debatable. But he will certainly come out louder.
The rainbow-haired disruptor of hip hop has officially traded his designer threads for a prison uniform once again. Tekashi 6ix9ine, the Brooklyn rapper whose legal drama rivals his chart history, surrendered to federal authorities yesterday to begin a three-month sentence. True to form, he didn’t go quietly.
The artist turned his journey to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) into a livestreamed event that was equal parts somber and chaotic. Accompanied by internet megastar Adin Ross and influencer SteveWillDoIt, 6ix9ine treated his incarceration like a season finale. He broadcast his final moments of freedom to millions of fans before disappearing behind the heavy steel gates of one of New York’s most notorious facilities.
This marks the second time in just over a year that the 29-year-old rapper (born Daniel Hernandez) has been sent back to lockup for violating the terms of his supervised release. While his previous stints were marred by fear of gang retaliation, this surrender felt different. It was a content house production.
The scene outside MDC Brooklyn on Tuesday, January 6, was surreal even by 6ix9ine’s standards. The rapper arrived in a luxury van flanked by security and his influencer entourage.
Adin Ross, who has frequently collaborated with the rapper on Kick, streamed the entire procession. In a moment that went instantly viral on social media, SteveWillDoIt helped 6ix9ine remove his ankle monitor from the vehicle. The mood was a bizarre mix of tension and bravado. At one point, 6ix9ine looked at the camera and joked about fleeing back to Miami, which was a dark bit of humor considering his legal history involves unauthorized travel.
Before exiting the vehicle, Hernandez posted a final message to his Instagram Story. It was a simple text overlay:
“Thank you guys so much see you in 3 months .”
He then stepped out into the cold Brooklyn air, wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, and walked toward the facility’s entrance. The livestream captured him waving one last time before entering the intake center. For his millions of followers, the screen went black. For Hernandez, the reality of life at MDC Brooklyn was just beginning. This jail currently houses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and UnitedHealthcare murder suspect Luigi Mangione.
To understand why Hernandez is sitting in a federal cell today, you have to look back at a turbulent 2025. The rapper has been under strict federal supervision since his release from prison in 2020, which was a condition of his plea deal in the infamous Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods racketeering case.
This current three-month sentence stems from a series of violations that tested Judge Paul Engelmayer’s patience.
- Drug Possession: In March 2025, police raided Hernandez’s home in South Florida and discovered cocaine and MDMA.
- Assault: In August 2025, he was involved in a physical altercation at a Palm Beach County mall. The rapper was filmed punching a man who had been taunting him.
During his sentencing hearing on December 5, 2025, prosecutors argued that Hernandez had a “flagrant disrespect” for the law. They pointed out that this was not his first mistake. He had already served a 45-day sentence in late 2024 for traveling to Las Vegas without permission and failing drug tests.
The sentencing hearing last month was high drama. Hernandez, dressed in a red hoodie and white Crocs, delivered an emotional plea to Judge Engelmayer. He argued that his violations were a reaction to the constant harassment he faces for cooperating with the government.
“I walked away,” Hernandez told the judge. His voice broke as he held up printed photos of various confrontations. “How many times do I have to walk away for you guys to see it’s a pattern?”
He detailed terrifying incidents that had not been previously reported, including a coffin being left on his front lawn and his mother being held at gunpoint by masked intruders. He claimed the mall fight was self-defense against people trying to make a name for themselves by attacking a “snitch.”
Judge Engelmayer was sympathetic but firm. He acknowledged the unique danger Hernandez lives in but noted that possessing hard drugs and brawling in public places were choices rather than consequences of his fame.
“From time to time, your actions suggest that you believe that ordinary rules don’t apply to you,” Engelmayer said before handing down the sentence. He ordered Hernandez to surrender on January 6, which gave him the holidays to get his affairs in order.
Hernandez is no stranger to federal prison, but his new temporary home has a dark reputation. The Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park is the only federal jail in New York City. It is also widely considered one of the worst in the country.
In recent years, judges have refused to send defendants there due to “inhumane” conditions. Inmates have reported power outages, freezing temperatures, and rampant violence.
Hernandez will be in protective custody because he is a government cooperator. However, the facility’s roster of high-profile inmates makes it a powder keg. In addition to the recently arrested Venezuelan leadership and the suspect in the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting, the jail has housed R. Kelly, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Hernandez’s attorney, Lance Lazzaro, told reporters last month that his client simply wants to “get this over with.” The hope is that this 90-day stint will be the final chapter of his supervision saga. Upon release in April 2026, he will still have one year of supervised release remaining.
It is impossible to discuss 6ix9ine without mentioning the 2019 RICO case that made him a household name. Facing 47 years in prison for his role in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, he chose to testify against his former crew.
The testimony earned him a lenient two-year sentence and immediate release in April 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. It also earned him a permanent target on his back. For the last six years, Hernandez has trolled his way through the controversy. He released music and flaunted his wealth while constantly looking over his shoulder.
Critics say his return to prison proves that he cannot leave the “street life” behind, even after the government gave him a golden ticket out. Supporters argue he is a victim of a system that used him for information and then left him to fend for himself in a hostile world.
Adin Ross summed up the sentiment of his fanbase during the livestream. “Free 6ix9ine,” Ross said as the van pulled away. “He’s going to come out stronger.”
Whether he comes out stronger is debatable. But he will certainly come out louder.
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