With the upcoming release of Tekashi 69

Tekashi 69 hearing

Being an expert in investigations, having worked or consulted on dozen of cases over the past 30 years, the hot-button question I’ve been bombarded with most recently is:  What are your thoughts regarding the aftermath of hip-hop artist Tekashi 69’s upcoming release from federal detention?

With the upcoming release of Tekashi 69, the first thing the peanut gallery should wrap their heads around is that, nine times out of ten, when a criminal defendant finds himself in a no-win
position against the federal government, his or her only recourse is cooperation.  Why is this so? Well one should look no further than the federal government’s near 98% conviction rate – and this includes taking down some of the most violent and well-organized
gangs and criminal enterprises to walk the earth.

At the heart of the Tekashi 69 investigation lies his well-established affiliation with the Bloods who constitute an organized gang. Several years ago, I worked as part of a federal task force dismantling violent gangs and organizations, some which were far worse, and I’ve seen first-hand the difficulty in attempting to downplay one’s gang affiliation once connective ties have been established.

I’ve also had a first-hand glance at how some of the most hardened organized criminals and street figures learn to sing a tune they never rehearsed when facing decades of inevitable incarceration.  Like
it or not, freedom and self-preservation are at the core of human survival, which for most mere mortals makes cooperation with law enforcement a more attractive option than spending football numbers behind bars.  If some of the most seasoned criminals buckle
at the idea of long prison bids, imagine the fear and anxiety for those like Tekashi who are under built for the outlaw lifestyle?   For those like Tekashi who make the choice to cooperated, there will no doubt be significant ridicule from the legion of street
spectators, yet there will also be a chance  to learn from past mistakes and to embark on the journey to lead a more productive life on and off the music stage. Which leads to the question of second chances, and who deserves one or doesn’t.  Ultimately, the
fact that we are a forgiving society with a soft spot for a good comeback story, don’t be surprised if a humbled Tekashi rises from his demise to have an even more successful and lucrative post-prison music career – I certainly won’t.

But those are merely my thoughts…..what are yours?

Until such time…

Out.

D.Parker

D.Parker

(a/k/a – The Hip-Hop-Cop)

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