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NBA YoungBoy Says He’ll Never Return to U.S.

8/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

NBA YoungBoy (Kentrell Gaulden) said he will never return to U.S. after a doctor said his heart is swollen and that he will tour once.
He received a 23-month sentence after pleading guilty to a fraud scheme in November 2024 and paying a $25,000 fine.
President Donald Trump pardoned him in May 2025.
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reported in January 2026 he holds most Gold and Platinum certifications of any rapper.

History

Historical Context

In September 1998 Jay-Z released *Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life* on Def Jam, and the RIAA certified it five-times Platinum, confirming over 5 million U.S. sales. The single “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” sampled the 1977 musical *Annie*, peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Gold in March 1999, underscoring hip-hop’s late-1990s commercial surge.

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Story summary

NBA YoungBoy (Kentrell Gaulden) said he will never return to U.S. after a doctor said his heart is swollen and that he will tour once.
He received a 23-month sentence after pleading guilty to a fraud scheme in November 2024 and paying a $25,000 fine.
President Donald Trump pardoned him in May 2025.
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reported in January 2026 he holds most Gold and Platinum certifications of any rapper.

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