Brief Introduction of NBA Youngboy
Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again (also called NBA YoungBoy), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He first garnered a significant following between 2015 and 2017 by releasing eight independent mixtapes. His raw, unfiltered lyrical style, often depicting personal trauma, violence, and emotional struggles, resonated with a massive online audience, making him one of the most-streamed artists, particularly on YouTube. Despite a career marked by significant legal challenges and periods of incarceration, he has achieved immense commercial success. YoungBoy has released several chart-topping projects, including four number-one albums on the Billboard 200: AI YoungBoy 2 (2019), 38 Baby 2 (2020), Top (2020), and Sincerely, Kentrell (2021). His prolific output and dedicated fanbase have solidified his status as a dominant and influential figure in contemporary hip-hop.
NBA Youngboy Overview
| Full Name | Kentrell DeSean Gaulden |
| Date of Birth | October 20, 1999 |
| Age(as of 2025) | 26 |
| Birthplace | Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Profession | Rapper, Singer, Songwriter |
| Husband/Wife | Jazlyn Mychelle (married in 2023) |
| Family | Sherhonda Gaulden (Mother), Jeffery Staden (Father), Teelee Gaulden (Sister), Ken Gaulden (Brother) |
| Relationship/Affairs(GF/BF) | Jazlyn Mychelle |
| Net Worth | Estimated between $10 million and $15 million |
Early Life and Education of NBA Youngboy
Kentrell DeSean Gaulden was born on October 20, 1999, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His early life was fraught with hardship. As a toddler, he broke his neck in a wrestling accident, which required him to wear a head brace. The brace left permanent scars on his forehead, which have become a signature feature. His father was sentenced to 55 years in prison, leading to Gaulden being raised primarily by his maternal grandmother, Alice Gaulden. He attended Scotlandville Magnet High School but dropped out in the ninth grade to focus on his music career. His path was not smooth; he was arrested for robbery and sent to a juvenile detention center in Tallulah, Louisiana. It was during his time in detention that he began to seriously write lyrics for what would become his debut project. After his release, his grandmother passed away from heart failure, and he moved in with a friend and fellow rapper, OG 3Three.
NBA Youngboy’s Career
NBA YoungBoy’s career began at the age of fourteen when he started producing music using a microphone he bought from Walmart. He released his first mixtape, Life Before Fame, in 2015. This was followed by a series of other mixtapes, including Mind of a Menace, Mind of a Menace 2, and Before I Go. He gained significant traction in 2016 with his mixtape 38 Baby, which featured collaborations with fellow Baton Rouge artists like Boosie Badazz and Kevin Gates. This project, along with a highly publicized “song-for-song rap beef” with another local rapper, Scotty Cain, elevated his profile. Despite being arrested in late 2016 on serious charges, he continued to release music from jail. A week after his release in May 2017, he dropped the single “Untouchable,” which became his first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Later that year, he signed a record deal with Atlantic Records. His 2017 mixtape, AI YoungBoy, was his first project to appear on the Billboard 200 chart.
His debut studio album, Until Death Call My Name, was released in April 2018 and peaked at number seven on the Billboard 200. The album featured the hit single “Outside Today,” which became his highest-charting song at the time. His prolific output continued, and in 2019, his mixtape AI YoungBoy 2 debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, marking his first chart-topping album. He followed this success in 2020 with two more number-one projects, the mixtape 38 Baby 2 and his second studio album, Top. In 2021, while incarcerated, he released his third studio album, Sincerely, Kentrell, which also debuted at number one, making him only the third artist in history, alongside 2Pac and Lil Wayne, to have a number-one album while in jail. After fulfilling his contract with Atlantic Records with the 2022 album The Last Slimeto, he signed a new deal with Motown Records in late 2022. His career is notable for its incredible volume of work and massive streaming numbers; he is the youngest artist to have 100 songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and has sold over 80 million digital units in the United States.
NBA Youngboy Personal Life & Family
NBA YoungBoy’s personal life has been as public and tumultuous as his career. He is a father to numerous children with several different women. As of recent reports, he has fathered twelve children. His first child, Kayden, was born in 2016 when YoungBoy was just 16. He has children with multiple women, including Nisha Keller, Jania Meshell, and Iyanna “Yaya” Mayweather, the daughter of boxer Floyd Mayweather. On January 7, 2023, he married his longtime partner Jazlyn Mychelle in Utah. The couple has two children together, a daughter named Alice and a son named Klemenza Tru. His family includes his mother, Sherhonda Gaulden, and siblings Teelee and Ken Gaulden. His father, Jeffery Staden, has been incarcerated for most of YoungBoy’s life. He often references his children and family dynamics in his music, providing a candid look into his life as a young father navigating fame and its pressures.
