6ixBuzz (pronounced ''six-buzz''), is a controversial online media platform based in
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
.
Founded in 2017 by Abraham Tekabo and Sarman Esagholian, 6ixBuzz is best known for sharing
user-generated content
User-generated content (UGC), alternatively known as user-created content (UCC), emerged from the rise of web services which allow a system's User (computing), users to create Content (media), content, such as images, videos, audio, text, testi ...
,
clickbait
Clickbait (also known as link bait or linkbait) is a text or a thumbnail hyperlink, link that is designed to attract attention and to entice users to follow ("click") that link and view, read, stream or listen to the linked piece of online cont ...
, and local news in a tabloid format.
The company has been criticized for spreading misinformation, disinformation,
right-wing bias, racism, homophobia,
anti-feminism, and perpetuating racial and religious stereotypes, particularly
Anti-Asian,
Anti-Sikh sentiment and
Anti-Indian sentiment
Anti-Indian sentiment or anti-Indianism, also called Indophobia, refers to prejudice, collective hatred, and discrimination which is directed at Indian people for any variety of reasons. According to Kenyan-American academic Ali Mazrui, Indop ...
.
Background
6ixBuzz began in 2017 as a
meme
A meme (; ) is an idea, behavior, or style that Mimesis, spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme. A meme acts as a unit for carrying c ...
and
parody
A parody is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satire, satirical or irony, ironic imitation. Often its subject is an Originality, original work or some aspect of it (theme/content, author, style, e ...
news profile on
Instagram
Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
with a focus on showcasing
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
's
underground music scene.
Its founders, Sarman Esagholian and Abraham Tekabo, attribute the success of their online presence to the "lack of voice" of communities surrounding Canadian hip hop culture. As 6ixBuzz grew to over a million followers on Instagram, its account has become known for its
virality, encouragement of erratic stunts,
bullying,
and racial divide.
In January 2021, the company launched a re-faced website and mobile app.
Criticism and controversies
Threats to journalists
In 2019,
Toronto Life
''Toronto Life'' is a monthly magazine about entertainment, politics and life in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ''Toronto Life'' also publishes a number of annual special interest guides about the city, including ''Real Estate'', ''Stylebook'', ''Eati ...
tasked a journalist with interviewing Sarman Esagholian, one of the founders of 6ixBuzz. However, the magazine declined Esagholian's request to keep the founders' identities confidential.
When Esagholian learned that his name would be disclosed, he adopted an intimidating stance. He relentlessly called the writer, making dozens of calls within a 15-minute period. Frustrated with not receiving the desired response, Esagholian hinted at potential consequences if the journalist's whereabouts were revealed, including making threats insisting he knew where the reporter and their family slept at night.
Faced with this alarming situation, the writer withdrew from the assignment, prompting the magazine to assign the piece to another journalist. In a disconcerting pattern, Abraham Tekabo, another founder of 6ixBuzz, also issued similar death threats to the new journalist, leading to the abandonment of the pursuit once again.
Spreading of misinformation and far-right ideology
Throughout the
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic in Canada is part of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (). It is caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Most cases over the course o ...
, 6ixBuzz has consistently published posts that are
anti-vax and
anti-lockdown.
They have been accused of spreading misinformation commonly associated with
far-right politics
Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and Nativism (politics), nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on ...
. These accusations have been buoyed by frequent appearances of individuals associated with the
far-right
Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on the far end of the ...
such as
Chris Sky
Christopher Saccoccia, widely referred to as Chris Sky, is a Canadian Internet celebrity, social media personality known for his involvement in the Anti-masker, anti-mask, Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-lockdown, COVID-19 ...
and
Maxime Bernier
Maxime Bernier (; born January 18, 1963) is a Canadian politician who is the founder and leader of the People's Party of Canada (PPC). Formerly a member of the Conservative Party of Canada, Conservative Party, Bernier left the caucus in 2018 t ...
.
Accusations of South Asian hate and negative portrayal of Brampton
6ixBuzz has faced repeated criticism for content that allegedly mocks and stereotypes residents of
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario, and the regional seat of the Regional Municipality of Peel. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#L ...
, a suburb of Toronto where over 80% of the population is
racialized
Racialization or ethnicization is a sociological concept used to describe the intent and processes by which ethnic or racial identities are systematically constructed within a society. Constructs for racialization are centered on erroneous gene ...
