Only three rappers can say they’ve released chart-topping albums whilst incarcerated. 2Pac, Lil Wayne, and Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again (NBA).
Known for prolifically releasing new material in the form of mixtapes on YouTube, YoungBoy has managed to become one of the most successful rappers in the world in a period of fewer than five years. But what are the Best YoungBoy NBA Songs of All Time? Let’s find out…
Mixtape master
Two years after he started making mixtapes and gaining notoriety as a rapper with an edge, he was signed to Atlantic Records. In 2018, he released his first single, which broke into the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
His subsequent debut studio album was released that same year and peaked at number seven on the US BillBoard 200. YoungBoy was able to get his first #1 album on the Billboard 200 because it accumulated 144.7 million on-demand audio streams during its first week.
Despite being active for less than a decade, the amount of material YoungBoy has released made this a very hard one to write. However, here are my picks for the best songs by YoungBoy NBA. Please note that many NBA songs are digital releases only.
Top 21 Best YoungBoy NBA Songs of All Time
1Dirty Iyanna
Album: Digital Release
This one might seem a bit off-beat as a starter for a list of NBA songs. But, I’ve chosen it to highlight that he is successful for being talented and creative as much as he might be for being controversial.
Inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana,” the track is what some might call a “dis track” aimed at ex-girlfriend Ianna Mayweather, daughter of the world-famous boxer.
Despite this, when viewed purely as a song within an artist’s catalog, it represents a healthy spirit towards experimentation and new influences.
2Kacey Talk
Album: Top
Something noted by hardcore YoungBoy fans is that he seems to have no shame in exhibiting vulnerability in his music and lyrics. “Kacey Talk” might not be a commercially massive tune. But, it holds a special place in his catalog since he’s explicitly sharing feelings and thoughts about his son.
338 Baby
Album: 38 Baby
Controversial rappers have controversial songs, and “38 Baby” has got to be one of the biggest ones in history. However, I’m not going to focus on the hype and commentary stirred up by this track, only on the music.
This is a very well-recorded and arranged track, constructed with a very distinctive flow that allowed NBA to sling verses in a mode he was truly at home in. Perhaps because he is lyrically reliving his childhood and teen years growing up in Louisiana.
This song has a place here because it’s such a great tune. But, it’s also become one of the most popular YoungBoy NBA songs despite its controversial subject matter. “38 Baby” also represents the start of his YouBoys blitzkrieg climb to insane success in the music industry.
4Lonely Child
Album: AI YoungBoy 2
Once more, we have an unabashed, explicitly honest, and personal song from NBA. This track seeks to explore his humanity as a person despite his less than stellar reputation in the public eye. The track has a very minimal construction and contains one of the silkiest hip-hop beats on any of his tracks.
This one has an emotional and psychological appeal that sets in once you get lost in YoungBoy’s sharp narratives on love and loved ones, of which he’s lost both. Even his thoughts and feelings regarding being a father are laid bare.
5Untouchable
Album: Digital Release
Produced by D. Brooks Exclusive and released as the lead single for the mixtape AI YoungBoy, “Untouchable” represents the fruition of Youngboy’s hard work and determination.
“I remember I wanted to quit so many times/But I know this moment would come, now it’s my time/I gotta make up for all them nights that my momma cried/I’m going in, I’m putting everything on the line”
In and out of trouble…
This was the last song he demoed before one of his multiple incarcerations. And was the first he recorded after he was released in May of 2017.
The cover for the single shows YoungBoy in the back of a police car with his hands cuffed behind his back. The music video features footage of him on the day he was released.
Despite his usual aggressive style and the seemingly ego-driven title, “Untouchable” is more a declaration of things he’s thankful for than a massive bragging victory lap. Although the song had relatively poor chart performances, “Untouchable” has been certified double platinum.
6Preach
Album: Until Death Call My Name
Once more, we have a window into the thoughts and feelings of NBA through this low-key autobiographical number with a funny flow. For me, this is one of the most underrated YoungBoy NBA songs.
Showing his flow…
The flow that YoungBoy uses on this track is one he uses quite a bit on his mixtape Aint Too Long. The tone of the song is steeped in darkness, and it sets the tone perfectly for the subject matter.
YoungBoy effortlessly spits verses discussing darkness in one’s heart, treachery (both experienced and inflicted), and betrayal. There is one particular lyrical trick in “Preach” that stands out.
He takes some words of advice given to him by his grandfather and incorporates them into his verse using a distinctive accent. Later in the song, he does the same thing, but with a more twisted flair. All told, it’s one of the best YoungBoy NBA songs of all time.
