The NBA YoungBoy phenomenon is unlike the buzz surrounding any other artist.
Whether it's the memes, the message or the collective desire to only play YoungBoy YouTube videos out loud on an iPhone, the love YB fans have for their favorite rapper is impressive. Upon releasing his album Sincerely, Kentrell last Friday, the 21-year-old rapper was fighting with Drake for the top spot on the Billboard Top 200.
Sincerely, Kentrell, which finds YoungBoy rapping entirely by himself -- the project had no features -- is obviously hitting fans in a major way, but 21 Savage says it's not sitting the same with other rappers.
In the same interview he told DJ Akademiks he would not have worked with Kanye West on Donda because of his loyalty to Drake, Savage explained that many rappers won't work with YoungBoy because of their loyalty to Lil Durk.
"You don't have to pick sides," 21 told Ak. "But you gotta be a certain type of artist to be in the middle."
Despite previous Durk x NBA YoungBoy collaborations, there have been rumblings of beef between the two rappers. No crystal-clear, specific reasoning for the beef has surfaced but, based on certain connections and certain events, it is relatively easy to figure out why Durk is not messing with YB.
YB is tight with Quando Rondo. Lul Tim is affiliated with Quando Rondo and is also allegedly responsible for the death of Durk's close friend and Chicago brother, King Von.
Image via HNHH
Image via HNHH
Although neither side has clearly said that's the reason for their rift, the pieces put themselves together and according to 21 Savage, the rap world has noticed and the rap world is riding with Lil Durk.
YoungBoy, who's been in jail since the end of April, obviously hasn't been around to comment on any vitriol between he and Lil Durk. This isn't a situation where two rappers are going to go back and forth with diss records or in the streets and everything will be out in the open. The way Savage explained it, it's more of a cold war situation where the biggest rappers in the game have prioritized their loyalty to Durk over the potential of scoring a hot song with YB.
We'll keep it locked on this situation and bring you any updates whenever they arise but, in the meantime, what do you think of 21's comments? It is really Lil Durk versus NBA YoungBoy in the back channels of hip-hop? Let us know in the comments.
[Via]