, with
South Asian Canadians
South Asian Canadians are Canadians who were either born in or can trace their Ancestor, ancestry to South Asia or the Indian subcontinent, which includes the nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. T ...
forming the largest demographic.
The platform has been accused of reinforcing negative stereotypes and xenophobic attitudes toward
Sikh Canadians
Sikhism is the fourth-largest religion in Canada, with nearly 800,000 adherents, or 2.1% of Canada's population, as of 2021. The largest Sikh populations in Canada are found in Ontario, followed by British Columbia and Alberta. As of the 2021 ...
, Indian international students, and the broader South Asian community.
Many Brampton residents have criticized the account for contributing to an unfairly negative image of the city.
Critics argue that 6ixBuzz’s content frequently reinforces anti-South Asian sentiment by promoting narratives that incite xenophobic reactions.
The platform has been accused of sharing videos that depict individuals with brown skin, presumed to be of
Indian origin, in a negative light, while allowing racist comments to remain unmoderated. Additionally, travel-related content featuring
visits to India often attracts remarks that reinforce stereotypes about Brampton’s South Asian community.
A 2024 study by the
Institute for Research on Public Policy
The Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP; ) is an independent, national, bilingual, not-for-profit organization based in Montreal, Quebec. Its mission is to "improve public policy in Canada by generating research, providing insight and i ...
highlights how platforms like 6ixBuzz contribute to narratives portraying Indian immigrants and students as a demographic concern, with Brampton frequently singled out as an example.
These portrayals reflect broader patterns of anti-Indian racism in Canada, which scholars argue are increasingly amplified through social media. Critics contend that such narratives frame Brampton’s South Asian population as a cultural or economic threat rather than an integral part of Canadian society.
In May 2020,
Mustafa the Poet, a songwriter and filmmaker from Toronto, tweeted "6ixBuzz pits communities against each other."
Accusations of anti-Sikh sentiment
6ixBuzz has been criticized for deliberately posting content that targets Sikh Canadians, often using Brampton home to a large Sikh population, Turbaned Sikhs and Sikh immigrants as a stand-in for racist stereotypes. Critics say the platform enables and amplifies anti-Sikh sentiment by allowing hateful comments to flourish unchecked. This pattern has drawn concern from advocacy groups, who warn it contributes to a hostile environment both online and offline.
Accusations of anti-Asian hate
During the beginning of the
COVID-19 pandemic in Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic in Canada is part of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (). It is caused by SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Most cases over the course o ...
, 6ixBuzz was reported to have been causing harm to Chinese-owned businesses in Ontario due to its coverage of the pandemic. A
Markham,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, based noodle shop named "Wuhan Noodle 1950" claimed that they lost nearly two-thirds of their customer base in part due to an Instagram post by 6ixBuzz which was defamatory in nature.
The post was eventually removed from the account on April 2, 2020.
The media group also posted videos and photos of the
COVID-19 pandemic in China
The COVID-19 pandemic in China is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). China was the first country to experience an outbreak of the di ...
, allegedly perpetuating stereotypes and suggesting people of Chinese and Asian descent were to blame for the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.
Promotion of negative personalities
6ixBuzz has been associated with promoting negative content in order to garner views. This has included promotion of controversial figures such as Janessa Melina Mendez, or Chromazz, a Toronto-based rapper; and Marcella Christiana Zoia-Ferreira, dubbed Chair Girl who came to notoriety through 6ixBuzz after a video was posted of her throwing a chair onto the
Gardiner Expressway
The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway, commonly known as the Gardiner Expressway or simply the Gardiner, is a partially at grade and elevated municipal expressway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running close to the shore of Lake Ontario, it exten ...
in February 2019. Zoia later pleaded guilty in July 2020 to "Mischief Endangering Life" and received a $2,000 fine, 2 years probation and community service as well as counselling for her drinking problem.
The platform regularly poked fun at and exploited a young homeless woman from Toronto called "Debby", real name Alexis Matos, in order to garner views.
Many of the videos posted to the platform showed her dealing with mental health issues in public, with people taunting and fighting her.
Matos died November 2, 2021, following an overdose of
fentanyl
Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic piperidine opioid primarily used as an analgesic (pain medication). It is 30 to 50 times more Potency (pharmacology), potent than heroin and 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Its primary Medici ...
.
