NBA YoungBoy has tied with both Drake and Future after his latest album, Richest Opp‘s, sales landed him a spot having the third most Billboard 200 top 10 albums among rappers in U.S. history. Richest Opp saw 51,000 album-equivalent units sold in it’s first week, debuting at number four on this week’s chart. YoungBoy now has 15 Billboard 200 top 10 albums, also sharing his record with the likes of fellow rappers Drake and Future. The only rappers to surpass the record are Nas and Jay-Z, who both have 16 top 10 albums.
YoungBoy Never Broke Again ties @Drake and @1Future for the third most Billboard 200 top 10 albums among rappers in US history (15 each). Only Jay-Z and Nas have more (16 each). pic.twitter.com/UVxnKuygnt
Richest Opp followed YoungBoy’s April release of Don’t Try This at Home. Earlier this month, he revealed his latest album’s tracklist to fans. After fellow rapper Lil Durk announced that he’d be releasing a new album, YoungBoy took to social media to announce that he’d be dropping his LP on the same day. This led to a feud between the rappers.
YoungBoy also recently beefed with Soulja Boy about the release date of his latest album. After revealing that he’d put out Richest Opp on the same day as Lil Durk, Soulja Boy expressed that he was also upset about the release on social media. He said, “I’m finna outsell Lil Durk and YoungBoy at the same time,” adding “This my date.” He then went on to say, “P*ssy-a*s n*gga, you seen me announce my muthaf*ckin’ album and the next day you announced your album. So, guess what? You lame, n*gga.” When YoungBoy later responded by telling him “It’s gone be nice to meet you,” Soulja Boy went off again. He said, “You can’t wait to meet what? Bot, what the f*ck you said?” Continuing, Soulja claimed, “Boy, you don’t want to meet me,” adding, “This shit ain’t sweet. This ain’t no meet-and-greet.”
There have been some major drops in recent weeks. First, there was NBA YoungBoy’s Richest Opp, a mixtape that he was hoping would become his 15th top 10 release. Then came Lil Durk’s “All My Life ft. J. Cole”, a single release that pre-empted the release of Durk’s upcoming album, Almost Healed.
Now, in this day and age, streaming numbers are just as important as physical sales. Spotify, the global streaming service, is one of the major sources of these streaming numbers, and some good news for Lil Durk has been revealed in recent days.
“All My Life” Dominates “Richest Opp”
Both Richest Opp and “All My Life” were released on May 12. The joint release sparked some fierce words, and a diss track, from YoungBoy. “Bitch-ass n***a, you pushed back, you bet not ever try it again,” YoungBoy said in response to news that Durk had pushed back the release of Almost Healed. Richest Opp also included a track that dissed Drake for associating with Durk. “Bitch, I send them hitters to hit at you, boy, don’t say shit to me. Talk to Drake, cross FaceTime, he wasn’t feelin’ me. Told me that he fuck with Durk, damn, that shit was gettin’ to me. Told me that he like the shit I’m doin’, but can’t do shit with me. So when we cross our ways, fuck what you say, bitch, you my enemy,” YoungBoy rapped on “Fuck The Industry Part 2”.
However, it appears that Durk has seen more success from his May 12 release than YoungBoy. According to Spotify’s streaming data at the time of writing, Richest Opp‘s 17 tracks have a combined 15 million streams. Furthermore, just four of the songs on the mixtapes have broken 1 million streams. Currently, the most popular song on the mixtape is “Bitch Let’s Do It” at 1,786,342 streams. By comparison, “All My Life” alone has 21 million streams. Both projects are yet to make their chart debut. Additionally, “All My Life” is projected to debut at #2 on the Billboard 100. Meanwhile, Richest Opp is expected to battle with The Jonas Brothers’ The Album for a top 5 spot on the Billboard 200.
NBA YoungBoy continues to solidify himself as the most consistent MC in hip-hop with his third project of 2023, Richest Opp. It’s his second project within the past month. He’s now up to an astounding 69 songs this calendar year. The Louisiana native has been on a tear, partly attributed to YoungBoy being under house arrest. Existing in his own peaceful and lavish world in the mountains of Utah, he’s taken the extended time to hone his craft as a rapper.
