Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine review

Three-part Showtime docuseries Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine profiles Brooklyn rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine. The first episode of the three-part series, directed by Karam Gill for Rolling Stone, delves into the radical transformation of a poor deli clerk, who molded himself into a viral overnight sensation. The 24-year-old rainbow-haired performer is always embroiled in heated rap beefs. He is known for his love of publicly trolling his rivals including Meek Mill, Lil Reese, Chief Keef, and Trippie Redd.

Breaking Bad actor Giancarlo Esposito narrates the radical lengths that Hernandez took while he became a face-tattooed and gun-toting global brand. The film includes interviews, archival footage, behind-the-scenes access to music video sets, and confessions from the rapper himself. Tekashi’s stage name was borrowed from a heroin-addicted tattoo artist. “He did heroin to create,”  Tekashi says.

The inspiration for the project was based on a Rolling Stone profile called, “Tekashi 6ix9ine: The Rise and Fall of a Hip-Hop Supervillain”.  The Showtime series is a sleek production with animated graphics and a gentler re-telling of a hip-hop villain’s origin story.

Supervillain follows the success of director Vikram Gandhi’s grittier take on the drama surrounding the music star’s life in 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez. The Hulu documentary jumps right into Tekashi’s chaotic fame, criminal charges, explicit videos, and alliance with the Brooklyn Nine Trey Blood gang.

This documentary series includes an exclusive interview with Tekashi after his release from prison. 6ix9ine is now considered a persona non grata in his former circles after he spilled the beans on his friends who ran the dangerous neighborhood crew. Hernandez pled guilty to a felony and was arrested in 2018 on drug and weapons charges.  He served time in prison for armed robbery, racketeering, and conspiracy to commit murder, but was released early due to the global pandemic.

The mother of his child, Molina, talks about their relationship and how her boyfriend was neglected. “He was a kid who was just insecure, never belonged anywhere, or had any type of love,” she says.  Molina explains that it was  Hernandez’s desire to seek attention at any cost that drove his ambition.

She suggested that he travel to a different neighborhood when Tekashi wanted to buy neon hair for his new drastic look. His transformation was complete with tons of tattoos and a brightly colored grill. The attention-grabbing colors are meant to represent his desire to be seen. ” I felt invisible. I just had to make a loud presence.”

The series peels the layers back to show the audience that Tekashi isn’t even a fan of the hip-hop category in which he performs, but is more of a fan of rock-inspired music. He wants everyone to know that he loves to be hated.

“It’s like the Joker,” he explains in the series first episode, comparing himself to Batman’s infamous nemesis. “He’s the bad guy but you just fall in love with him,”

Tekashi’s persistence paid off with A list chart-topping collaborations including hit singles with both  Nicki Minaj and Kanye West.  But his fate changed once he was labeled as a snitch for turning in gang members. Supervillain is about as interesting to watch as a trainwreck that you can’t resist turning your eyes away from. Everyone tells you that it is not worth your time to stare.  But you just can’t resist turning away.

I have never been intrigued by anything that Tekashi 6ix9ine has done as an artist. But it was validating to have proof that his fake persona was the result of an elaborate shell game of smoke and mirrors.

Have you seen Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine yet? Sound off in the comments.