Awards and Achievements of NBA Youngboy
- Won a BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Award for “Bandit” (with Juice Wrld).
- Won an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Award.
- Youngest artist to have 100 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
- Received a plaque from the RIAA for “100 RIAA Gold/Platinum Certifications” at age 22, the youngest artist to do so.
- Four number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart (AI YoungBoy 2, 38 Baby 2, Top, Sincerely, Kentrell).
- Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance for his feature on Tyler, the Creator’s “WusYaName”.
NBA Youngboy Net Worth and Income
As of 2025, NBA YoungBoy’s net worth is estimated to be between $10 million and $15 million. His primary sources of income are music sales, extensive streaming royalties, and concert tours. He is one of the most-streamed artists globally, with his YouTube channel alone amassing over 15 billion views, which generates significant advertising revenue. In 2022, it was reported he signed a lucrative new record deal with Motown, with some unconfirmed reports suggesting the deal was worth up to $60 million, though the official terms were not disclosed. He also earns revenue through his own record label, Never Broke Again, LLC, which has a partnership with Motown for distribution. His prolific musical output ensures a continuous stream of income from new projects and his extensive back catalog.
Legacy and Influence
NBA YoungBoy’s legacy is defined by his profound connection with a younger generation of listeners and his relentless work ethic. His music, characterized by its raw emotion, vulnerability, and depictions of street life, has made him a “prophet of pain” for his dedicated fanbase. Despite a lack of mainstream media promotion, he has become one of the most dominant artists of the streaming era, proving the power of a direct-to-fan connection through platforms like YouTube. He is often cited as an influence on a new wave of rappers who embrace a similarly melodic yet gritty style. His success has demonstrated a new model for stardom in the digital age, one that prioritizes authenticity and prolificacy over traditional industry metrics. His ability to consistently top the charts while navigating significant personal and legal turmoil has created a complex but undeniable legacy as one of the most influential and resilient voices of his generation.
Interesting Facts about NBA Youngboy
- As a toddler, he broke his neck and had to wear a halo brace, which left three permanent scars on his forehead.
- He began writing the lyrics for his debut project while incarcerated in a juvenile detention center.
- He released his fourth number-one album, Sincerely, Kentrell, while he was in jail.
- He is the youngest artist in history to chart 100 different songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
- He founded his own record label, Never Broke Again, in 2015 to help launch the careers of other artists.
- In 2025, after serving time for a federal gun charge, he was granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump.
Controversies
NBA YoungBoy’s career has been heavily intertwined with numerous legal issues and controversies. His legal troubles began in his teenage years and have continued throughout his rise to fame. In November 2016, he was arrested on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder in connection with a drive-by shooting; he later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated assault with a firearm. In 2018, he was arrested on a kidnapping warrant following an incident involving his then-girlfriend, Jania Jackson, that was caught on hotel surveillance footage. He has faced multiple arrests on drug and weapons charges. In September 2020, he was one of sixteen people arrested in Baton Rouge on various drug and firearm charges. This led to a federal case, and while awaiting trial, he was placed on house arrest in Utah from late 2021 until 2024. More recently, he faced charges for his role in a large-scale prescription drug fraud ring in Utah. These recurring legal battles have resulted in multiple periods of incarceration and house arrest, significantly impacting his ability to tour and promote his music in traditional ways, though his musical output has remained remarkably consistent.
Social Media Presence
- Instagram – His official and fan accounts have a combined following in the millions, though he is known to frequently delete and reactivate his personal account. One prominent account has over 12 million followers.
- Twitter – Not consistently active on this platform.
- YouTube – Over 14 million subscribers with his channel being a primary hub for his music, amassing billions of views.
Final Words about NBA Youngboy
NBA YoungBoy remains one of the most compelling and paradoxical figures in modern music. His journey from the difficult streets of Baton Rouge to global superstardom is a testament to his raw talent and unwavering work ethic. Despite a career consistently punctuated by legal battles that have kept him physically removed from the public eye for long stretches, his musical influence has only grown stronger. His prolific output continues to dominate streaming charts, and his authentic, pain-filled narratives maintain a powerful hold on a massive and loyal fanbase. As he moves forward, his biggest challenge remains balancing his artistic ambitions with his personal and legal responsibilities. His story is far from over, but his impact on the sound and culture of hip-hop is already cemented, defining a generation of artists who value raw expression and a direct connection with their audience above all else.
