Complex Presents Dummy Boy: Tekashi 6ix9ine and The Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods

by Shawn Setaro

The story of Tekashi 6ix9ine one of the most controversial figures in all of hip-hop history, Dummy Boy tells the tale his meteoric rise to fame.

In tracing Danny "Tekashi 6ix9ine" Hernandez's life from Bushwick to the heights of the rap scene , Complex reporter Shawn Setaro illuminates the story of the young rapper who forged an alliance with a notorious street gang to bolster his image and boost his internet clout. Before long, Tekashi's antics and affiliations caught up with him, leading to a major police investigation that tore apart his team and saw him squarely behind bars, facing a life in prison . A thrilling true crime narrative set in the contemporary hip-hop world, Dummy Boy draws on dozens of exclusive interviews with collaborators, associates, and witnesses, to provide a detailed account of the most beguiling and intriguing story in modern music . More than a biography, Dummy Boy is an American crime story, a critical examination of internet trolling in the Trump era , and an exploration of the long-running connection between rap , gangs , and police in New York City .

Genres: True Crime

320 pages, Hardcover

Published December 21, 2021

Reviews

[Gem ~ZeroShelfControl~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 5*
Interest: 2*
Details: 5*

I'm at a loss as to why I requested this one at the time, to say I was even remotely interested going into this was a lie, but in hindsight I'm glad I did. I was a fan of Tekeshi's music back in 2018, I was actually a bit obsessed. I am probably so far removed from his target audience but I liked it none the less. But as a person he was a bit of a t*#t. I saw a lot of the topics covered in this book first hand on social media, but I kind of lost the full story when I lost interest. A full downward spiral is a bit of an understatement, he lost the plot.
This book covers everything of his rise and fall in a brilliant, concise, chronologic way that made it super easy to follow. I still don't quiet know who the writer is in comparison to the people involved, maybe that will be covered in the published version. If you like a biography of a controversial character with a very colourful lifestyle this will tick all your boxes.

[Dimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good, well-reported, old school New York City crime book. Probably the best thing I’ve read (so far) about how online gang activity — and surveillance — is.

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned about the case of Tekashi 6ix9ine and the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods near the end of the trial and had no idea what was happening in real time. Tekashi 6ix9ine wasn't someone I followed but knew who he was by his distinguishable looks. I was so interested but felt out of the loop and too far behind to do any digging and find out for myself.

This book was that for me. It was so well written and pretty easy to follow (as a complete outsider to any knowledge of him or the gang I did feel at sometimes a bit lost in the texts if only for a few side comments about other crimes). I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the story and all the crimes that lead up to the case. I had no idea what I was getting myself into (I am sure Danny didn't as well) but holy moly, it was a lot!

Thank you for this book and for giving a complete picture and history breakdown of Danny Hernandez, aka Tekashi 6ix9ine, and all the crimes that took place leading up to the trial that had the country talking. I am so glad I am well versed in the knowledge as so many others were. I also got a great insight into a world of rappers and the history attached to gangs.

*I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.*

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dummy Boy is not my usual fare. My decision to read it was not unbiased (I know the author), and my review probably won't be either, but I do believe the fact that I tore through Dummy Boy cover to cover in less than 24 hours is a testament to Shawn Setaro's writing and storytelling abilities. This story was a wild ride! Dummy Boy is divided into two parts. The first half provides some biographical background on Tekashi's early life and then goes into a lot of detail on his career development, his rising fame, and his gang connections in Brooklyn. The second half of the book is a play-by-play of the racketeering trial in which Tekashi was a key cooperating witness. Both halves are told with enough context for even someone wholly uninformed about the events to understand, and the story is compelling enough that I never lost interest in reading it – even lacking any specific interest in the people involved. While I imagine most readers who pick up this book will do so with some knowledge and curiosity about the events, I can attest that it's a thoroughly engaging read even for the reader who has neither.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and was interested in learning more about the rapper I heard about a few years back but didn't know all of the crazy details. Well, this book definitely gave me all of the details! Wow! What a story! I appreciated the author making it easy to follow chronologically and explaining some of the lingo and giving background to increase understanding of the story. I think it will be interesting to see what happens to this rapper going forward.

[BigBlueSea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of the atmospheric rise of a controversial rapper who sold his soul to a notorious drug gang for protection. The highest of highs and lowest of lows and the worst thing you can be called in tha gangster culture: a snitch or a rat. The author does a good job walking through his life and demons.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the tale interesting enough to read it through. Even though I’d kept up with the saga while it was happening, Setaro brought the highlights into perspective and clarified the timeline for me.

[Karol Orzechowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

a truly wild ride.

[Ashley Reel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t think I would like this book. Wow, I was wrong. This was well written.