Top (album)

Top is the second studio album by American rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again. It was released on September 11, 2020 through Never Broke Again and Atlantic Records. It follows his debut album, Until Death Call My Name, released over two years before. It is YoungBoy's third project of 2020, following the mixtapes, 38 Baby 2 and Still Flexin, Still Steppin. Top consists of 21 tracks and includes guest appearances from Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Consequence of Sound5.8/10[2]
HipHopDX7.4/10[3]

Top
Studio album by
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
ReleasedSeptember 11, 2020
Length54:42
Label
Producer
  • TayTayMadeIt
  • Julia Lewis
  • Yung Lan
  • India Got Them Beats
  • Drum Dummie
  • WassamWop
  • Cássio
  • Neeko Baby
  • JetsonMade
  • Humblebee
YoungBoy Never Broke Again chronology
38 Baby 2
(2020)		 Top
(2020)		 Until I Return
(2020)
Singles from Top
  1. "All In"
    Released: August 3, 2020
  2. "Kacey Talk"
    Released: August 13, 2020
  3. "Callin"
    Released: September 1, 2020

The album was met with lukewarm to generally positive reviews from contemporary critics. At the aggregate site Album of the Year, the release received a critic score of 71, based on 3 reviews.[4]

Background

Following the release of 38 Baby 2 and after releasing music continuously for four years,[5] YoungBoy announced that he would take a brief hiatus from releasing new music. At the time, he tweeted, "After Friday [38 Baby 2's release], I'll never release a song/album again until I'm in a better situation".[6] He also publicly asked his label for his masters in exchange for four new albums. However, the label declined this offer.[7] The album was announced by YoungBoy on August 20 through his social media, along with the date, and indicated the project would consist of 18 tracks.[8] By August 25, the album reached number one on Apple Music based on pre-orders alone.[9]

Singles

"All In" was released as the album's lead single on August 3, 2020. On it, YoungBoy deals with heartbreak and loss over a guitar-tinged production.[9] "Kacey Talk" was released as the second single and features ad-libs from YoungBoy's son Kacey. He also appears in the video along with one of his brother's Kayden .[10] The album's third single, "Callin", features Snoop Dogg and was released on September 1. A "minimal and smooth" track, it showcases YoungBoy's signature aggressive "punch and high energy".[11]

Other releases

"Sticks with Me" was released on June 12, 2020, prior to the album's announcement, along with a Rich Porter-directed video which shows YoungBoy in one scene performing in and around a casket and gravesite.[12] "Murder Business" was released as a promotional single on August 25, 2020, also directed by Rich Porter; the video sees YoungBoy and his crew in various locations.[6]
"House Arrest Tingz" appears as track 18. It was originally released exclusively on YouTube on September 25, 2019, while YoungBoy was on house arrest.[13] "The Last Backyard..." is a song that leaked in early 2020, following a live performance of it. It is included as the album's third track.[14]

Cover art

The album cover was revealed along with the album's announcement. It immediately drew criticism for its similarities to that of Atlantic Records labelmate Roddy Ricch's Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial (2019).[15] Both covers are shot in black and white and features similar poses and clothing. Zoe Johnson of XXL noted: "NBA YoungBoy, however, is wearing two iced-out Cuban link choker chains, which sit on the neckline of his shirt while Roddy's jewelry is tucked inside of his shirt".[15] Ricch responded in now-deleted tweets, writing, "It's only ONE roddy". He also downplayed any issues between him and YoungBoy: "And I been fucced wit dude so don't make it about him... I'm just tired of all this comparing shit".[15]

Commercial performance

Top debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 126,000 album-equivalent units (including 19,000 pure album sales) in its first week, becoming YoungBoy's third number-one album overall, as well as his second number-one album in 2020. It also accumulated a total of 156.32 million on-demand US streams from all its tracks, in the week ending September 26, 2020.[16]

