If you’ve been following the rap game for more than a minute, you know things move fast. One second, a kid is uploading raw, grainy videos from Louisiana, and the next, he’s shattering YouTube records and rivaling Drake for chart dominance. But because he’s been around for so long and has such a massive discography, people constantly find themselves asking: how old is YoungBoy actually? It feels like he’s lived three different lives already.
He isn't old. That's the shocker.
Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, known to the world as YoungBoy Never Broke Again, was born on October 20, 1999. As of right now, in early 2026, he is 26 years old. It’s a number that feels "off" to some fans because his output suggests someone who has been in the industry for twenty years. He dropped 38 Baby when he was just a teenager. By the time most people his age were figuring out their college majors, YoungBoy was already a multi-millionaire with a sprawling family and a legal rap sheet longer than most veteran artists.
The Timeline of a Young Legend
To understand why the question of how old is YoungBoy pops up so often, you have to look at the sheer density of his career. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he was raised mainly by his maternal grandmother. His father was sentenced to 55 years in prison when Kentrell was just a boy. This isn't just "flavor text" for a bio; it’s the bedrock of his music. He broke his neck as a toddler while wrestling, which is why he has those distinct scars on his forehead from the halo brace.
He dropped out of school in the ninth grade. He told his mom he wanted to focus on music. Shortly after, he was arrested for robbery and sent to a detention center in Tallulah, Louisiana. While sitting in that center, he began writing the lyrics that would eventually make him a household name.
When 38 Baby hit in 2016, he was 17.
Think about that. At 17, most kids are worried about prom or getting their driver's license. YoungBoy was already pivoting the sound of Southern trap. By 18, he released Outside Today, which peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The momentum didn't just grow; it exploded. He became the "King of YouTube," a title he held because his fan base—often underserved by traditional radio—streamed his music videos with a religious fervor.
Why His Age Confuses Everyone
Part of the confusion regarding his age stems from his personal life. It’s no secret that YoungBoy has a large family. He has 11 children. In many cultures and social circles, having a double-digit number of children is something associated with middle age or older patriarchs. Seeing a 26-year-old with that many kids creates a psychological "age gap" in the minds of the public. You see the photos of him at his home in Utah, looking like a seasoned father figure, and you forget he was born in the final months of the 1990s.
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Then there is the legal history.
Since 2016, it feels like YoungBoy has been in a constant cycle of arrests, house arrest, and releases. There was the 2017 attempted murder charge (later reduced), the 2019 shooting in Miami, and the high-profile federal gun case in 2021. When an artist is constantly in the news for court dates, the public perceives them as "older" because we’ve been watching their legal saga for nearly a decade.
The Utah Era and Modern Maturity
For a long time, YoungBoy was synonymous with the trenches of Baton Rouge. However, his recent years have been defined by his residence in Salt Lake City, Utah. Under strict house arrest conditions for a significant period, his music shifted. It became more experimental. He started rocking face paint. He started talking about internal peace, even as the "interstate" beefs continued to simmer in the background.
He’s a 26-year-old who has spent a massive chunk of his twenties confined to a house.
Honestly, it’s a weird paradox. He is one of the most successful artists on the planet, yet he hasn't been able to tour like a traditional superstar for years. This isolation has only added to the mystery. When you don't see a celebrity "out and about," their age becomes an abstract concept. You only see the music videos shot in his living room or the occasional Instagram Live where he’s playing with his kids or smoking on the porch.
Career Milestones by Age
It’s helpful to see the "velocity" of his life to truly grasp the how old is YoungBoy conversation:
- Age 14: Started recording music using a microphone he bought from Walmart.
- Age 16: Released his first mixtapes, gaining local traction in Louisiana.
- Age 18: Signed to Atlantic Records; released Until Death Call My Name.
- Age 20: AI YoungBoy 2 debuts at number one on the Billboard 200.
- Age 22: Released Sincerely, Kentrell from prison, beating Drake's Certified Lover Boy for the number one spot.
- Age 24-25: Transitioned into a more "prolific" era, dropping multiple projects a year, including Don't Try This At Home.