He’s becoming just as well-known for his insane consistency as his skill on the mic. At 23 years old, he’s put out far more music than seasoned veteran MCs have throughout an entire hip-hop career. However, YNBA’s output directly reflects the internet culture that runs the rap world. New tracks are constantly being teased over Instagram live streams. As hip-hop grows, fans’ attention spans are becoming shorter and shorter by the year. The stark reality for many artists is that constant output is the way to relevancy.
“Richest Opp” Is NBA YoungBoy’s Third Project This Year
If anyone can get away with this constant output without over-saturating their brand, it’s NBA YoungBoy. His aggressive and flamboyant punchlines combined with the high-pitched melodies give him one of the most distinguishable voices in hip-hop. He can dart from rapid flows to melodic vocal harmonies on a dime. As a result, lackluster beats can be compromised with his commanding presence over a track.
In fact, he isn’t completely sacrificing quality for quantity on Richest Opp. The overarching tone coming from YoungBoy is anger. Cast out by the industry, he’s faced plenty of criticism surrounding his numerous children, criminal background, and controversial headlines. Feeling as if all knives are pointed at him, Richest Opp sees him laser-focused on his pen game. It’s to a point where the record’s lyrical content becomes disturbing. YoungBoy’s imagery surrounding violence sometimes comes off as realistic rather than symbolic. However, this is coming from someone who’s genuinely lived that life. NBA YoungBoy grew up in the impoverished streets of New Orleans, getting a first-row seat to violence and drug use.
NBA YoungBoy Calls Out The Music Industry
Take “F**k The Industry Pt.2,” where he calls out artists such as Drake, Jay Prince, Lil Durk, and Lil Yachty. Referencing Drake and Durk, he states, “Talked to Drake ‘cross FaceTime, he wasn’t feelin’ me / Told me that he f*ck with Durk, damn, that sh*t gettin’ to me / Told me that he like the sh*t I’m doin’, but can’t do sh*t with me.” Accusing past collaborators of doing whatever they can to prevent him from being successful, this “me against the world” mentality remains prevalent throughout the entire record. Sirens race through the background while menacing piano chords work their way into the mix of much of Richest Opp. Other standouts such as “Free Meechy,” “Slider,” and “Hurt My Heart” follow this dark theme. There are a slew of genuinely great choruses from YoungBoy throughout the record.
Richest Opp begins to falter when it strays away from the core emotion of the record. The more understated, toned-down tracks such as “Just Flow” and “I Got That S**t” leave room for the wallpaper production to become increasingly obvious. As a whole, Richest Opp leaves the listener wishing that NBA YoungBoy was in a room of producers looking to take more sonic risks. The more YoungBoy’s ominous voice takes over the record, the better. For the record’s redundant flaws, fans will likely leave with a handful of personal favorites to keep them satisfied until the next project inevitably rolls around.
While Richest Opp is likely the best we’ve heard from NBA YoungBoy in 2023, it leaves the audience wondering, what’s next? The headline-making MC can only rap over same-y beats for so long before the hip-hop world moves on to the next prevailing trend. However, the world hasn’t moved on yet. Selling a project of 58k units in week one, Richest Opp is set to debut in the Top 5. In fact, the project sets him up for a historic milestone. With the new project, he joins Future and Drake on the list of the highest-selling rappers ever.
For those who’ve ditched his wild world over the past year, it’s worth returning to with Richest Opp. It’s his most emotionally charged project in a long while. It’s already generated an argument between him and Soulja Boy over social media. Soulja Boy accused NBA YoungBoy of releasing the album on the same day to ride off of his hype. NBA YoungBoy responded with hostility, sparking a beef over social media. However, the beef was nothing more than fun competition between the two vibrant MCs. On the Bootleg Kev Podcast, Soulja Boy confirmed that he’d be open to collaborating with NBA YoungBoy. Still, it looks as if his tension with Lil Durk rages on.
