Rapper, NBA Youngboy expresses intent to convert to Mormonism, regrets making violenformusic
By Jennifer S Kuwanta
American-born rapper, Kentrell DeSean Gaulden known professionally as YoungBoy Never Broke Again (also known as NBA YoungBoy or simply YoungBoy), has expressed remorse over the content of his lyrics and is now looking to turn over a new leaf by converting to Mormonism and changing the direction of his raps.
In an interview with Billboard, the 23-year-old rapper who has been on house arrest opened up on the positive influence the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have had on his life lately.
During the interview, he recalled how he first declined to speak with a group of Mormon missionaries who showed up outside his home. But after realizing that he wanted help very badly and needed a friend, YB decided to invite them into his home for an impactful conversation when they next showed up at his door.
“It was just cool to see someone with a different mindset that had nothing to do with business or money, just these wonderful souls,” he said.
As a sign of his commitment to the teachings, Youngboy told Billboard he’s planning to further this part of his life with a baptism ceremony, although he’s waiting until he no longer has to wear an ankle monitor to take this next step.
YB also tapped into a similarly vulnerable perspective when reflecting on his uniquely prolific creative output, which he likens to both a disease and an addiction.
“I wish I knew when I was younger how unhealthy this was for me. Whatever type of energy I had inside me, I would’ve pushed it toward something else,” he said.
Reflecting more on his music, namely what he perceives as its potential impact on listeners, YB expressed a change in how he looks at his work now versus how he viewed it when he was younger. Specifically, when discussing “the sh*t I put in these people’s ears,” the artist touched on a sense of responsibility he now feels and his desire “to clean whatever I can clean” in the years ahead.
“I think about how many lives I am responsible for when it comes to my music,” YB said before diving into several hypothetical scenarios, including asking “How many people have put this sh*t in their ears and went and hurt someone?”
Deeper into his candour on this topic, which also saw him touching on having been “brought up around a lot of fucked-up sh*ts,” YB shared an apology. “I was wrong,” he said. “And I’m sorry.”
