The rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine was sentenced to 2 years in
prison Wednesday for his entanglement with a violent street gang that fueled his rise to fame, but was spared a much harsher possible sentence because of his extraordinary decision to become a star witness for prosecutors. The 23-year-old performer, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, could have been sentenced to decades in prison for crimes that included orchestrating a
shooting in which an innocent bystander was wounded. After his arrest, he shed the outlaw reputation he’d curated online and testified against his gang mates earlier this year, causing some to label him a “snitch.” The testimony helped get the convictions of two high-ranking Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods members.