NBA YoungBoy is reflecting on his future in music as he opens up about how fame and his circumstances have shaped the person he has become.
In a new interview with i-D, the 26-year-old rapper discussed deleting his Instagram and revealed that stepping away from social media was connected to a deeper personal struggle over the person he feels he has 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 recognized the impact his actions have had on other people.
“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 was conducted in Paris, where YoungBoy said being away from home has brought him a sense of peace and helped fuel 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.”
However, despite continuing to make music, YoungBoy admitted that he’s also thinking about leaving the industry 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.”
YoungBoy’s idea of success also appears to be moving away from his personal accomplishments. The father of 13 now sees his children as a more meaningful reflection of his legacy.
“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 remarks come as his career continues to reach new commercial milestones. His music has amassed billions of YouTube views, while January’s Slime Cry reportedly gave him the biggest opening sales week of his career, moving 70,000 equivalent album units.
Still, it’s unclear whether YoungBoy will ultimately step away from music. Even while discussing his desire to quit, he acknowledged that his career has become something “way bigger” than himself.
When asked how he feels about his life at this point, YoungBoy gave a simple response: “I think I’m happy.”
