Young Thug Confesses to Purchasing Artificial Streams to Boost Album Charts
ATLANTA, GA – Leaked audio recordings have revealed that rapper Young Thug admitted to spending $50,000 on artificial streams to propel Gunna‘s Ds4ever album to the number one spot on the Billboard 200 in January 2022, surpassing The Weeknd‘s Dawn FM. The recordings, circulating online, detail Thug’s frustration with gunna’s subsequent business practices and expose a previously undisclosed strategy to manipulate chart positions.
The audio captures Thug directly stating, “You didn’t honestly earn a number one album over The Weeknd. I paid for that.” This revelation casts a shadow over both albums’ achievements and raises broader questions about the integrity of music chart rankings, which are often used as key metrics for an artist’s success and cultural impact.
The leaked conversation, reportedly part of a larger set of private calls made public, also details Thug’s accusations that Gunna has been charging emerging artists thousands of dollars for feature verses, despite Thug’s history of supporting Gunna’s career without seeking financial compensation. “I protected you,” Thug is heard saying, expressing a sense of betrayal.
A separate recording, shared on social media by user @kurrco, appears to show Thug discussing the use of “fake streams” with his team prior to the release of his own album, Business Is Business, and asking if their “plug” for artificial streams was still available.
The controversy surrounding Business Is Business,initially touted as a triumphant release from behind bars while Thug awaits trial,is now further elaborate by allegations of chart manipulation. The recordings also reference Lil uzi Vert’s Pink Tape, which ended hip-hop’s lengthy absence from the top of the Billboard 200 in July 2023, highlighting the competitive landscape of the time.This is not the first instance of Thug’s private conversations becoming public.Previous leaks have included discussions with 21 Savage and Lil Baby, and also claims of internal conflicts within Quality Control music, the label previously associated with both Thug and Gunna. As of this publication, neither Gunna nor The Weeknd have publicly responded to the allegations. The emergence of these recordings underscores the increasing scrutiny surrounding artist conduct and the methods employed to achieve commercial success in the music industry.