Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine is set to face a US$5.3 Million lawsuit later this month. It was the same case first dismissed in 2018 but was refiled by the complainants.
According to a report by Complex, plaintiffs and event promoters, Benhur Tesfalidet and Anton Alexander will be refiling the lawsuit before the month ends. The claim was filed initially in D.C. District Court back in 2018. It now accuses the controversial rapper of fraud, defamation, and breach of contract.
The plaintiffs alleged that 6ix9ine canceled an event without going through proper channels. Afterward, the rapper performed at another venue on the same night. Tekashi allegedly swiped a staggering $58,470 in advance fees.
Aside from Tekashi 6ix9ine, real name Daniel Hernandez, other defendants were named in the upcoming lawsuit. His former manager Kifano "Shotti" Jordan, the husband-and-wife duo of Steve and Tashea Ferguson of MTA Booking, booker Will Cornish, and 6ix9ine's first manager Christian Ehigiator. iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly included in the 2018 version, no longer appears in the new lawsuit.
The missing payment and rescheduled legal battle
In the documents obtained by Complex, the defamation count added comes from social media. Tekashi 6ix9ine made statements after the scheduled concert date. The "KOODA" rapper claimed he was not paid and called the plaintiffs "corrupt" and "scamming."
Following the initial filing of the case back in 2018, the rapper responded in an Instagram Live session. He denied receiving any of the supposed advance pay. 6ix9ine said: "So I'm not going to a show I wasn't paid for."
In 2019, after the case was dismissed, Anton Alexander released a statement to Complex. "[N]ewly discovered facts affect some of our claims, so we will be refiling to specifically address the additional facts and related claims," the plaintiff wrote to the news outlet via email last year.
Tekashi 6ix9ine first broke through mainstream media with his hit "Gummo" in 2017. Shortly after, Tesfalidet contacted the artist's team for a show offer. It was first at the Bliss Nightclub for $7,000. After multiple reschedules, the fee was raised to $60,000.
Tekashi 6ix9ine on top of the news
The revival of his 2018 lawsuit coincides with the release of his new song. Over the past days, Tekashi teased a new song with his 2018 "Fefe" collaborator Nicki Minaj. Earlier Friday, June 12, Tekashi has recently announced the release of their new single, "Trollz." The announcement post featured both rappers in colorful outfits, with Tekashi carrying a lot of money.
In an announcement earlier Thursday, June 11, 6ix9ine first announced the pre-order for their new track. He added that "portion of the proceeds from Trollz will go to bailing out protesters." Tekashi has initially pushed back the release of "Trollz," which was first scheduled last June 5. The rapper made a move as a form of respect to the ongoing George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests.
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"It's not the time for a music video right now with everything going on in the world," the artist said in a now-deleted Instagram video.
The rapper was granted an early release back in April. Federal courts granted the request due to health risks from Covid-19. He has since released his hit, "Gooba," which sat among the Top 3 of the Billboard's Hot 100 upon its release. However, it failed to top the charts, losing to Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber's "Stick With U." Tekashi then accused Billboard of manipulating the results. The charting authority has responded to the rapper's allegations.