NBA YoungBoy’s career as a rapper is changing the hip-hop game. Widely touted as one the hardest workers in hip-hop, the Louisiana-born MC has been releasing music like clockwork over the past few years. Astoundingly, YoungBoy has already put out three albums in 2023 alone. His latest mixtape, Richest Opp, has him set to join Future and Drake for the third-most Top 10 rap albums. This is especially impressive, considering he’s merely 23 years old.
For most rappers, an over-saturation of music would be a death sentence for their career. However, YoungBoy has garnered a fanbase that’s along for the ride regarding his repetitive output. At this point, his reputation for releasing a new project every few months is one that fans have become accustomed to. As a result, his studio albums and mixtapes continue to debut in the Top 5 on the Billboard charts.
NBA YoungBoy Turned To Music As A Child
NEW ORLEANS, LA – AUGUST 25: Rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again performs during Lil Weezyana at Champions Square on August 25, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)
NBA YoungBoy’s early life was full of trouble surrounding run-ins with the law. Named Kentrell Gaulden, he began to turn to his pen as a child to process the chaotic world around him. Growing up in an impoverished area of Baton Rouge, his father was absent throughout his upbringing. He was surrounded by drugs and violence daily, an experience he’s lyrically chronicled throughout his career. Dropping out of high school in the ninth grade, YoungBoy was forced to fend for himself from a young age.
The rapper’s music began to gain significant traction as early as 2016. After releasing numerous mixtapes on YouTube and Soundcloud, he garnered attention from the surrounding Baton Rouge community. This would quickly morph into industry-wide exposure. Releasing multiple albums throughout 2016, a 16-year-old YoungBoy even included artists such as Kevin Gates and 21 Savage on Before I Go and 38 Baby. By 2017, NBA YoungBoy’s career had taken off through the breakout mixtape AI YoungBoy. Hit tracks such as “Untouchable” and “No Smoke” solidified him as a mainstream force, with his textbook-rapid flows blowing up across the Internet.
Legal Troubles During Fame
SUNNY ISLES, FLORIDA – MAY 12: Sunny Isles Beach police officers stand near a van where an individual was found shot to death after a shooting close by that reports say involved rapper NBA Youngboy on May 12, 2019 in Sunny Isles, Florida. Police continue to investigate both of the scenes near the Trump International Beach Resort. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
However, NBA YoungBoy’s troubling childhood circumstances have followed him throughout his catapulting music career. He’s had to balance constant court cases with music creation throughout his fame. In 2016, he was arrested for attempted first-degree murder in connection to a drive-by shooting in Baton Rouge. In 2018, he was arrested for kidnapping and assault in an incident involving his once-girlfriend. Once again, he was arrested in 2021 for illegal possession of firearms.
Due to his constant troubles with the law, YougnBoy has spent much of the past half-decade under house arrest. However, the unfortunate circumstance has yielded some benefits for the understated MC. With nothing much to do but create music, the past five years have seen him build up his catalog to over 25 mixtapes and five studio albums. Ironically, his legal struggles have enabled him to hone in on his rap career.
A Shift While In Utah
In addition, he’s taken advantage of the quiet time in the hopes of becoming an inspiration to younger generations. In an interview with Billboard, YoungBoy spoke about his time under house arrest in Utah. The isolation and chance to reconnect peacefully with his family have positively influenced the rapper. In the long term, he plans to buy more land there. YoungBoy also stated that he’s most looking forward to “change.” He added, “I’m very curious of the person who I shall become.”
On all accounts, collaborators with NBA YoungBoy have had nothing but good things to say about the MC throughout his career. In 2021, he earned a spot on Tyler, the Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost. His verse off of “Wusyaname” stole the show on the song, with the hip-hop audience being shocked at his ability to flow over a soul-based beat. Tyler shouted out YoungBoy during a show back in 2021, simply stating, “He’s such a sweetheart.” YoungBoy has also released collaborative mixtapes from artists such as Birdman, Moneybagg Yo, Rich the Kid, and DaBaby.
