Complex Presents Dummy Boy

"Setaro's understanding of Tekashi 6ix9ine is unparalleled. His comprehensive reporting on Tekashi's rise and fall, and what this says about fame today, is richly developed with sharp-witted prose." 
— Victoria Bekiempis, reporter, Vulture, The Guardian, The New York Times

"In this riveting account, Shawn brings rigorous research and startling insight to bear, giving us a meticulous portrait not just of 6ix9ine but the larger forces and tensions that shaped both him and our frenzied celebrity culture."
— Adam Mansbach, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Go the Fuck to Sleep and Rage Is Back. 

"The world gawks at Tekashi 6ix9ine. But Shawn Setaro gives the viral rap star something he needed but never really had: true attention. Setaro rivets us, but with a different telling of Tekashi’s story, with dogged reporting, vivid prose, and surpassing empathy.”
— Dan Charnas, author of The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop

"Shawn Setaro tells Tekashi 6ix9ine’s convoluted story with compassion, honesty and precision…and without sensationalism or condescension. A fascinating and – believe it or not – educational read."
— Joseph Schloss, Author of Making Beats: The Art of Sample-Based Hip-Hop and Foundation: B-Boys, B-Girls & Hip-Hop Culture in New York.
 
"Shawn Setaro unravels the twisted tale of hiphop’s troll king, through a relentless investigation of New York’s dark underbelly. He is an unlikely connoisseur of Brooklyn’s gang culture, and his work is roadmap for all of us media tourists dropping in for a view." — — Vikram Gandhi, Director, '69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez'
 
"Setaro’s book is an unexpectedly thoughtful examination of a mostly unredeemable individual. And it raises a number of fascinating questions. Perhaps most important of all: Who’s worse, the villain himself, or those who enable, amplify or consume his villainy?" 
— Zack O'Malley Greenburg, author of We Are All Musicians Now

 

"Calling Tekashi 6ix9ine a controversial figure would be an understatement. Of all the deep dives constructed around the story of Hip-Hop's Least Favorite Snitch, Shawn Setaro's exhaustive and empathetic reporting is the only text worth reading." - Dylan Green, Contributing Editor, Pitchfork and host of the 'Reel Notes' podcast