What Happened to Daniel Hernandez?

Daniel Hernandez, known to the public as 6ix9ine, rose to prominence in the late 2010s with his distinctive rainbow-colored hair, aggressive rap style, and controversial persona. His commercial breakthrough came in 2017 with the single "Gummo," which quickly gained viral traction and peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. This initial success was followed by his debut mixtape, 'Day69' (2018), which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200.

However, Hernandez's career has been consistently overshadowed by significant legal issues. In October 2015, he pleaded guilty to a felony count of use of a child in a sexual performance, receiving a four-year probation period and 1,000 hours of community service. His most impactful legal entanglement began in November 2018 when he was arrested on federal racketeering and firearms charges, facing a potential minimum of 32 years to life in prison. In a highly publicized move, Hernandez chose to cooperate with federal prosecutors, testifying against members of the Nine Trey Gangsters street gang, which earned him the label of a 'snitch' within the hip-hop community.

His cooperation led to a significantly reduced sentence of two years in prison in December 2019, with time served counting towards his sentence. Due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and his asthma, he was granted early release to house arrest in April 2020 and was fully released in August 2020. Following his release, he attempted to revive his music career, releasing singles like "Gooba" and "Trollz" (featuring Nicki Minaj), which achieved commercial success, with "Trollz" reaching number one on the Hot 100. His second album, 'TattleTales' (2020), debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, though its sales projections saw a significant decrease. His 2023 reggaeton album, 'Leyenda Viva,' however, failed to make a significant global chart impact.

Current Status (as of 2026-05-22):

6ix9ine's legal troubles continued into 2025 and 2026. In 2025, he failed a federally administered drug test, testing positive for cocaine and MDMA, and was also involved in an assault at a Palm Beach County mall. These actions constituted violations of his supervised release from the 2018 racketeering case. Consequently, in December 2025, he was sentenced to serve an additional three months in federal custody. On January 6, 2026, Hernandez turned himself in at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, an event streamed live by internet personality Adin Ross.

He was released from prison on April 3, 2026. According to his attorney, Lance Lazzaro, 6ix9ine must adhere to strict conditions, including staying away from convicted felons, guns, and drugs. He is also required to undergo drug testing and participate in outpatient drug treatment and anger management programs. His net worth, which peaked at an estimated $8-10 million, has significantly declined to an estimated $1.5 million to $2 million as of 2026, largely due to legal fees, IRS debts, and lost deals. Despite these challenges, he remains active on social media, recently suggesting in May 2026 that other artists, like Drake and Lil Durk, were facing divine punishment for dissing him.