7All In
Album: Top
Lionel Richie once said, “There’s the business of music, and then there’s the music business.” In other words, it is very hard to judge the sincerity of people around you when you’ve attained a certain level of success.
This is something that YoungBoy often talks about in his music. Determining whether someone is invested in your well-being as a person or merely in what your continued success can mean for them can be difficult.
“If I say how I feel, would you really listen?/If you was all mine, I’d be all in”
When you are discovered as being real, though, NBA announces truly that he is all in from then on.
8Valuable Pain
Album: Realer
This song is one of YoungBoy NBA’s best songs that showcases him as an artist. It contains a small quantity of all the talent and trademarks that make his music so unique. Both within the rap genre and as a songwriter.
He brought his son, Draco, with him for the filming of the song’s music video. This reflects the mind of a man who, despite all the controversy and material success that surrounds him, knows what the most important things in life are.
The other half of this song’s appeal is that, sonically, it is such a joy to listen to. It has the air of one of those effortless compositions that NBA seems to be so good at. And yet, it has this immense power, especially in the chorus, which truly has the vibe of an anthem about it.
9No Smoke
Album: Al Youngboy
Written by Youngboy and produced by DJ Chose, “No Smoke” was the second single from Youngboy’s seventh mixtape. In the year of its release, “No Smoke” was rated #33 on The Fader’s 101 Best Songs of 2017.
Some critics suggested that this track was a response to some of YoungBoy’s fellow rappers trying to get him banned from his own city. In his distinctive, cold, and aggressive style, he states that his so-called enemies don’t want any trouble with him.
Once again…
We have a track that is so well produced to capture the tone of the content it’s trying to convey. Here, we have to give credit to DJ Chose for his punchy, in-your-face mix of this razor-blade song that you could cut yourself on.
“No Smoke” was one of YoungBoy’s biggest hit songs, reaching #61 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #29 on the Hip & R&B Singles Chart. Although many of his other songs have become much more successful, this one has developed a cult following, just like its creator.
10Through The Storm
Album: Until Death Call My Name
Youngboy is fond of interspersing his tracks with piano-based rhythms and beats, and this song is a great example of this. And, you can see why he’s used it so often, it works, and he’s gotten very good at it.
It contains a raw beauty that once again stems from an unapologetic honesty in YoungBoy’s entire catalog. We are taken on a journey through his troublesome younger years and his difficult ascent to the top.
With this track, NBA succeeds in painting a wonderfully vivid picture using the metaphor of a storm outside the safety of one’s home.
11Self Control
Album: AI YoungBoy 2
This one doesn’t have a long, elaborate justification. It has a very simple one. Despite achieving massive success in the industry and attaining monster attention from lots of shakers and movers, YoungBoy hasn’t altered his sound in any way, other than those he chooses himself.
This song sounds like it could have been on his very first rough-cut mixtape. And that’s why I love it so much.
12Outside Today
Album: Until Death Call My Name
This one should come as no surprise, and I’m not going to dilly dally. It is probably one of Young Boy NBA’s most successful songs. And, yes, one of the major contributors to this song’s appeal is that super catchy chorus.
However, the writing and production also deserve their credit. Not to mention the smooth verses from YoungBoy that everyone starts singing along to when this track comes blasting through the speakers.
The song peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Youngboy’s highest-charting single until “Bandit” broke into the top ten.
13Bandit
Album: Bandit
This is the final single to be released by Juice World as a lead artist before his death in 2018. No doubt NBA is grateful for the opportunity that he had to collaborate with his friend before his passing.
The song represents a historical moment for NBA as well since it was his first top ten single. This was the world taking notice and realizing that here was a young guy who needed to be taken very seriously. Sure enough, the subsequent years have proven this to be 100% the case.
14No Mentions
15Carter Son
16Murda Business
17AI Nash
18Green Dot
19Make No Sense
20One Shot
21Dope Lamp
Looking for More Awesome Songs?
We can help. Take a look at our detailed articles on the Best John Legend Songs of All Time, the Best Ja Rule Songs Of All Time, the Best Kanye West Songs of All Time, the Best Lil Wayne Songs of All Time, and the Best Drake Songs of All Time for more great song selections.
Best YoungBoy NBA Songs of All Time – Conclusion
So, there you have it. Some awesome tracks from YoungBoy NBA. What is most remarkable about this artist is the body of work he has created in such a short time. And doing so while spending time behind bars makes him even more remarkable.
Until next time, happy listening.
