American rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has been hospitalised after he was brutally attacked inside a gym in South Florida.

Warning: graphic videos.

Variety has reported that the rapper was ambushed by a group of men in the bathroom of a gym named LA Fitness and sustained injuries to his face and bruises.

Tekashi 6ix9ine’s attorney Lance Lazzaro said that the rapper was attacked inside and outside of the sauna in the gym, and said that he tried to fight back.

“He had cuts to his face and bruises,” Lazzaro said. The attorney added that the men fled the scene after employees were alerted to the disturbance. Police were called and Tekashi 6ix9ine was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

A video posted to Twitter shows one of the perpetrators saying “Take a picture. I’m gonna be famous now.” Another shows the bloodied rapper leaving the gym.

Lazzaro told TMZ that he plans to get Tekashi 6ix9ine protection.

On November 18, 2018, 6ix9ine and his associates were arrested on federal racketeering and firearms charges.

In February 2019, 6ix9ine pleaded guilty to nine charges in the case, including charges of racketeering conspiracy, multiple firearms offences, narcotics trafficking, and more. At the time, he faced at least 47 years in prison.

After he agreed to work with federal officials in their investigation of the gang in exchange for reduced prison time, Tekashi was sentenced to two years in prison.

However, in April 2020, he was released from federal prison to serve the final months of his sentence in home confinement after the judge had called the rapper a “model prisoner”.

In addition to the reduced prison sentence, US District Judge Paul A Engelmayer also fined him $35,000 and ordered him to perform 300 hours of community service.

Following his release into home confinement, the rapper was forced to relocate after his location – a rental in Lido Beach, Long Island – was leaked by a neighbour following Tekashi posted a photo of himself outside flashing fistfuls of cash. He was released from home confinement in August 2020.

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