He’s Looking To Rebirth His Image
In retrospect, NBA Youngboy’s career is one of persistence and dedication. Overcoming childhood obstacles, there’s no doubt that his lack of direction would contribute to legal troubles later in life. However, we’re beginning to see a more mature and measured YoungBoy as he enters his mid-20s. Solidifying himself as one of the biggest names in hip-hop, it will be interesting to see if he continues his constant music output over the next few years. With his success when diving into other hip-hop styles, there’s no doubt that fans wouldn’t mind a more experimental record that took YoungBoy longer to complete. However, he’s inspired other rappers to stay consistent with their releases.
As per usual, NBA YoungBoy is on a mission to prove himself as one of the hardest-working artists in the industry. This past New Music Friday the 23-year-old unleashed his third full-length project of 2023 so far, Richest Opp. It spans 17 tracks, just one of them including a guest appearance from Ten. Outside of that, YB handles things on his own, markedly dissing artists like Lil Yachty, J. Cole, and Drake throughout his bars.
Along with the release of his mixtape came plenty of drama for YB. Not only did he have to explain his “F*ck The Industry Pt. 2” bars to a confused Lil Boat, but he also pushed both Soulja Boy and Lil Durk’s buttons. The former popped off at the Louisana native in a wild Instagram Live session on Friday in response to a tweet. “Bring your p*ssy ass out the house. You can’t come outside. On God, you on house arrest. F*ck you talking about? Matter fact, you can text me the address. We’ll come to you, n*gga,” Soulja yelled into his phone as thousands of followers watched.
Aside from that situation, YoungBoy was also facing concerns about being outsold by Lil Durk this weekend. The father of six was planning on sharing his latest album yesterday as well but ultimately opted out in favour of sharing his joint single with J. Cole first. The “WTF” hitmaker was obviously incredibly pleased with this news, as he responded by sharing a video of him dancing, flexing stacks of cash, and giving Smurk a warning about what’s to come if he tries any similar stunts in the future.
According to the latest reports, NBA YoungBoy’s new project is on pace to sell 58K in its first week out. This is slightly lower than the 62K he moved with April’s Don’t Try This At Home, but is still impressive compared to what we’ve seen other artists amass as of late. What are your top three titles from Richest Opp? Let us know in the comments, and tap back in with HNHH later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
NBA Youngboy may have just released his latest album a few weeks ago, but he’s back with a new mixtape. Two days ago, the rapper posted the tracklist for Richest Opp on his Twitter account. The mixtape was revealed to have 17 tracks, which is a lot since the album he released in April was 33 songs long. Youngboy does tend to release an insane amount of material, but it’s probably because he has been on house arrest since 2021.
Despite his ongoing beef with Lil Durk and his near-constant online rants, the rapper seems to be living a relatively peaceful life in Utah. However, that’s not to suggest he has no dirty laundry to air out. As evidenced on the new mixtape, he has quite a bit of it. First, Youngboy took on Akademiks and Lil Durk in “B*tch Let’s Do It,” which he released yesterday. Then, earlier tonight, lyrics to “F*ck The Industry Pt. 2” were posted online ahead of the mixtape release. They contained very straightforward disses of huge industry names like Drake, Lil Yachty, and J. Cole.
YoungBoy Lashes Out At The Industry
There are plenty of aggressive tracks on NBA Youngboy’s new mixtape. However, “F*ck The Industry Pt. 2” is definitely a standout for several reasons. First, YB takes on big contemporaries like Drake, J. Cole, and Lil Yachty. He goes for the throat and doesn’t pull a single punch. Another reason the song is a standout is because of the video that the rapper released for it.
Rather than opting for a traditional music video, NBA YoungBoy decided to release an acapella video. It features the rapper sitting in what appears to be a tent, rapping and singing the lyrics to the song straight to the camera. It’s a one-take video, which means that even when the rapper makes a mistake, he keeps going. The sound sounded aggressive as it is, but something about YoungBoy rapping it acapella straight to the viewer makes it all the more intimidating. What do you think of Richest Opp? Let us know in the comments!
