Southern Plug Magazine: Leaders of the New School 2017 Volume 2 Issue 1 A | Page 22

Louisiana rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again debuted as
one of 2016's rising talents when that trajectory hit some
turbulence brought about by a six-month prison
sentence. Originally known as NBA YoungBoy, the rapper
was born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden in Baton Rouge in
1999. Inspired by local artist Lil Phat, the young Gaulden
started rapping and recording. His debut mixtape, Life
Before Fame, arrived in 2015 and was quickly followed by
a trilogy of releases titled Mind of a Menace. Shining a
spotlight on his gritty and violent upbringing, YoungBoy
displayed a talent for wordy bars, combining the spirits of
contemporaries like 21 Savage and Boosie Badazz. In
2016, he released the 38 Baby mixtape, which featured
fellow Baton Rouge rappers like Badazz and Kevin Gates.
Before I Go Reloaded, a collection of previously released
tracks,