You’ve seen the name everywhere. It’s plastered across YouTube trending tabs and the top of the Billboard charts with a frequency that seems almost impossible. But while the world knows the aggressive, melodic force as NBA YoungBoy, the man behind the headlines is Kentrell DeSean Gaulden.
He isn't just a stage name or a persona for a music video. Honestly, the gap between "YoungBoy" and Kentrell Gaulden is thinner than most people realize. In an industry where artists often manufacture a "street" image, Gaulden’s real life and his music are so tightly coiled together that you can’t pull one away without the whole thing unraveling.
Why the Name Kentrell Gaulden Actually Matters
Most fans call him YB. To the legal system, he is strictly Kentrell Gaulden. To his mother, Sherhonda Gaulden, he’s the middle child born on October 20, 1999, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Why does the name matter? Because it represents a specific history that "NBA YoungBoy" usually glosses over in the hype of a new single. When you look at the name Kentrell Gaulden, you’re looking at a kid who was raised by his maternal grandmother because his father was sentenced to 55 years in prison. You’re looking at a toddler who broke his neck while wrestling and had to wear a halo brace—the same one that left those three distinctive scars on his forehead.
Basically, Kentrell is the survivor; YoungBoy is the superstar.
The Baton Rouge Roots
Baton Rouge isn't just a location on his bio. It's the engine. Gaulden grew up in North Baton Rouge, a place he’s described as having a "different culture" where the pressure to survive often outweighed the pressure to graduate. He dropped out of the ninth grade. He wasn't interested in the curriculum. He told his mom he wanted to focus on music, but life moved faster than his career at first.
A robbery charge landed him in a detention center in Tallulah, Louisiana. This is a pivotal moment. While locked up as a teenager, Kentrell Gaulden started writing the lyrics that would eventually become his first project, Life Before Fame.
The "NBA" Moniker vs. The Legal Reality
The "NBA" in his name stands for Never Broke Again. It’s a mission statement. He bought his first microphone from Walmart at 14 and started recording. He wasn't looking for a hobby; he was looking for a way out of the cycle that took his father.
💡 You might also like: Ines Rau Then and Now: What the Fashion Industry Finally Got Right
But the name Kentrell Gaulden has appeared in courtrooms just as often as "YoungBoy" has appeared on festival lineups. It’s a weird paradox.
- The 2016 Turning Point: Just as his career was exploding with the mixtape 38 Baby, Kentrell was arrested in Austin, Texas. The charge? Suspicion of attempted first-degree murder.
- The Federal Struggle: Years later, in 2021, he faced federal charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
- The Utah Chapter: More recently, Gaulden dealt with a massive prescription drug fraud case in Utah, where he was living under house arrest.
He actually pleaded guilty to several charges in late 2024, including identity fraud and forgery. In December 2024, a judge sentenced him to 23 months in prison. As of early 2026, the narrative of Kentrell Gaulden is still being written behind walls, with reports suggesting he’s serving time in a federal facility in Alabama.
A Father of Ten
You can't talk about Kentrell Gaulden without mentioning his family. At 26 years old, he is a father to ten children. He married his longtime partner, Jazlyn Mychelle Hayes, in January 2023. This is where the "real name" aspect hits home. To his kids—Alice Nora, Klemenza, Kayden, and the rest—he isn't a "top-streamed artist." He’s Kentrell.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That he’s just another "crash out" rapper.
💡 You might also like: What is Ice-T's real name? What most people get wrong
If you look at the stats, Kentrell Gaulden is a business anomaly. He is one of the most-watched artists on YouTube, often outperforming global stars like Taylor Swift or Drake in pure view counts. He was the youngest artist in Billboard history to land 100 songs on the Hot 100.
He didn't get there by accident. He got there by being incredibly prolific. He releases music at a rate that would exhaust most labels. Even while incarcerated or under house arrest, he managed to drop albums like Sincerely, Kentrell, which hit number one while he was sitting in a jail cell. Only 2Pac and Lil Wayne had done that before him.
The Legacy of the Scars
Those forehead scars are a permanent reminder of his childhood injury, but they’ve become a symbol for his fanbase. They represent a kid who literally broke his neck and kept moving.
His godmother, Kyrie Garcia, once told a judge that Kentrell is "happiest when he is serving others." She talked about him helping kids at a Boys and Girls Club and going snowboarding in Utah. It’s a side of Gaulden that doesn't make it into the "NBA" headlines often.
Moving Forward
The story of Kentrell DeSean Gaulden is still very much in progress. He’s expected to be released sometime in mid-to-late 2025 or early 2026, depending on time served and halfway house transitions.
If you're trying to keep up with him, remember that the music is only half the story. To truly understand why he has such a cult-like following, you have to look past the "Never Broke Again" branding and look at the life of the kid from Baton Rouge who refused to be a statistic, even when the odds were stacked against him.
📖 Related: What Really Happened With the Liam Payne Corpse TMZ Photos
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Check Official Sources: With his legal situation frequently changing, follow verified legal reporters or major outlets like The Advocate for Baton Rouge-specific updates on his status.
- Listen Chronologically: To hear the evolution from Kentrell to YB, start with Life Before Fame (2015) and move through 38 Baby to understand his headspace during his first major legal hurdles.
- Support the Label: He operates through his own imprint, Never Broke Again LLC. Keeping an eye on their official roster (like NoCap or Quando Rondo) gives you a better idea of his business footprint beyond his own vocals.
The man is a complicated figure, but one thing is certain: whether he’s in a booth or a courtroom, Kentrell Gaulden is never going to be quiet.