The Pop Corporation

Hits on hits, YoungBoy Never Broke Again has a new album out and it’s called ‘I Rest My Case’ (Jan 6). With occasional flashes of brilliance, and sometimes guilty of trap-by-numbers, what’s he up to now?

Well, for starters, he’s signed to Motown which is nothing to be sniffed at, so there’s money and clout behind the Baton Rouge MC. He’s had a number of Top 10 albums and he’s only 23 years old. ‘Make No Sense’ was a fresh twist on G-Funk and now, he’s bringing bright club-ready synths and heavy sawtooth bass for a skuzzier take on Southern Rap.

The album is refreshingly free of that crawling codeine grunge-sweater wearing sound that really has littered hip hop for the past couple of years, although not completely absent. In ‘Swag On Point’, it’s punchy and confident, and continues into tracks like ‘Just Like Me’, ‘Mini Me’, and strongest on ‘Groovy’ which sounds like it will sound great in the sunshine.

There’s a lot of the vowel stretching made so famous by Young Thug, but with the Atlanta legend down on RICO charges, NBA YoungBoy is taking up the mantle and it’s not really about whether he’s doing it better, but it is noticeable and largely enjoyable. And it’s not like he’s not been keeping some high falutin’ company all by himself, guesting and working with Future, Wayne, Snoop, Rich the Kid, DaBaby and more.

‘Bitch Yeah’ is the lovechild of Gravediggaz ‘Bang Your Head’ and Lil Wayne, which is not a pairing you thought you’d be seeing in early ’23. ‘Rage’ and ‘Louie V’ shows a heavier side to the LP, and save a few skits, it’s a lean album that doesn’t overstay its welcome (unlike those releases trying to scam the algorithm by including 30+ tracks).

Given that YoungBoy released six whole projects last year, it’s not like he needs to overstuff each release, is it?

A good start to the year with a solid release that may well grow in stature as the weeks pass. YoungBoy Never Broke Again? You bet your life he won’t be. Prolific.