“Nicki been telling yall the industry is rigged”: Netizens react to Young Thug claiming he bought fake streams for Gunna to debut over The Weeknd 

A new leaked conversation of Young Thug has revealed him admitting that he bought fake streams for Gunna to feature over The Weeknd. He also said he helped Gunna secure a $20 million deal when the artist was seeking a new music label.

Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Giavanni Kitchens, released his third studio album, DS4Ever, on January 7, 2022. Meanwhile, The Weeknd released his fifth studio album, Dawn FM, on the same day.

In an audio recording of his conversation from his time in jail, Young Thug has claimed that he purchased around $50,000 worth of fake streams of Gunna's album. As caught by DJ Akademiks on X (formerly Twitter), he said that he also gave Gunna $20 million when he was looking for another label.

Thug said:

"You're not doing numbers like that. You all right, but you ain't doing it like that. You know? Like, the number one album you just had right now, I paid for you to have the number one album. You didn't honestly earn a number one album over The Weeknd, my boy. I paid for that sh*t. Never said anything to him.

Thug further stated:

I never told him that, you know, because I just got. I just we just got the plug on it. Like, you never earned a number one ever. I spent 50 extra grand buy a motherf**king stream 50,000 buying strings for you. for you to be me," he added.

Fans online have reacted to this audio clip, which is around 5 minutes long, as one X user wrote:

"Nicki been telling yall the industry is rigged"

𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐒𝐔𝐒🇲🇦

@mileycyrusvibez

@AkademiksTV Nicki been telling yall the industry is rigged

❤︎✞︎³ꫝꫀ𝑏𝘳ꫀ᭙𝘴

@bruceHebrew

@AkademiksTV To think that fans use numbers to brag on this app, while this is what these artists are doing behind the scenes.

Mj

@MJxMinaj

@AkademiksTV When Nicki wakes it up they never believe her tho

Fans also slammed Young Thug for spilling these details, as one user wrote:

TEXANS-TEA TV📺

@TexansTeaTv

@AkademiksTV I see why Thug never did interviews, his urges to snitch and tell information would overcome him immediately

🦋 | Tri’Nayshia Mahree

@2Charmss__

@AkademiksTV Lmfao he’s so bitter 😭 Thug is mad bc he wanted the public to switch on Gunna and we supported even more lol. We are cilivians who just listen to music lol.

Pistol Meat Maravich 👑

@MorrisChestbutt

@AkademiksTV Never would’ve thought that Thug was an over sharing a*s n***a

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When Gunna spoke about snitching allegations vs Young Thug and YSL

Young Thug and Gunna at BET Hip Hop Awards 2021 - Red Carpet (Image Source: Getty)

In 2022, Gunna and Young Thug, along with other YSL members, were arrested. They faced multiple criminal charges, with allegations that they ran a gang. They were also accused of breaching the RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act).

However, on December 14, Gunna was released after signing a plea deal with the authorities. He pleaded guilty to one charge against him and received a five-year prison sentence. However, he was credited with one year, and the other four years were suspended.

Many fans and rappers accused him of snitching on the other YSL members. However, he stated at the time (via Billboard):

“While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way."

Young Thug, meanwhile, was released in 2024 and has since taken multiple digs in interviews and songs at Gunna. The likes of Lil Baby have also supported Thug in this case.

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