Young Thug’s explosive claim that he spent $50,000 on fake streams to propel Gunna’s DS4EVER to a number-one debut over The Weeknd’s Dawn FM has sent shockwaves through the hip-hop world. In a leaked jail phone call from August 30, 2025, the Atlanta rap icon alleged he secretly paid to boost the album’s streaming numbers, ensuring it clinched the top spot on the Billboard 200 in January 2022. The revelation, which surfaced via a post on X, raises questions about chart integrity and exposes a fractured relationship between Young Thug and his former protégé, Gunna. The controversy stems from a tight chart race when DS4EVER and Dawn FM dropped on January 7, 2022.
Gunna’s album, powered by the viral hit “Pushin P” featuring Young Thug and Future, earned 150,300 equivalent album units, including 193.5 million on-demand streams. It narrowly beat The Weeknd’s Dawn FM, which tallied 148,000 units with 173 million streams. The 2,300-unit gap sparked debate at the time, with projections initially favoring The Weeknd.
Young Thug’s claim suggests he tipped the scales, stating,
“I paid for you to have a number one album. You didn’t honestly earn a number one album over The Weeknd.”
He added that he spent $50,000 on streams through an industry “plug” and never told Gunna about it. The call, reportedly with 21 Savage, reveals deeper tensions. Young Thug accused Gunna of disloyalty, claiming he pursued a $20 million deal with another label behind his back, despite Young Thug’s mentorship through YSL Records.
He also criticized Gunna for charging young artists, aged 16 to 20, $2,500 for opportunities, calling it unethical given Gunna’s millions in earnings.
“I ain’t never took a dollar from you,”
Young Thug said, highlighting his support for Gunna’s career without taking a cut. Streaming manipulation is a known issue in the music industry, where bots or paid services can inflate numbers to boost Billboard chart rankings. With 1,250 paid streams equating to one album unit, $50,000 could generate millions of streams, potentially enough to sway a close race.
While DS4EVER’s success was fueled by organic buzz from “Pushin P,” the allegation casts a shadow over its legitimacy. Fans on X were divided, with some insisting the album’s quality didn’t need fake streams, while others noted such tactics are common in the industry. The Weeknd, whose Dawn FM topped global streaming charts on Spotify and Apple Music, downplayed the chart loss in 2022, saying his focus was on fans enjoying the album. Neither he nor Gunna have commented on the leaked call, leaving the claim unverified.
However, the revelation comes amid ongoing strain between Young Thug and Gunna, worsened by Gunna’s plea deal in the YSL RICO case, which led to accusations of “snitching.”
