6ix9ine wants everyone to know he believes he paved the way for today’s biggest streamers.
The 29-year-old rapper made the bold claim during a recent appearance on Adin Ross’ Kick channel, where he explained why he considers himself the “original content creator.”
6ix9ine argued that his rise to fame came before the explosion of TikTok, Kick, and Twitch, saying he set the standard for the creators dominating those platforms today.
“In 2018, there was no TikTok,” he said around the 40:44 mark in the video above. “Let me get this point across, and maybe y’all say I’m reaching, but this is what I truly believe… I walked, I went to jail, I entertained you guys with real-life crimes.
“I was out there putting my life on the line so you guys could run. When Vine was a thing, remember? Instagram. I was the original content creator. I know people don’t like me. It’s the right message, wrong messenger. But these is facts.”
He doubled down by referencing some of his most viral stunts — like sprinting up a hill with an AK-47 and running through hotel hallways.
“Y’all remember that? Y’all was in high school,” he said. “I walked so y’all could run, so streamers could run.”
6ix9ine added that he “respected” creators like Adin Ross, IShowSpeed, and Kai Cenat but believes their success was built on a foundation he laid years ago.
“My Instagram views and numbers were through the roof,” he claimed. “I think I was meant to be a streamer because I’m not faking nothing. I’m just charismatic, and when I’m wrong, I’m wrong. I’m human at the end of the day. But I respect what you do.”
Acknowledging his controversial image, 6ix9ine insisted that most of his critics secretly agree with him.
“People don’t like me because they can’t control my mouth… and they’re like, ‘Damn, he’s too right,’” he said. “I’m not right about everything, because I’m human… I fed families. I’ve fed many families. I’ve created a lot of movements. But because I’m 6ix9ine, people are like, ‘Nah, nah, nah.’”
It’s not the first time someone has claimed credit for influencing 6ix9ine’s persona — back in 2019, Soulja Boy said the rapper modeled himself after him.
“6ix9ine isn’t nothing but a Soulja Boy child,” the “Crank That” rapper said during a Breakfast Club interview, pointing to 6ix9ine’s string of public beefs. “He got all that shit from me when I was beefing with Chris Brown and Migos and Shia LaBeouf and everybody in the industry. 6ix9ine came out and just did the same thing I did. Now he’s sitting in jail looking crazy, bruh!”
