NBA YoungBoy Biography

A phenomenal American rapper, NBA YoungBoy first began producing music when he was merely fourteen years of age. In 2014, he released his first mixtape Life Before Fame as NBA YoungBoy. He followed it with a string of mixtapes, including Mind of a Menace, Mind of a Menace 2, and Mind of a Menace 3. In 2016, NBA YoungBoy first came to the limelight with his super hit mixtape 38 Baby, which received millions of views on YouTube. He followed it with a song-for-song rap beef with fellow Baton Rouge rapper Scotty Cain. The song attracted a lot of attention due to its death-threatening lyrics.

Just when his music career was soaring, NBA YoungBoy faced a blip in his personal life—he was arrested in Austin, Texas on suspicion of first-degree murder. While in jail, YoungBoy released several songs, including Win or Lose, Don't Matter, and Too Much, all of which were big hits. Win or Lose went viral and made YoungBoy a household name.

In May 2017, YoungBoy was released from jail. The following week, he released the super hit song Untouchable. The single peaked at number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He followed it with a video for his song 41. In August 2017, NBA YoungBoy released the mixtape AI YoungBoy, which charted at 24th position on Billboard Hot 200. The single from the album No Smoke peaked at number 61 on Billboard Hot 100.

In 2018, YoungBoy’s career took a meteoric rise as his single Outside Today became the highest charting song of his career thus far, peaking at number 35 on Billboard Hot 100. NBA YoungBoy released his debut studio album Until Death Call My Name in April 2018. In 2019, he released a mixtape titled AI YoungBoy 2, which debuted atop the US Billboard 200. In 2020, he released another mixtape titled Still Flexin, Still Steppin, which debuted at the second position on the US Billboard 200. The same year, he also released his second studio album Top. In 2021, he released Sincerely, Kentrell from prison, his third studio album. He was released from prison in October 2021 after which he released his mixtape Colors on January 21, 2022. He put out another mixtape named Better than You, which he created in collaboration with DaBaby, in March 2022.

In August 2022, he released his fourth studio album, The Last Slimeto. The album garnered praise from critics and peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart. In the coming months, he also released mixtapes like Realer 2, 3800 Degrees, Ma' I Got a Family, and 3860. In December 2022, he came out with his second compilation album, Lost Files. The album reached number 45 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

YoungBoy put out his fifth studio album, I Rest My Case, in January 2023. While the album received a lukewarm response from critics, it managed to peak at number 9 on the US Billboard 200 chart. He is currently working on his sixth album, Don't Try This at Home.

NBA YoungBoy was born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden on October 20, 1999, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has 2 brothers named Ken Gaulden and Bway Yungy. He also has a sister named Teelee Gaulden. His mother’s name is Sherhonda Gaulden. As a toddler, Gaulden broke his neck due to which he wore a temporary head brace for a period of time. The brace left three permanent scars on his forehead. After Gaulden’s birth, his father was sentenced to 55 years in prison. Subsequently, he was raised by his maternal grandmother. Gaulden continued with his studies until ninth grade, after which he dropped out to focus on his music career.

What led to his name change is unknown but when he set foot on the music scene, Gaulden was known by his aliases, NBA YoungBoy or YoungBoy Never Broke Again. It was while working for his music career that YoungBoy was arrested for robbery and sent to a detention center in Tallulah, Louisiana. In Tallulah, he began writing lyrics. Upon his release, NBA YoungBoy moved in to live with his friend 3Three, as his grandmother had passed away. The two got involved in criminal activities to pay for studio time. YoungBoy then actively involved himself to make a career out of music. In February 2018, YoungBoy was arrested before a concert at The Moon nightclub in Tallahassee on the charges of committing assault, weapons violations, and kidnapping. In 2019, he was also accused of assaulting a member of his music tour. However, YoungBoy’s attorney refused any knowledge of the incident.

Talking of YoungBoy’s relationship status, it is alleged that NBA YoungBoy has ten children out of his relationship with eight women. His children include Kayden, Kacey, Kamiri, and Taylin. In January 2021, he became a father to Kentrell Jr., his sixth child. He welcomed his tenth child in September 2022. He married his girlfriend Jazlyn Mychelle Hayes on January 7, 2023.