Tekashi 6ix9ine's going to be more at risk than ever when he's released from prison -- not just because he'll be a snitch on the streets -- but because his muscle's bailed on him.
Several of the rapper's former bodyguards have parted ways with him for various reasons, but one thing they all have in common is that no amount of money he could pay would bring them back ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.
We're told the ex-members of 6ix9ine's security team feel he unnecessarily put them in harm's way BEFORE he went to prison ... so the fact he's a flat-out rat now would make things worse.
Our sources say the former bodyguards are also pissed over the "street politics" they were forced to deal with as a result of the problems Tekashi got into ... which stemmed from him being a "fake gangster."
We're told there's still a lot of lingering beef between the rapper and well-known gang members on both the east and west coasts, and ultimately ... the consensus is it's not worth risking one's life to protect a guy with zero street cred or integrity -- under any circumstances.
We broke the story ... 6ix9ine's not feeling safe as it is behind bars, and wants out of prison ASAP to serve the remainder of his sentence under home confinement.
Once his 24-month sentence is up, he'll be a free man ... and he's made it clear he doesn't plan to enter witness protection because he can pay for 24/7 security.
We know he's racked up massive tabs for muscle in the past, but with his new situation and reputation ... he's going to have to pony up A LOT more, and it seems it will still be difficult to find any takers.