Fans of Tekashi 6ix9ine have been scratching their heads as to why the rapper was without a security detail when he was assaulted at a Florida gym.
The 26-year-old— given name Daniel Hernandez— was training at a branch of the LA Fitness chain in south Florida when he was allegedly pounced upon by a group of people on Tuesday.
His attorney, Lance Lazzaro, said that three to four men began to beat up his client both inside and outside of the gym's sauna. The lawyer added that the rapper "did not have security with him at the time of the attack."
Lazzaro told Newsweek that 6ix9ine has suffered blood clots and fractured ribs.
He told TMZ that the men pounced on his client, and "all of a sudden he was attacked by several guys without warning." Lazzaro said that 6ix9ine "tried to fight off the combatants" but "there were too many of them."
Newsweek emailed South Florida police and LA Fitness for comment.
Footage of some of the assault has made the rounds on social media. It shows the rapper laying on the ground as two men kick him. Another video shows a bloodied 6ix9ine walking out of the restroom after the assault.
"He had cuts to his face and bruises," Lazzaro told Variety magazine. He confirmed that the rapper was taken to hospital by ambulance as a result of his injuries.
Lazzaro told the outlet he would be ensuring his client ramps up his security detail moving forward.
But fans on social media could not work out why someone as famous as 6ix9ine would be attending a regular chain gym, and especially going there alone.
Many commented on one of his Instagram posts from February 12. In it, 6ix9ine flaunted a safe full of cash and expensive jewelry. Also on show were several Birkin bags he bought for his girlfriend at the time, Heather Rose. The rapper posed with her on a custom-colored Rolls-Royce Wraith.
One fan asked "where was yo security this time," while another added: "Bro's security vanished."
And a third wrote: "At a planet fitness?? Like why dont you have a gym at your own crib bro?? All that bread and you at a regular gym..."
The controversial 6ix9ine is no stranger to hiring security to protect him. He was even accused of not paying a $75,000 bill to a personal protection company he hired in 2018 just before he went to jail for racketeering.
Metropolitan Patrol said that it provided 24-hour protection for the rapper when he was in Los Angeles for 11 days, but he never gave them a dime.
Photos of 6ix9ine from that time in November 2018 show him walking around LA surrounded by many security guards. Lazzaro criticized the lawsuit, saying 6ix9ine's booking agency at the time, MTA Bookings, was responsible for paying the invoice.
The rapper was jailed for racketeering charges related to his role in the New York gang, Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, and was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
Prior to his release in 2020, 6ix9ine confessed his membership in the gang and giving it financial support. He also named several other rappers allegedly affiliated with the gang.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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