From Exotic to Za
In the 2000s, “exotic” was street code for out-of-town flower—especially premium Cali packs hitting the South and Midwest. In Atlanta, the word evolved: exotic ➝ zotic ➝ zaza ➝ za. A regional slang flip that would soon become global.
First Digital Footprints
By mid-2019, East Atlanta rapper Ola Runt tweeted “exotic weed = zaza” (Dec 1, 2019), later claiming he coined it. But earlier, Lil Keed posted “zazaaaaa!!” on IG Stories (June 22, 2019), making Keed one of the first to push the slang publicly in the Zone 6 digital circuit.
Early Viral Moments
In late 2019, Georgia’s @MrPassDaWood tweeted, “Gas? Nigga this Zaza.” Around the same time, Chicago’s India Isamarie posted, “Now everybody say they smokin zaza.” These early posts didn’t go viral—but they prove the term was already crossing state lines.
Rap Made It Global
Ola Runt stamped the slang in February 2020 with “I’m smokin on zaza, that shit be sativic” on 1500 Block. That same month, Money Man dropped Epidemic, rapping, “This is real zaza, with the bags, I charge ’em thirty-five.” Lil Keed and Future followed with Zaza on Trapped on Cleveland 3 (August 2020), putting the word in national playlists.
Mainstream Momentum
By late 2020, 21 Savage, Moneybagg Yo, and viral TikToks turned “smokin za” into a pop culture meme. CJ’s Whoopty (2020) and 6ix9ine’s Zaza (2021) gave the term a New York edge—but Atlanta had planted the seed.
Trap Bags & TikTok
Between 2020–2021, Alibaba got flooded with fake “Zaza” mylar bags. Street dealers used the visuals to validate quality. TikTok turned “smokin za” into a joke and a trend—detached from strain names, growers, or origins. Za became an aesthetic.
Why It Matters
“Za” started as ATL trap slang for premium indoor. It stood for rarity and pressure. But the more viral it got, the more diluted it became—just another word for weed. The term lost its meaning, but the movement left a mark.
Cultural Legacy
From East Atlanta trap houses to YSL lyrics to corner store mylars, “Za” became a symbol of Southern influence. Ola Runt sparked the wave. Lil Keed amplified it. Together, they helped turn Atlanta slang into a worldwide weed language.
Rest in Peace, Lil Keed
Your voice, your sound, and your slang still echo. The city remembers. 🌹
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— Nugg Notes 🪴
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