NBA YoungBoy is a paradox. One day he's the most viewed artist on YouTube, and the next, he's dropping a project with zero warning that leaves critics scratching their heads while his die-hard "38 Baby" fanbase loses their minds. When we talk about how YoungBoy Never Broke Again decided to pivot his career, we usually look back at 2018. That was the year everything shifted.
The original Decided mixtape wasn't just another drop in a sea of endless releases. It was a statement. At just 18 years old, Kentrell Gaulden was already dealing with the weight of a federal case and the pressure of being the voice of a generation that felt unheard. Honestly, the industry didn't know what to do with him back then. He wasn't "polished" like the Atlanta stars, and he wasn't trying to be.
What YoungBoy Never Broke Again Decided in 2018
In September 2018, YoungBoy Never Broke Again decided to give us 11 tracks that basically served as a psychological profile of a kid who had seen too much. You remember "No Mentions"? That track was everywhere. It had that signature melodic pain that became his calling card.
The mixtape was short—only 32 minutes—but it was dense. Songs like "Sky Cry" and "Demon Seed" showed a range that most people didn't think he had. He was switching between these aggressive, "murder-music" flows and these vulnerable, soul-baring croons. It wasn't just music; it was a diary.
- The Vibe: Dark, claustrophobic, but weirdly hopeful.
- The Standouts: "Murda," "No Love," and the Trippie Redd feature "Murda" (which was actually more of a ballad than the title suggests).
- The Impact: It solidified him as a solo powerhouse who didn't need a massive marketing budget to move the needle.
But here is the thing: YoungBoy doesn't stop. He's probably the most prolific artist of our era. By the time 2023 rolled around, the landscape of rap had changed entirely, largely because of the blueprint he helped draw.
The Evolution into Decided 2
Fast forward five years. The world is different. YoungBoy is in Utah, on house arrest, surrounded by snow instead of the humid streets of Baton Rouge. This is where YoungBoy Never Broke Again decided to revisit the project that started his massive climb. Decided 2 dropped in November 2023, and it felt like a sequel in the truest sense—older, more tired, but definitely more refined.
People love to complain that YoungBoy drops too much music. "Quality over quantity," they say. But if you actually sit with Decided 2, you see the growth. He’s not that 18-year-old kid anymore. On "Came A Long Way," he’s literally reflecting on his father being in jail and wanting a different life for his own kids. It’s heavy stuff.
The production on the second installment took some risks too. "Guitar Hero" uses this infectious guitar riff that felt way more "rockstar" than his usual Louisiana bounce. Then you have "Better Than Ever" with Rod Wave. That's a pairing made in heaven if you're a fan of "pain music." Both of them have this way of making you feel like you're going through a breakup and a legal battle at the same time, even if you're just sitting in traffic.
The Numbers and the Noise
Critics weren't always kind. Some called Decided 2 mediocre or repetitive. Clash Music gave it a 5/10. But the fans? They showed up. It sold around 35,000 units in its first week and peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200. In an era where streaming numbers are down for almost everyone, those are solid figures for a 21st solo mixtape.
Think about that for a second. His 21st mixtape. Most rappers don't have 21 songs people actually like, let alone 21 full projects.
Why the Decided Series Still Matters in 2026
Look, as of early 2026, the rap game is still chasing the "YB effect." He proved that you don't need the traditional gatekeepers. You don't need a "big" radio single. You just need a direct line to the people.
When YoungBoy Never Broke Again decided to lean into his vulnerability, he gave a lot of other young artists the permission to do the same. You see his influence in everyone from Rod Wave to the newest kids coming out of Florida and the Midwest. It’s that raw, unpolished honesty. Sometimes it’s messy. Sometimes the mixing is a little off because he recorded it in his bedroom while looking at the mountains. But that’s the point.
The Decided series represents the two halves of his career. The first was about survival. The second is about legacy.
What You Should Do Next
If you want to actually understand why people are so obsessed with him, don't just shuffle his Top 10 on Spotify. That's a rookie move.
- Listen to the original Decided (2018) from start to finish. It’s only 30 minutes. Notice the hunger in his voice.
- Immediately queue up Decided 2. Notice how his voice has gotten deeper, more raspy, and how the "pain" has shifted from external threats to internal reflections.
- Watch the "Guapi" music video. It shows that even while "stuck" in Utah, he was still setting trends in streetwear and visual aesthetics.
- Check out his 2026 documentary releases if you want to see the "behind the scenes" of how these projects actually come together in his home studio.
The Decided era isn't just about the music—it's about a kid from Baton Rouge who decided he wasn't going to let the industry, or his circumstances, define him. Whether you love him or hate him, you can't ignore the fact that he's moved the culture more than almost anyone else in the last decade.
