He stated, "I want the world to know, that Billboard is a lie", while adding: "You can buy No. Chart performance and controversy įollowing "Gooba" 's debut at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, 6ix9ine uploaded a video accusing Billboard of rigging and chart manipulation. "Gooba" was named one of the worst songs of 2020 on lists published by the Los Angeles Times and Insider. Art that's abundantly significant and rich in cultural sanity". Again, I'd rather focus whatever energy I do have on art that matters. Justin Tinsley of The Undefeated labelled 6ix9ine a "stain on hip-hop", questioning his artistry: "Look at the conversation around 'GOOBA' it's the theater around who he is that's the draw, not the lyrics. Jenkins went on to criticize the rapper, stating: "It's jarring having a rapper tell you his entire persona was really just a money-making shtick and then step right back into the character, to hear and see a hip-hop artist make a joke out of the fact that he sang on the stand in court", but concluded, "we can't stop him because we must know what happens next our curiosity is his source of power". Vulture's Craig Jenkins had a similar notion, regarding the song as "a long diatribe about how everyone's jealous because he's doing better than them". He lambasted 6ix9ine for his lack of apologies toward those he wronged, saying he "only lists the wrongs done to him, and why those wrongs render him blameless". 6ix9ine fell right back into his favorite role: the upstart who doesn't conform to street codes, and wins anyway". Setaro further remarked: "Instead, we saw a 24-year-old man obsessed with money, popularity, haters, and getting even. Complex 's Shawn Setaro gave the song a negative review, and criticized 6ix9ine and the rapper's approach to his comeback, claiming he is "not the repentant, quiet young man we saw in the courtroom". "Gooba" received negative reviews from most critics.
Brendan Klinkenberg of Rolling Stone described the song as "punishingly blunt and seemingly designed to provoke". The track also includes a reference to the COVID-19 pandemic ("Basic, been hot, way before coronavirus"). He also addresses testifying in court against members of the Nine Trey Bloods Gang in return for a reduced sentence: "Tell me how I ratted, came home to a big bag". In the chorus, 6ix9ine raps "Are you dumb, stupid, or dumb?", rehashing a line from Brooklyn rapper Ronny Godz's song "Are You Dumb", a line which 6ix9ine previously utilized on his 2018 song " Stoopid". Lyrically, as noted by Rap-Up, he "unleashes his wrath on the haters and clout chasers".
"Gooba" contains a simplistic trap beat, and finds 6ix9ine employing his signature "aggressive" style. 6ix9ine also hosted an Instagram Live session on the day of the song's release, which received a record of 2 million simultaneous views. The song was promoted via a large billboard in Times Square that read "The King Is Back". On May 7, 2020, he announced that he would celebrate his 24th birthday the following day, by releasing a new single. However, he was released earlier in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After pleading guilty to nine charges, such as armed robbery and conspiracy to murder, he was sentenced to 2 years in prison in December 2019.
On November 18, 2018, Hernandez was arrested on racketeering, weapons, and drugs charges.