His work ethic is arguably his most "adult" trait. He releases music at a pace that exhausts the industry. Most artists take two years to craft an album. YoungBoy might drop three in a single fiscal quarter. This saturation keeps him in the conversation constantly, making it feel like he’s been a staple of the industry for ages.
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Comparing Him to His Peers
When you look at other rappers in his weight class, the age gap is startling.
Lil Baby is 31.
21 Savage is 33.
Drake is 39.
YoungBoy is essentially a full generation younger than the "Big Three" of the 2010s, yet he competes with them on every metric—sales, views, and influence. He’s more of a contemporary to the "SoundCloud" era kids, yet he has the staying power of a legacy act.
A lot of people think he’s in his 30s because of the "old soul" energy in his pain songs. When he sings about losing friends to violence or the weight of his grandmother’s passing, he doesn’t sound like a kid. He sounds like someone who has seen a century’s worth of trauma in a quarter-century of life.
The Industry Impact of a 26-Year-Old
It is hard to overstate how much he changed the business. Before YoungBoy, "YouTube views" were often seen as a secondary metric. He proved that you could bypass the gatekeepers entirely. He didn't need a massive radio push. He didn't need the Coachella stage. He just needed a camera and his backyard.
This DIY ethos is something he’s maintained even as he aged. Even at 26, with all the money in the world, he still prefers the raw, unedited feel of his early days. It’s a brand of authenticity that younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha fans gravitate toward. They don't want the polished, corporate version of a rapper. They want the guy who feels real.
Addressing the Rumors
Is he older than he says? No.
There are always conspiracy theories in hip-hop. People love to claim that rappers are "industry plants" or that they’re lying about their age to seem more impressive. But with YoungBoy, the receipts are everywhere. His childhood in Baton Rouge is well-documented. His school records, his early arrests, and his family history are all public knowledge. He really is just a guy who started very young and never stopped.
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The "Never Broke Again" moniker isn't just a cool label name; it’s a life mission. When you grow up in the conditions he did, the urgency to succeed is different. You don't take "gap years." You don't "find yourself" in Europe. You work.
What’s Next for Kentrell?
At 26, most people are just starting to figure out their career path. YoungBoy is already looking at a "legacy" phase. He has released over 30 projects including studio albums, mixtapes, and compilations.
The biggest hurdle remains his legal status. His age is often overshadowed by his "status" with the feds. If he can navigate the next few years and maintain his freedom, we are looking at an artist who could easily become the first rapper to have 50 or 60 charting albums before he hits 40.
He’s recently expressed interest in different sounds, even flirting with rock and "rage" beats. It’s the sign of an artist who is bored with the formula. He’s 26, rich, and has already conquered his genre. The only thing left to do is innovate or retire, and YoungBoy doesn't seem like the retiring type.
How to Keep Up With His Real Age
If you want to stay updated on his life without getting lost in the "rap blog" noise, keep an eye on his official birthday: October 20.
Every year that passes, the "YoungBoy" name becomes a bit more ironic, much like "Lil" Wayne or "Baby." He’s a grown man navigating one of the most complex careers in music history. Whether you love him or hate him, you have to respect the math. 26 years old with that much impact is a statistical anomaly.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Researchers:
- Verify the Source: When looking at his age or family details, stick to court documents or major interviews (like his Billboard cover story) rather than random TikTok "fact" videos which often mix up his children or his birth year.
- Track the Catalog: To understand his growth, listen to 38 Baby (2016) back-to-back with The Last Slimeto (2022). The vocal change and thematic shift tell the story of a boy becoming a man better than any biography could.
- Watch the Courts: His age will continue to be a factor in his legal proceedings, as "youthful indiscretion" is a common defense, though that window is closing as he moves further into his late twenties.
- Follow the Official Label: Never Broke Again LLC often posts updates that are more reliable than the tabloid circuit.
YoungBoy isn't the "kid" rapper anymore. He's the veteran of the new school. By the time he's 30, he’ll likely have more gold and platinum plaques than most Hall of Famers. And he'll still be younger than many artists just getting their big break. It’s a wild trajectory, but that’s just the reality of Kentrell Gaulden.