When YoungBoy Never Broke Again dropped Untouchable in May 2017, the rap world was in a weird transition phase. Soundcloud was peaking. Melodic trap was becoming the gold standard. But for Kentrell Gaulden, a teenager from Baton Rouge just weeks out of a jail cell, it wasn't about trends. It was about survival. Honestly, if you want to understand why this kid became the most-streamed artist on YouTube for years on end, you have to start right here.
He was seventeen.
Think about that. At seventeen, most kids are worried about prom or getting a driver's license. YoungBoy was walking out of the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison after being held on an attempted first-degree murder charge. The music video for Untouchable, directed by the legendary David G, opens with that exact moment of liberation. It’s raw. It’s grainy. It feels like a home movie because, in a way, it actually was.
The song wasn't just a "welcome back" record. It was a manifesto.
The Sound of a Soul on Fire
Production-wise, Dubba-AA and Mike Laury caught lightning in a bottle. The beat is bouncy but carries this underlying melancholy that YoungBoy thrives on. It’s built on these bright, hopeful piano chords that contrast sharply with the lyrics about betrayal and the paranoia of the streets.
"I remember I was broke, I'm thinking 'bout a way."
That opening line hits different when you know he wrote most of the song while sitting in a cell. He’s not rapping about a lifestyle he saw on TV. He’s rapping about his grandmother’s house and the specific pain of seeing friends turn into strangers when the pressure gets high.
YoungBoy’s delivery in Untouchable is actually pretty unique compared to his later, more aggressive "murder music" style. It’s melodic, almost vulnerable. He’s stretching his voice, hitting those high notes with a slight crack that signals genuine emotion rather than studio polish. This is the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) of the streets—you can't fake that kind of grit.
The hook is an absolute earworm. It’s simple. It’s repetitive in the best way possible. By the time the second chorus hits, you’re nodding along not just because the rhythm is good, but because you feel the weight of his relief. He finally made it out. Or so he thought.
Why the "Untouchable" Video Changed Everything
Visuals matter. In the digital age, a song is only half the battle. The video for Untouchable currently sits at hundreds of millions of views, and it’s easy to see why. It captures a specific "new money" joy that feels incredibly infectious.
You see him on a private jet. You see him on a FaceTime call with Meek Mill.
These aren't just flexes. For a kid from the 38th street in Baton Rouge, these are miracles. The contrast between the jailhouse footage at the start and the luxury of the later scenes tells a complete cinematic story in under four minutes. It established the "NBA" (Never Broke Again) brand as something more than just a crew; it was a movement.
The video also humanized him. He’s dancing. He’s smiling. For an artist who would later become known for his "menace to society" persona and frequent legal troubles, Untouchable shows the charismatic kid underneath the tattoos. It’s the version of YoungBoy that his "die-hard" fanbase—often called the "YB Better" crowd—connects with the most.
Breaking Down the Lyrics and the "Baton Rouge Sound"
Louisiana rap has a very specific DNA. You can hear the echoes of Lil Boosie and Kevin Gates in the way YoungBoy structures his bars. It’s bluesy.
In the second verse, he gets into the weeds of his legal situation. He mentions his lawyer, he mentions the judge, and he mentions the people who were rooting for him to fail. This isn't generic rap braggadocio. It’s localized storytelling.
- The Struggle: References to being "dead broke" and sleeping on floors.
- The Paranoia: Mentioning how he keeps a "glizzy" (gun) even when he's supposed to be celebrating.
- The Ambition: A clear focus on taking care of his family and making sure his kids never see the life he did.
It's a heavy mix.
One thing people get wrong about YoungBoy Never Broke Again Untouchable is thinking it was just a regional hit. It actually cracked the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and eventually helped propel his debut studio album, Until Death Call My Name, into the mainstream consciousness. It was the bridge between "local legend" and "global superstar."
The Impact on the "Never Broke Again" Legacy
If this song had flopped, the trajectory of modern rap might look totally different. Think about it. YoungBoy’s success paved the way for a whole generation of "pain rappers." Artists like Rod Wave or Lil Tjay owe a massive debt to the melodic blueprint laid out in tracks like this.
He proved that you didn't need a massive radio push or a "clean" image to dominate the charts. You just needed a direct connection to the audience.
The song also solidified his relationship with Atlantic Records at the time. They saw that he could produce a hit that was both street-sanctioned and commercially viable. It gave him the leverage to release music at a pace that was previously unheard of in the industry. We’re talking about a guy who drops multiple projects a year, sometimes months apart.
That work ethic? It started with the momentum of Untouchable.
Misconceptions and the Dark Side of Fame
People often look back at this era as the "Golden Age" of YoungBoy. But if you listen closely to the lyrics, the red flags were always there. The trauma he discusses isn't something that goes away just because you have a platinum plaque.
There’s a misconception that Untouchable is a "happy" song. It’s really not. It’s a song about relief, which is a very different emotion. Relief implies that the danger is still lurking just around the corner.
In the years following the release, YoungBoy’s life became a whirlwind of house arrest, more jail time, and intense industry beefs. The title "Untouchable" started to feel ironic. Or maybe prophetic. Depending on who you ask, he’s either the most resilient man in music or a cautionary tale about the pressures of early fame.
How to Appreciate the Song Today
If you’re revisiting the track in 2026, it sounds remarkably fresh. A lot of the "mumble rap" from 2017 sounds dated now. The beats feel thin, the lyrics feel lazy.
But Untouchable holds up because it’s a soul record disguised as a trap song.
To really get the full experience, you need to watch the video first, then listen to the lyrics without the visuals. You'll notice small details—the way he breaths between lines, the specific slang that has since been adopted by the entire internet, and the genuine hunger in his voice.
It’s the sound of a person who knows they only have one shot to change their life.
Key Takeaways for the Super-Fan
- Context is King: Always remember this was written during a period of incarceration. The "freedom" in his voice is literal, not metaphorical.
- The David G Factor: The director played a huge role in shaping the NBA aesthetic. The raw, handheld camera style became the gold standard for street videos.
- The Melodic Blueprint: This wasn't his first song, but it was the one that perfected the "pain-and-melody" formula that would define his 20s.
YoungBoy Never Broke Again is a polarizing figure, no doubt. You either love him or you don't get the hype. There’s rarely an in-between. But even his harshest critics have to admit that Untouchable is a masterclass in raw, unfiltered expression. It’s the moment a star was born, and the rap game hasn't been the same since.
Step-by-Step: How to Dive Deeper into the NBA Discography
To truly understand the evolution from the Untouchable era to the present, follow this listening path:
- Start with "38 Baby": This is the rawest form of his Baton Rouge roots. It sets the stage for the legal battles mentioned in later hits.
- Watch the "Untouchable" Music Video: Pay attention to the transition from the jail exit to the private jet. It’s the most important visual metaphor in his career.
- Listen to "Outside Today": This was his next major leap into the mainstream. You can hear the increased production value and a more polished flow.
- Analyze "The Last Slimeto": This represents his later, more complex stage. Compare the vocal range here to the 2017 version of himself. It's a fascinating study in vocal evolution.
- Check the YouTube Comments: Seriously. The NBA fanbase is a community. Reading how these songs helped people through their own struggles provides a perspective that numbers alone can't give you.
The story of Untouchable isn't just about a song; it's about the start of a generational shift in how music is consumed and how artists communicate with their fans. It was the first time YoungBoy told the world he was here to stay. And for better or worse, he was right.
