NBA YoungBoy takes no days off. After the Louisiana rapper mysteriously cleared his Instagram page on Labor Day (Sept. 5), it was inkling that he was dropping the sequel to his 2018 mixtape, Realer.
A day after DJ Akademiks reported that FaceTimed YB Monday morning — where he explained Realer 2’s imminent release was the reason for his IG’s deactivation — YB blessed die-hard fans with the 15-track project exclusively on YouTube (Sept. 6). On Friday (Sept. 9), he officially dropped it all digital streaming platforms.
.@Akademiks and YB’s mom confirmed that #NBAYoungBoy is dropping his mixtape ‘Realer 2’ TONIGHT 😤 #OGM https://t.co/veLTc3APZ1 pic.twitter.com/3WMOhVKPcR
— Our Generation Music (@OGMusicCo) September 5, 2022
Posting each track one by one in a span of minutes on YouTube earlier this week, YB’s surprise tape came just one month after his fourth album this year, The Last Slimeto, which nearly achieved a Billboard No. 1 debut against Latin pop icon Bad Bunny. It debuted at No. 2 with 108,000 first-week units, however, sales haven’t been what’s driving YoungBoy as of late.
Itching to get back on the road following a lengthy house arrest, YB’s manager Alex Junnier confirmed that he and Quando Rondo would be embarking on an upcoming 30-city tour. Similarly, YB has not only commanded charts in recent years, but has captivated the masses and the likes of legendary peers in the process.
The Game noted that YB would be “the Tupac of his generation” and is “the greatest rapper of the new generation,” according to Kanye West. He’s also expecting his tenth child, revealing his baby mother’s bump on social media before deactivating his Instagram.
Kanye West speaking about NBA Youngboy on Instagram. pic.twitter.com/dboDGLzd0B
— Bobo ⁶𓅓🧣 (@Luhgeekkk) September 5, 2022
Amid his joint deal with Motown Records and recent departure from Atlantic, YB is certainly making the most of his newfound freedom in every way.