Key Takeaways
- ØWAY is a 13-member Atlanta rap collective founded in 2024 by Tezzus and diamond* from the merger of 4ET and Phønk Dølla Wørldwide, treating the Scandinavian “Ø” as both a visual signature and an anti-oppression movement ethos.
- Young Thug co-signed the crew at ComplexCon 2025, brought them under the YSL umbrella, and put Tezzus and diamond* on The New Generation Tour, cementing them as a key force in Atlanta’s new underground wave.
- The feature profiles the collective’s core rappers—from shape-shifting vocalists like Tezzus and Sk8star to melodic standouts like diamond*, Yung Fazo, Pz’, and 10kdunkin—while nodding to influential affiliates like director Moses Roland, photographer Jadeja, and controversial stylist Ian Connor.
So, what is ØWAY? A group? A catchphrase? A way of life? In a way, it’s all of these things.
The collective was birthed in 2024 as an amalgamation of director Xavier Anthony’s 4ET collective and rapper Tezzus’ Phønk Dølla Wørldwide crew. It all eventually mutated into ØWAY, with Tezzus and diamond* serving as the founders, and has since ascended the ranks of Atlanta's new underground scene. They’ve also been adding recruits.
The name OWAY is pronounced “oh-way” and is spelled with the Nordic "Ø" character. The group has made the letter its signature, weaving it into song titles, Instagram captions, and posts on X. Last year, Tezzus told KTO that the character signifies their mission against “oppression.” In other words, ØWAY is as much a movement as it is a group.
And then Young Thug took notice.
Last October, Thug gave the crew their first major co-sign at ComplexCon 2025. He brought Tezzus and diamond* onstage to perform their cult hit "bada bing, bada bØØm." Thugger has since brought them under the YSL umbrella, alongside the ØWAY crew.
Earlier this month, Thug presented the ØWAY crew. Along with a separate group called the"New YSL" onstage at Irving Plaza in NYC for a surprise show. Right after that show, Young Thug announced The New Generation Tour, featuring a slew of the “New YSL” names as well as Tezzus and diamond.*
With the crew gaining some real traction, now is the perfect time to introduce the world to the collective. For this piece, we hit up Dazed Within, an outlet that has been covering these guys every move. We also spoke with diamond*. As of now, the main group consists of 13 bubbling creatives and a handful of affiliates. The rappers in the group include the aforementioned Tezzus and diamond*, Billi0n, ShawtyRokk, Lil Righteous, Sk8star, Yung Fazo, Southsidesilhouette, Pz, Ea Tj, LilKixkDor, Reezy X, and 10kdunkin.
For the sake of this list, we will be focusing on the rapping members. But the affiliates should be mentioned; this includes director Moses Roland, photographer Jadeja, and controversial fashion designer Ian Connor, who has frequently been seen with the group.
Connor's involvement is not entirely surprising given his history of identifying emerging talent, having played a key role in Playboi Carti's early years, but it is odd considering his reputation has been long-marred by more than a dozen rape allegations.
With that being said, meet ØWAY: the collective dominating Atlanta rap right now.
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Tezzus
Standout Album: TEZZUS KHRIST
Instagram: tezzus
Tezzus is the co-founder of the collective and often its most vocal member. Playing a track is like a roll of the dice: you might get the melodic Auto-Tuned croons of "ØUTRØ" or the scream-raps of "Sølange." —Antonio Johri
diamond*
Standout Album: BLING SLIME VØL 3: HØSTED BY DJ HØLIDAY
Instagram: diamondatl
If you’ve seen Tezzus, you’ve seen diamond*. The rapper with the gleaming forehead piercing stands as the co-founder of the collective. On "bada bing, bada bØØm," diamond* was the standout, delivering the song's earworm melody.
The Atlanta native's music is tranquil and euphoric as he raps in non sequiturs about pussy, smelling good, and the designer clothes he has on. He is by far the most technically proficient rapper in the group, with focused flows and consistently strong verses and hooks across his catalog. —Antonio Johri
Pz’
Standout Album: No Turning Back
Instagram: p3ezy
Pz’’snewest album, No Turning Back, takes after late 2010s Atlanta rap, with the melodic cadence and swagger of Future off HNDRXX. He’s had a monumental rise as a model, which gave him connections even before “HEDIS BUSSIN.”
Just last year, Hedi Slimane co-opted the Gambian/Senegalese model for his New London portfolio, which highlighted the global diaspora of London focused on creatives, including artists such as Ethel Cain and fakemink. Most recently, he walked in Pharrell’s highly talked-about men’s fashion show for Louis Vuitton.
That same refusal to stay in one lane carries into the music: being a part of ØWay for Pz' means not compromising — fully embracing his West African descent on "Fête Feeling," which combines Atlanta underground rap, African instrumentation, and "fête," French for lavish party. —Mariah Rivera
Sk8star
Standout Album: Designer Junkie
Instagram: sk8star
ØWAY is now an extension of YSL, and everyone in the collective takes inspiration from label boss Young Thug in some way.
