You’ve seen the name on the Billboard charts. You've heard the aggressive, melodic flow coming from car speakers. Maybe you’ve even seen the headlines about his legal battles or his massive YouTube numbers. But behind the stage persona of one of the most prolific rappers of the decade, there’s a person with a much more regular-sounding name.
Whats Youngboy real name? It's Kentrell DeSean Gaulden.
Honestly, it doesn’t quite have the same ring as "YoungBoy Never Broke Again," does it? But that name, Kentrell, carries the weight of a story that started long before the platinum plaques and the private jets. To understand the man, you kinda have to understand where Kentrell ends and YoungBoy begins.
From Baton Rouge to the Top of the Charts
Kentrell was born on October 20, 1999. He grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a place that heavily influences the gritty, honest nature of his lyrics. His childhood wasn't exactly a walk in the park. His father was sentenced to 55 years in prison when Kentrell was just a kid, leaving him to be raised primarily by his maternal grandmother.
If you look closely at his forehead, you’ll notice three distinct scars. Those aren't from a street fight. When he was a toddler, he actually broke his neck while wrestling. He had to wear a temporary halo brace that was bolted into his skull to make sure his spine healed correctly. Those scars are permanent reminders of a literal brush with a broken neck before he could even read.
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Life moved fast for him. He dropped out of school in the ninth grade. He told his mom he wanted to focus on music, but shortly after, he ended up in a juvenile detention center for robbery. It was there, while locked up in Tallulah, Louisiana, that he started writing the lyrics that would eventually make him a millionaire.
Why Does He Have So Many Nicknames?
If you’re a fan, you know people rarely call him just "Kentrell" unless they’re his mom or a judge. The rap world knows him by a handful of monikers, and they each represent a different side of his brand.
- NBA YoungBoy: This was his original breakout name. The "NBA" stands for "Never Broke Again."
- YoungBoy Never Broke Again: He shifted to this longer version professionally, partly due to some trademark pressure from the National Basketball Association.
- Lil Top / Top: This is a nod to his status and a nickname often used by his inner circle and hardcore fanbase.
- AI YoungBoy: A reference to his popular mixtape series, which helped solidify his cult-like following.
- Slimeto: A newer persona he adopted later in his career, particularly around the time of his deal with Motown.
Basically, the name YoungBoy was a nod to his youthful ambition. He started recording with a cheap microphone he bought from Walmart when he was only fourteen. By the time he was eighteen, he was already a father and a household name in the South.
The Legal Name vs. The Rap Persona
There is a weird tension between Kentrell Gaulden and YoungBoy Never Broke Again. In the courtroom, he's Kentrell—the man facing federal charges or dealing with house arrest in Utah. On YouTube, he’s the "King of YouTube," an unstoppable force who has surpassed billions of views and outpaced artists like Drake and Taylor Swift in pure engagement.
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In 2021, he actually released an album titled Sincerely, Kentrell. It was a significant move. It was his fourth studio album, and it went number one while he was actually behind bars. By using his real name in the title, he was trying to show a more vulnerable, personal side to his fans. It wasn't just "YoungBoy" the rapper; it was the man himself.
He’s one of only three artists—joining the ranks of 2Pac and Lil Wayne—to have a number-one album while incarcerated. That's a wild statistic if you think about it. It shows that his fans aren't just listening to catchy beats; they are deeply invested in the life of Kentrell Gaulden.
Understanding the "Never Broke Again" Mantra
The "Never Broke Again" part of his name isn't just a flex about money. For Kentrell, it's a mission statement. Coming from poverty in Baton Rouge, the fear of going back to nothing is a recurring theme in his music.
He didn't just name himself that; he turned it into a full-blown lifestyle brand and record label. Never Broke Again, LLC has signed other major artists like NoCap and Quando Rondo. He’s essentially built an empire out of a promise he made to himself when he was a teenager.
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Why the Name Still Matters in 2026
Even now, as we move through 2026, the fascination with his identity continues. He’s the youngest artist in Billboard history to have 100 songs on the Hot 100. People search for his real name because they want to know if the "character" they see in music videos is real.
The truth? They’re the same person. The aggression, the pain, the occasional flashes of joy—that’s all Kentrell.
If you're looking to dive deeper into his discography, you should start with the projects where he uses his name or nicknames most prominently. AI YoungBoy 2 is often cited as a masterpiece of the modern trap era, while Sincerely, Kentrell offers the best look into his psyche.
To keep up with his latest moves, you can follow his official Never Broke Again social channels or check out his YouTube, which remains his primary kingdom. Watching his evolution from a kid with a Walmart mic to a mogul named Kentrell Gaulden is one of the most fascinating arcs in modern music.
For those wanting to support the artist more directly, looking into the official Never Broke Again merchandise or following the label's new signings is a great way to see how the "YoungBoy" legacy is expanding beyond just one man. You can also monitor the Billboard 200 charts, as he tends to drop new music with very little warning, often multiple times a year.