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NBA YoungBoy is an anomaly in the music industry.
He recently sold out four different arenas in Texas in just under a week.
Yes, you read that correctly. And you know what else…
YoungBoy hasn’t relied on crossover hits to solidify his spot, and he has only 1/4 of the Spotify listeners of some of the biggest rappers in the world.
BUT…
He’s also had 34 projects enter the Billboard top 200 — the most of any rapper, and eight platinum albums in less than 10 years (another record).
Some say that this shouldn’t be possible. But it is.
YoungBoy is currently on his first tour in 5 years, and for those who didn’t know before, his fan base is massive.
In a sense, he’s Hip-hop’s best-kept secret.
The SNOBHOP audience is broad, so I know there are some reading this who’ve never heard of NBA YoungBoy, but don’t trip — today we’re going to get into all of that.
WHO IS YOUNGBOY?
Kentrell DeSean Gaulden was born on October 20th, 1999, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Sherhonda Gaulden and Jeffrey Staden.
Although his parents were around, the legal turmoil his father faced and the personal issues his mother was dealing with led to him being primarily raised by his grandmother, whom he largely credits with giving him a foundation and spoiling him like grandparents do.
At the age of 4, YoungBoy broke his neck while wrestling at his grandmother’s house and was subsequently given a “halo” to wear during the healing process. This resulted in the permanent facial marks that many fans noticed early in his career, and it’s a defining part of his image.
At 10 years old, his grandmother passed away, and he ended up in a group home before eventually being taken in by his homie 3Three’s family (another member of the NBA crew).
It was during those turbulent years that YoungBoy ultimately discovered his passion for music and committed to making a career of it.
NBA — which stands for “Never Broke Again” was a moniker that he and his brother Pierre came up with as they started the journey together.
Thus started the legend that is NBA YoungBoy.
**While early work sees him playing into the “NBA” aspect of his name, you’ll often see his name appear as “YoungBoy Never Broke Again” on various platforms to avoid copyright infringement issues.
I. THE RISE TO POPULARITY
In April 2015, YoungBoy released his first mixtape, “Life the Fame,” and with its release, he began recording music relentlessly, building a fan base in the process.
He released several projects that year and beyond, but the one that is universally considered the project that took him to the next level is 38 Baby in October 2016. This project would be the first (of many) gold projects in YoungBoy’s catalog.
But with the success came controversy…
Shortly after the release of 38 Baby, YoungBoy ended up in a legal situation — allegedly due to an attempt to avenge the death of another member of the NBA crew.
Just when he was about to reach the next level, a short-term incarceration almost stifled his growth, but after six months in jail (with a 10-year suspended sentence), he was back in full effect.
38 Baby had raised eyebrows and created interest in YoungBoy regionally, and he was getting co-signs from other rappers in the industry.
His mixtape buzz eventually led to a lucrative recording contract with APG/Atlantic Records in 2017. Shortly after signing, he prepared his first studio album, Until Death Call My Name.
Around this time, he began collaborating with artists and producers such as Buddah Bless, Future, and Nicki Minaj, causing his popularity to continue growing.
In its first week, his debut album peaked at #7 on the Billboard Top 200 and is currently certified 2x platinum by the RIAA.
Fans were pleased with the debut album, but the true turning point for YoungBoy musically came with the release of his 2019 mixtape AI YoungBoy 2 — a project that many of his fans consider a classic.
AI YoungBoy 2 featured the commercial “Make No Sense” and is still seeing over 1 million streams a day on Spotify, according to fans who keep track on X.
II. THE PROLIFIC OUTPUT
For many, YoungBoy is known as the King of YouTube.
While music megastars dominated the streaming platforms, industry veterans were baffled by how YoungBoy was dominating this specific platform; much of it was aided immensely by his prolific output.
In reference to the stats at the beginning of the article, in the 5 years that YoungBoy was signed to Atlantic Records, he dropped 22 (yes, you read that correctly, too) albums.
His deal only called for five projects, and the label was having a hard time keeping up with all of the output, but that’s YoungBoy — expressive, raw, and on his own time.
His primary mechanism for many of these releases became YouTube, and it had a two-fold effect:
- Established fans knew this was where they could expect to find the latest from NBA YoungBoy.
- YouTube’s algorithm introduced him to an entirely new audience, fueling even more growth.
And while the verdict is out on whether this was a great business move or not to give the label so much music at one time, he eventually signed a new deal with Motown in 2023.
That same year, some speculate that YoungBoy grossed over $100 million.
Mind you — much of this happened without tours to support the music, and minimal label involvement; just a strong fan base and good music.
III. WHERE HE IS NOW
YoungBoy was released from Jail in March, and with that, he’s been able to get back to work in a real way.
His first project of the year arrived in Q3. It was a studio album named “Make America Slime Again,” which was highly anticipated.
The accompanying tour is what’s causing social media to realize fully the scope of his audience.
IV. WHY FANS LOVE HIM
YoungBoy’s fanbase is filled with die-hard fans, and they don’t expect you to understand him because THEY understand him.
This reddit thread sums it up, but the gist of it is this: Youngboy’s music is raw and in a way that you typically don’t see with mainstream artists.
Some fans have compared him to DMX due to his journey, the way he utilizes his voice in songs, and the level of musical output he has; it’s a fair comparison, in my opinion.
Moreover, if you’re wondering why this tour is so special, it’s because this is the first time he’s been able to go on tour in 5 years, and his fans have been waiting patiently to see him.
For context, YoungBoy moved to Utah a few years back as part of a deal concerning house arrest on a gun charge he was facing.
He mainly stayed to himself and out of trouble in Utah; however, a parole violation sent him back to jail.
Now he’s out, looking energized, and releasing bodies of work left and right.
What more could a fan ask for?
EPILOGUE
YoungBoy is just a few dates into the tour, which goes all the way to November, but if the past few dates are any indication of what to expect, the rest of his fans across the country are gonna pack out the venue.
A recent check of his YouTube channel shows that the prolific output continues, with new videos released almost every day in support of his most recent project, along with new records from projects to come.
Although there are just a few months left in the year, it’s safe to say that YoungBoy is far from done. Don’t be surprised if we get another album or mixtape in the near future.
In fact, on his most recent project, Deshaun (with DJ Khaled), he announced that AI Youngboy 3 is coming soon.
That one is gonna break the internet. Just watch.
One.