6ixBuzz Entertainment
6ixBuzz Entertainment is a Canadian record label and a division of 6ixBuzz. Founded in 2018, the label currently releases
compilation album
A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...
s featuring Canadian hip hop artists, most of them based in Toronto. ''6ixUpsideDown'' was released on October 19, 2018, and featured
Pressa,
Yung Tory
Tory Lester Zellars (born April 24, 1996), better known by his stage name Yung Tory (or Mr. Yaw Yaw), is a Canadian rapper from Mississauga, Ontario. He initially signed with Lil Durk's Only the Family in 2017, but parted ways the following year ...
,
Big Lean, and
Safe
A safe (also called a strongbox or coffer) is a secure lockable enclosure used for securing valuable objects against theft or fire. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face being removable or hinged to form a door. The body ...
amongst other Toronto artists. It peaked at number 87 on the
Billboard Canadian Hot 100 on November 3, 2018, and remained on the charts for 1 week.
Its second compilation, ''NorthernSound'', was released on December 13, 2019, and including vocal appearances from
NorthSideBenji
Jaiden Anthony Watson (born January 25, 1998), better known by his stage name NorthSideBenji, is a Canadian rapper and musician from Brampton, Ontario. Benji gained recognition from his Certified Gold single " Levels", which featured Toronto rap ...
,
Puffy L'z
Habib Mohamed (born August 2, 1995), better known by his stage name Puffy L'z, is a rapper and singer from Toronto, Ontario. He is of Somali descent. Puffy L'z released his debut studio album '' Take No L'z'' on July 19, 2019, and it received a 6/1 ...
,
Prime Boys,
Pvrx
Daniel Dove (born October 25, 1994), professionally known as Pvrx ( ), is a Canadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Pvrx is known for his storytelling about growing up in the rough surroundings in government housing projects. He signed to Def Ja ...
, Archee & French, and more. The record featured the last work of Bvlly and Why-S before their deaths on December 24, 2019.
In April 2020, the label announced a joint-venture record deal with
Warner Music Canada
Warner Music Canada is the Canadian division of Warner Music Group. The label previously operated as WEA Music of Canada, Ltd. (French: ''WEA Musique du Canada, Ltée''), often shortened to WEA Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of WEA Internationa ...
, coinciding with the release of the single "VV's" featuring
Killy and
Houdini
Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionally as Harry Houdini ( ), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts.
Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in ...
. This was followed by the single "Mansions" by Pressa and Houdini, which came after the death of Houdini after he was gunned down in May 2020.
This was followed by the single "Name Brand" featuring LB Spiffy and
Smiley
A smiley, sometimes called a smiley face, is a basic ideogram representing a Smile, smiling face. Since the 1950s, it has become part of popular culture worldwide, used either as a standalone ideogram or as a form of communication, such as em ...
in June. All three singles are said to be on the labels upcoming compilation album ''Canada's Most Wanted''. Other artist including
88Glam
88Glam was a Canadian hip hop duo that formed in 2017 by Shakqueel "88Camino" Burthwright and Derek "Wise" Bissue. They were formerly signed to XO and Republic Records before getting dropped in 2020 and frequently collaborated with Nav (rapp ...
, Top5 and French also made an appearance on the album. The album was officially released on June 11, 2021.
Releases
Awards and nominations
, -
, 2023
, "Alejandro Sosa"
(with Pengz)
,
Juno Award for Rap Single of the Year
,
See also
*
Canadian hip hop
The Canadian hip hop scene was established in the 1980s. Through a variety of factors, it developed much slower than Canada's popular rock music scene, and apart from a short-lived burst of mainstream popularity from 1989 to 1991, it remained lar ...
*
HipHopCanada
HipHopCanada is a Canadian hip hop and rap online publishing company founded in 1999 by Jesse Plunkett. HipHopCanada claims to be the first sources of news for Canadian hip hop and the largest in the country. It has been nominated 6 times by UM ...
*
WorldStarHipHop
WorldStarHipHop is a content-aggregating video blog. Zurawik, David.Worldstarhiphop.com makes a name for itself with shocking viral videos". ''The Baltimore Sun''. March 23, 2012. Retrieved on April 22, 2012Alternate link to the same article fr ...
References
Sources
*
External links
Official website{{Hip hop websites
Entertainment-related YouTube channels
Hip-hop websites
Canadian music websites
Internet properties established in 2017
2017 establishments in Ontario
Record labels established in 2018
2018 establishments in Ontario
Canadian hip-hop record labels
Companies based in Toronto
Instagram accounts
Music-related YouTube channels