‘69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez’ Documentary JUST surprise dropped on Hulu
Hulu just surprise-dropped 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez, a true-crime documentary about the rise and fall of Tekashi69, one of the most controversial figures in contemporary pop culture.
Part investigative documentary, part real-life gangster movie, 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez is executive produced by Van Toffler, Floris Bauer, and David Gale of Gunpowder & Sky , with Gunpowder & Sky’s Jude Harris as producer.
“69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez is such a bold way to tell the story of an insanely turbulent artist, Tekashi69, that is in keeping with Vikram’s unique ability to get into the crawl spaces of these larger than life characters. It has it all – music, crime, betrayal, violence, meteoric rise to success, flame-outs, fisticuffs, social media manipulation and even gi-normous bags of weed – what more do you need in a doc?!” – Van Toffler, CEO, Gunpowder & Sky and Executive Producer of 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez.
“Gunpowder & Sky fearlessly moves across genres and mediums in a way I have my whole career. When I brought the 69 concept to Van and Floris, they immediately grasped its value and cultural significance, and gave us the insight, resources, and freedom to create a boundary-pushing film that straddles pop music, digital culture, and true-crime. ’69’ is just the beginning of what we hope to build together.” – Vikram Ghandi, director / producer of 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez.
Part investigative documentary, part real-life gangster movie, 69: THE SAGA OF DANNY HERNANDEZ unpacks the life of polarizing rap sensation and internet troll Tekashi69. One of the most controversial figures in contemporary pop culture, 69 repeatedly broke the internet with his sensationalist music videos and social media beefs before infamously testifying against Brooklyn gang the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods in a landmark trial. Director Vikram Gandhi (KUMARÉ, BARRY) gets up close and personal with the neighborhood locals who knew 69 when he was still just Danny Hernandez—before the hard-core persona and the face tattoos—to chronicle his meteoric rise and fall from fame and probe the harsh extremes of addiction to fame in the digital era.
Credits: 69: THE SAGA OF DANNY HERNANDEZ is directed by Vikram Gandhi. Produced by Vikram Gandhi of Prophets, Jeremy Falson, and Jude Harris and executive produced by Van Toffler, Floris Bauer, and David Gale of Gunpowder & Sky.
Statement from the filmmaker, Vikram Gandhi: All of my films explore identity, specifically the inner life of charismatic figures. I’m fascinated by the difference between the perceived person on the surface and the real person underneath. Social media has made this distinction even more profound and no story better conveys this new crisis of the digital self than the short-lived career of Tekashi 69. With nearly 15 million Instagram followers, Tekashi 69’s digital footprint was a global force. What made him so fascinating were the contradictions built into his very existence: A Mexican kid with facial tattoos and rainbow hair shouting the n-word, flaunting gang affiliation, starting beef, and posting his own violent acts online. When I realized 69 lived near me in Brooklyn—and that I’d frequented the bodega he used to work at—I hit up his manager to talk about making this documentary. I never heard back. A few months later Tekashi 69 was arrested on federal charges facing forty-seven years to life. Soon after, he started cooperating with the FBI to convict members of the very gang that had once supported him.
After years of traveling the world as an investigative journalist, I was compelled to explore this true-crime story in my hometown. Retracing the steps of Danny revealed a rare and uniquely-New York saga: On the very same blocks in Brooklyn—where a condo sells for millions of dollars—the shootings, robberies, and kidnapping linked to Tekashi 69 were occurring. I strongly believe that the core of documentary filming is access, sitting down with people, and really listening to them. As I moved further into the story, I met a motley crew of personalities who were integral to Tekashi 69’s development as an artist and celebrity. Danny Hernandez wanted to be famous so badly that he was devoured by his digital avatar, Tekashi 69.
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Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
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