Key Takeaways
- NBA YoungBoy told i-D that he became “a very bad person” he no longer likes, prompting him to delete Instagram and reassess his life.
- He said he wants to quit music but feels his career is “way bigger” than him, adding that his true success will show through his 13 children rather than money or personal achievements.
- Despite his doubts, he continues creating in Paris, where he feels more at peace, as Slime Cry recently delivered the biggest opening sales week of his career.
NBA YoungBoy is questioning his future in music as he reflects on how fame and his life circumstances have changed him.
In a new interview with i-D, the 26-year-old rapper opened up about deleting his Instagram and admitted that stepping away from social media was tied to a larger struggle with who he feels he's become.
"I feel like I was doing a bad job of managing myself," YoungBoy said. "I think that certain situations and certain people turned me into a bad person, a person that I don't even like myself."
YoungBoy, born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, also acknowledged the effect his actions have had on others.
"It doesn't feel right or good to know that you are always hurting somebody," he continued. "I think I became a very bad person, and it's taken a big toll. It feels very lonely, actually."
The interview took place in Paris, where YoungBoy said the distance from home has given him some peace and helped his creativity.
"I like it because it's far from home," he explained. "I think I make more [music] here because my mind is more at peace. It helps me talk about more, I guess."
But despite continuing to create, YoungBoy revealed that he's also considering walking away from music altogether.
"I want to quit right now, actually," he said. "But all of this... It's way bigger than me. I just want to make people happy, and if I can't do that, then I just want to stay out of the way."
For YoungBoy, his definition of success also appears to be shifting away from his own accomplishments. The father of 13 said he now views his children as a greater measure of what he leaves behind.
"I feel like my W will be shown through my kids, you know?" he said. "It's not about money or any of my own achievements."
YoungBoy's comments arrive as his career continues to reach new commercial heights. His music has generated billions of views on YouTube, while January's Slime Cry reportedly delivered the biggest opening sales week of his career with 70,000 equivalent album units.
Still, whether YoungBoy actually follows through with leaving music remains unclear. Even as he expressed a desire to quit, he acknowledged that his career has grown into something that feels "way bigger" than himself.
Asked how he feels about his life now, YoungBoy offered a simple answer: "I think I'm happy."
