It was late 2021. YoungBoy Never Broke Again—born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden—was sitting under house arrest in Utah, far removed from the humid chaos of Baton Rouge. He was facing massive legal pressure. The feds were watching. And yet, instead of lashing out with the aggressive "murder music" that defined his rise, he dropped a twin-set of songs: "Black Ball" and "Heart and Soul."
Honestly? Most people just heard another melodic rap song. But they missed the point.
The heart and soul lyrics youngboy penned for this track weren't just filler for a YouTube upload. They were a raw, unfiltered confession from a man who felt like the world was closing in on him. If you look at the YouTube video, which has racked up hundreds of millions of views, you see him in his yard, wearing a white shirt, looking... tired. Not defeated, just exhausted. The song served as the lead single for his Colors mixtape, and it remains one of the most structurally complex pieces of writing in modern trap music.
Why the Lyrics Hit Different When You’re Under House Arrest
Context matters. You can't separate the heart and soul lyrics youngboy wrote from the reality of his confinement. When he raps about feeling like he's "in a cage" even while staying in a mansion, he isn't being metaphorical. He was literally restricted by the legal system, wearing a monitor, unable to move freely.
The song starts with a heavy sense of nostalgia and pain. He mentions his grandmother. He mentions the streets. But then he shifts. He talks about the betrayal of people he thought were his brothers. It’s a common theme in hip-hop, sure, but the way YoungBoy frames it here feels more like a diary entry than a radio hit. He admits to his own faults, too. That’s the "soul" part of the title. He isn't just pointing fingers; he’s looking in the mirror.
The Breakdown of the Opening Verse
The first few bars set a somber tone. He talks about his "mind being gone." Most rappers use mental health as a buzzword. YoungBoy uses it as a survival mechanic. He mentions the weight of his "sins" and how he feels like he’s paying for them every single day.
"I'm just a product of my environment," is a line people throw around. But for Kentrell, that environment followed him all the way to the mountains of Utah. Even with millions of dollars in the bank, the heart and soul lyrics youngboy delivered show a man who still feels like he's back on Chippewa Street, looking over his shoulder.
The Technical Brilliance of the "Heart and Soul" Melodies
Let's talk about the actual sound. The beat, produced by Jason "Cheese" Goldberg and his team, is minimalist. It stays out of the way. This was intentional. It allows the listener to focus on the cadence.
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YoungBoy has this unique ability to switch from a rasp to a high-pitched croon within a single bar. In "Heart and Soul," he uses this to emphasize the emotional peaks. When he talks about his children, his voice softens. When he talks about the industry "blackballing" him, the grit comes back. It's a masterclass in vocal dynamics.
He mentions:
- The feeling of being isolated from his peers.
- The pressure of being the breadwinner for a massive circle of people.
- The literal physical toll of stress.
He says, "I'm still a human, I'm still a person." It sounds simple. It's actually a plea for people to stop viewing him as a caricature of a "gangster rapper" and start seeing the twenty-something-year-old father who is scared of losing his freedom forever.
Addressing the "Blackball" Narrative
A huge chunk of the heart and soul lyrics youngboy fans obsess over involves his relationship with the music industry. He has long claimed that the "powers that be" want him gone. Whether that’s true or just his perception, it fuels his art.
In "Heart and Soul," he leans into this. He suggests that despite having the numbers—the billions of streams, the chart-topping albums—he is still treated like an outsider. He isn't invited to the award shows. He isn't on the "cool" playlists. He doesn't care, or at least he says he doesn't. But the lyrics suggest a deep-seated resentment. He knows he’s the underdog, even when he’s at the top.
This isn't just rapper bravado. It’s a recurring theme in his discography, from Top to Sincerely, Kentrell. But on Colors, and specifically this track, it feels more grounded. It feels less like a boast and more like an observation of his reality.
The Imagery of the Music Video and Lyrics
You can't talk about the lyrics without the visuals. The video was shot on his property. It’s grainy. It’s intimate. When he raps about "watching the clouds," he’s literally doing it. There’s a line where he talks about "feeling the breeze" because that’s the only connection to the outside world he had at the time.
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This creates a feedback loop for the listener. You hear the pain in the heart and soul lyrics youngboy wrote, and then you see the physical manifestation of that isolation on screen. It’s why his fan base, the "NBA YoungBoy fans," are so intensely loyal. They don't just hear the music; they feel like they are living through the legal battles with him.
Surprising Details in the Writing
One thing that often gets overlooked is how much he references his own mortality. It’s dark. It’s heavy for someone so young. He talks about his "soul being tired." That’s a heavy weight to carry when you’re barely in your mid-twenties.
He also touches on the idea of "fake love." This is a trope, yeah, but he gives it specific details. He talks about people calling his phone only when they need something, and how he’s learned to stop answering. This transition from being a "yes man" to setting boundaries is a huge part of the song's narrative arc.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
People think "Heart and Soul" is a diss track. It’s not.
While he definitely takes shots at the industry, it’s much more of an internal monologue. It’s a "me against the world" anthem, but the "me" is the focus, not the "world."
Another misconception is that the song was a calculated PR move to look more sympathetic before his court dates. If you listen to the raw emotion in his voice, that theory falls apart. You can't fake that kind of vulnerability. It’s the sound of a man who has reached his breaking point and decided to put it into a microphone instead of a street fight.
The Impact on the Colors Mixtape
Colors is arguably one of YoungBoy's most diverse projects. You have "Fish Scale" and "Bring the Hook," which are high-energy, aggressive tracks. Then you have "Heart and Soul."
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By placing "Heart and Soul" as a centerpiece, he provided a much-needed balance. It gave the project a moral center. It reminded everyone that behind the "Never Broke Again" brand is a human being named Kentrell.
How to Truly Analyze YoungBoy's Writing Style
To understand the heart and soul lyrics youngboy produces, you have to look at his stream-of-consciousness approach. He doesn't usually sit down with a pen and paper. He gets in the booth, the beat plays, and he talks.
This leads to:
- Run-on sentences that mimic actual human thought patterns.
- Sudden shifts in topic that mirror emotional volatility.
- Repetitive hooks that act like mantras or prayers.
In this specific song, the "soul" is the repetition. He keeps coming back to the idea of his heart being heavy. He’s stuck in a loop, both legally and mentally, and the song’s structure reflects that perfectly.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Listeners
If you're trying to get the most out of this track, don't just play it in the background while you're doing something else.
- Listen to the acoustic elements. Pay attention to the guitar licks in the background; they provide the emotional cues for the lyrical shifts.
- Watch the "Heart and Soul" video alongside "Black Ball." They were released together for a reason. They represent two sides of the same coin: the struggle with fame and the struggle with self.
- Compare the lyrics to his earlier work like "Drawing Symbols." You’ll see a clear evolution in how he processes grief and trauma. He’s becoming more articulate about his pain, even if the pain itself isn't going away.
- Look at the timestamps. Note when his voice cracks or when he chooses to whisper. Those are the moments where the "real" Kentrell is peeking through the "YoungBoy" persona.
The song isn't just a "vibe." It’s a historical document of a specific, incredibly stressful period in the life of one of the most influential artists of the 2020s. Whether you love him or hate him, the honesty found in the heart and soul lyrics youngboy delivered is undeniable. It stands as a reminder that even the biggest stars are often just trying to keep their heads above water.
To truly appreciate the track, look into the specific legal filings from late 2021 regarding his house arrest. Understanding the strictness of his conditions—no visitors, limited movement, constant surveillance—makes lines about "freedom" feel much more literal and urgent. This isn't just music; it's a real-time reaction to a life under a microscope.