Lil Zay Osama Criticizes 21 Savage & Young Thug’s “F*ck the Streets” Message

Lil Zay Osama has made it clear that he isn’t on board with the recent “f*ck the streets” rhetoric promoted by 21 Savage and echoed by Young Thug. In a video message shared by DJ Akademiks, Osama questioned the intentions behind the slogan and accused the artists of using it for personal gain rather than genuine concern for the communities they come from. Osama explained that when artists say “f*ck the streets” while encouraging Young Thug and Gunna to squash their beef, the message feels self-serving. According to him, the real goal appears to be rebuilding friendships, collaborating on music, and restoring Atlanta’s image as a united force in hip-hop—rather than addressing the struggles of the streets themselves. “You’re saying f*ck the streets so y’all can be friends again, make music together, and be known as the city that sticks together,” Osama said. “That’s the image y’all want to carry.” He went on to argue that the phrase directly contradicts the reality of their backgrounds. Osama emphasized that the streets are deeply embedded in hip-hop culture, shaping artists’ mentalities, fashion, language, and music. More importantly, he pointed out that many rappers still have family and friends living in those same environments. “All of us come from the streets,” he continued. “Our mindset comes from the streets. Our style comes from the streets. Our music comes from the streets. We made money from the streets—and we still got people we love in the streets.” The controversy began earlier this month after 21 Savage released his album What Happened to the Streets?. Following the release, he tagged both Young Thug and Gunna in a post on X (formerly Twitter), urging them to resolve their long-standing issues and work together again. In the post, he stated that the streets had brought nothing but trauma, adding, “f*ck the streets.” Young Thug later responded by repeating the phrase, which only intensified the discussion. Since then, several figures in hip-hop, including Blueface and Wack 100, have weighed in, turning the situation into a wider debate about loyalty, survival, and the complicated relationship between success and the streets that helped create it.