Sk8star, however, seems to be the disciple who has studied Thugger the most. The Macon, Georgia, native contorts his voice on "Muse," shifting from an almost robotic, nasally pitch to a straight-up Mr. Krabs impression, similar to what Thugger did on "Cartier Gucci Scarf." His production choices follow the same philosophy, favoring booming 808s and eerie instrumentals produced by the legendary Richie Souf, who is all over his 2026 album Designer Junkie." —Antonio Johri
Yung Fazo
Standout Album: ZO
Instagram: yungfazoo
Arguably the most decorated member of the collective, Yung Fazo has been in the game for years, finding success in the late 2010s. The NYC rapper seems to have found a second wind in ØWAY. He brings a more mainstream-ready melodic edge to tracks like his feature on Tezzus and diamond*'s "Baby." On the UGS cypher, he flexed off his experience behind the mic, shuffling his vocal inflections reminiscent to Playboi Carti's baby voice and triplet flows. —Antonio Johri
Southsidesilhouette
Standout Album: Untitled
Instagram: southsidesilhouette
Southsidesilhouette is the quiet one of the group.
He has been steadily releasing singles and collaborating with other creatives since 2021, even getting to work with one of his favorite producers, Pi’erre Bourne, on the track "Flat Shoals Rd" with Sk8star and Diorvsyou.
Staying true to the ethos and creative freedom of Øway, Southsidesilhouette doesn’t let himself be restricted by trends or the music industry, experimenting and creating what he likes to hear. He stays lowkey and humble about flexing, whether over an ambient, electronic beat as in “Ballin,” or a reggae-influenced instrumental in “Walk Away.” —Mariah Rivera
Percaso
Standout Album: SØUFSIDE
Instagram: ppercaso
Percaso started making waves when he was just 15, touring with Lil Yachty and the Concrete Boys in 2024.
A year later, he linked with Tezzus and made SØUFSIDE, an early product of Øway, with Øway shouted out constantly throughout. Often featured in Tezzus’ videos, he is immediately recognizable with his fiery red hairstyle and high-energy, uncontrollable nature. —Mariah Rivera
ShawtyRokk
Standout Album: Røkk Gøtti
Instagram: shawtyrokkk
As Tezzus' actual blood brother, ShawtyRokk was naturally destined to join ØWAY. He may be the collective's most aggressive rapper, a style on full display throughout his 2026 tape, Røkk Gøtti. His staccato flows are relentless as he flexes over hard-hitting production, punctuated by abrasive ad-libs that scream at you after nearly every bar. —Antonio Johri
Lil Righteous
Standout Album: Soaring
Instagram: lilrighteouss
Not much is known about Lil Righteous yet, but his name is scattered throughout the ØWAY catalog. Compared to some of the collective's more experimental members, he sticks to a more traditional Atlanta rap style, firing off short bursts of bars over trap beats on songs like "Cavalli" with Billi0n and "Thumbin" with Pz' and ShawtyRokk. —Antonio Johri
Billi0n
Standout Album: PT. 4 RELOADED
Instagram: billi0nbby
Billi0n sounds like a mix of Young Nudy and LazerDim700. His croaky voice straddles the line between ATL trap and terror plugg, whether he's screaming over the detuned production of "TALISMAN" or tapping into a more melodic bag on "Spray Down." —Antonio Johri
EA TJ
Standout Album: Last Hit
Instagram: ea.tjj
After dropping his first song, "RAF," in 2024, EA TJ realized music was his calling.
The "EA" in his name stands for East Atlanta, which he proudly represents, and after years of being around ØWAY, he naturally became part of the collective. Although he is still developing his artistic identity, EA TJ experiments with a wide range of deliveries. On "EAØ" with Percaso and Tezzus, he raps with pure adrenaline and a maniacal cackle, while "Fucked It Up" with Pz' finds him using a drugged-out flow. —Antonio Johri
10kdunkin
Standout Album: He Smooth
Instagram: 10kdunkin
10kdunkin is in it for the long haul, remarking, “I want to make shit… where like 10-20 years from now, it sounds like it’s new.”
On SoundCloud, 10kdunkin is a seasoned veteran, grinding since 2016. His roots run deep in Cobb County, Georgia, and his early influences, Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa, and Ty Dolla $ign, are prominent in his music. Tracks like “DO DA MOST” have nostalgic, soulful piano chords over a heavy, percussive beat that grounds the song.
This background lays the foundation for him to be more expressive and vulnerable in his lyrics: “Shades on my face so you don’t see the pain in my eyes / I was asking for the truth, but they kept telling me lies,” he raps. —Mariah Rivera
ReezyX
Standout Album: Almost There
Instagram: reezyx
ØWAY has a diverse range of artists with distinct sounds from across the underground. It's only right to have someone like ReezyX bringing sounds from the terror plugg lane, with razor-thin beats that feel even harder to catch a flow over. His EP, Almost There, features him flowing over lush, more digestible instrumentals using his nasally voice.—Antonio Johri
LilKixkdor
Standout Song: SØRE
Instagram: lilkixkdor_
LilKixkDor is still emerging. His Spotify barely has any music. However, if you go to his SoundCloud, the Atlanta artist has plenty of songs with Tezzus and diamond* from 2023 and 2024, when ØWAY was still named Phønk Dølla Wørldwide.—Antonio Johri
