NBA YoungBoy’s eighth studio album, “MASA” (Make America Slime Again), has arrived with a bang and some controversy. Just weeks after he was pardoned by former President Donald Trump, the Baton Rouge rapper delivered MASA, a brazen and unapologetic effort, which quickly claimed the No. 1 spot on Apple Music charts. And now, first-week sales projections have emerged, igniting a firestorm of opinion around the Internet. “MASA” is expected to sell around 51,000 equivalent album units in its first week. That would be cause for a celebration for many artists. However, in the high-stakes realm of NBA YoungBoy, where fan expectations are through the roof, the reactions are more mixed.
Social media is on fire with hot takes. Some fans and critics are comparing the numbers to an underwhelming release, calling it a “fall off” and labeling it a “flop.” But YoungBoy’s staunchest fans are pushing back, arguing that there was little fanfare around MASA and riding hard for a rapper whose consistency and independence, they argue, can’t be questioned. They say that moving over 50K with minimal effort is an indication of his longevity and underground following.
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But the hype behind the project is more than just numbers. The lyrics have also caused a fuss, specifically on “XXX,” where YoungBoy provocatively salutes Donald Trump with the line, “Whatever Trump doin’, b*tch it’s good for the youngins (All Hail Trump).” The politically-charged reference has fueled speculation about the rapper’s motives and the significance of such endorsements in today’s culture. Aside from the drama, fans are divided on the album’s caliber. Some are hailing it as one of his best to date, raw, emotional, and distinctly his own. Others say this installment doesn’t have the shine and depth of his previous work.
Whatever happens to MASA ultimately, whether it stands as a bold statement or a divisive experiment, NBA YoungBoy knows how to make the culture talk. And during a week in which everyone was working to keep their first-week numbers steady it has been decades since first-weekers had to be generated on the eve of the album release, and he did so despite no real promo and in the face of continued controversy, it certainly looks like he’s still playing the game according to his own rules.