Track listing
Top track listing[17]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Drug Addiction"
  • Palaze
  • LayZ Beats
2:44
2."Cross Roads"
2:48
3."The Last Backyard..."
  • Gaulden
  • Tavian Dawson Carter
TayTayMadeIt2:36
4."Right Foot Creep"
  • Gaulden
  • Carter
TayTayMadeIt2:39
5."Dirty Stick"
  • Gaulden
  • Daniel Lebrun
  • Logan Christopher
  • Sven Steenbergen
  • D-Roc
  • 17onDaTrack
  • ABonTheBeat
2:49
6."Kacey Talk"
  • Gaulden
  • Julia Lewis
  • Jason Goldberg
  • Sebastian Lopez
  • Julia Lewis
  • 1Mind
2:31
7."My Window" (featuring Lil Wayne)
3:12
8."I'm Up"
  • Gaulden
  • Wesley Glass
  • Aaron Selva
2:26
9."Off Season"
  • Gaulden
  • Aaron Lockhart
  • Mike Laury
  • Dubba-AA
  • Mike Laury
2:38
10."All In"
  • Gaulden
  • Luke Clay
  • Michael O'Brien
  • Brandon Russell
  • Yung Lan
  • LC
  • 12Hunna
  • BJ Beatz
2:36
11."Dead Trollz"
  • Gaulden
  • Jarrian Thompson
  • Lukas Payne
  • Sterling Reynolds
  • PlayboyXO
  • LondnBlue
  • Karltin Bankz
3:29
12."Fuck Ya!"
  • Gaulden
  • Don'Taye Shephard
  • Gregory Sanders Jr.
  • Allen Kelly
  • Hitman Audio
  • AKel
  • WassamWop
3:04
13."Big Bankroll"
  • Gaulden
  • Brandon Russel
  • Jaylen Jackson
  • Kendrell Mattox
  • BJ Beatz
  • DrellOnTheTrack
  • BxsedJay
3:20
14."Boom"
  • Gaulden
  • Braylen Rembert
  • Sanders
  • Hitman Audio
  • Ayo Bleu
2:28
15."Reaper's Child"
  • Gaulden
  • Vincent Verdi
  • Kevin Gomringer
  • Tim Gomringer
  • Jack Lomastro
  • Nizzy
  • Farsi
  • Wallis Lane
  • Vinny For Good
  • Cubeatz
  • Jack Lomastro
3:23
16."Murder Business"
  • Gaulden
  • India Williams
  • Gregory Sanders
  • India Got Them Beats
  • Hitman Audio
2:12
17."Sticks with Me"
  • Gaulden
  • Don'Taye Shephard
  • Daniel Wright
  • WassamWop
  • Trapman TwoThree
2:49
18."House Arrest Tingz"
  • Gaulden
  • Brian Carroll
  • Tevin Revell
Drum Dummie2:48
19."To My Lowest"
  • Gaulden
  • Mattox
  • Nikola Pejovic
  • DrellOnTheTrack
  • DZIMI
3:05
20."Peace Hardly"
2:42
21."Callin" (featuring Snoop Dogg)
  • Cássio
  • Vinny For Good
  • Wallis Lane
2:23
Total length:54:42

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[27] Gold 500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Thomas, Fred (September 12, 2020). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Top". AllMusic. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  2. Okla, Jones (September 12, 2020). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again's Top Hints at a Next Level: Review". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  3. "REVIEW: YOUNGBOY NEVER BROKE AGAIN'S 'TOP' IS HIS MOST TRUE-TO-SELF ALBUM YET". HipHopDX. September 11, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  4. "YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Top - Reviews". Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  5. Zidel, Alex (August 25, 2020). "NBA Youngboy Previews New Music From "TOP" Album". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  6. Elder, Sajae (August 26, 2020). "Watch YoungBoy Never Broke Again's new video "Murder Business"". The Fader. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  7. Caraan, Sophie (August 21, 2020). "NBA YoungBoy Announces New Album 'TOP'". Hypebeast. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  8. Proce, Joe (August 20, 2020). "Migos Share "Need It" Video f/ YoungBoy Never Broke Again". Complex. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  9. Am, Aron (July 25, 2020). "NBA Youngboy Is Back With His Latest Drop "All In". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. OnlineCrates (August 19, 2020). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Paints With His Kids In "Kacey Talk" Visual". AllHipHop. Retrieved September 8, 2020.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  11. Johnson, Patrick (September 1, 2020). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Snoop Dogg Drop New Single "Callin"". Hypebeast. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  12. Powell, Jon (August 20, 2020). "Youngboy Never Broke Again drops new visual for "Sticks With Me". Revolt. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  13. Groce, Nia (September 26, 2020). "NBA YoungBoy Shares New Song and Video, "House Arrest Tingz"". Hypebest. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  14. "NBA youngboy- The Last BACKYARDIGAN ( live Audio) (unreleased song) - YouTube". February 26, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020 – via YouTube.
  15. Johnson, Zoe (August 21, 2020). "People Accuse YoungBoy Never Broke Again of Copying Roddy Ricch's Album Artwork". XXL. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  16. Caulfield, Keith (September 20, 2020). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Achieves Third No. 1 Album in Less Than a Year on the Billboard 200 Chart With 'Top'". Billboard. Retrieved September 20, 2020.
  17. "Top by YoungBoy Never Broke Again on Apple Music". Retrieved September 10, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  18. "Ultratop.be – YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Top" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  19. "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  20. "Dutchcharts.nl – YoungBoy Never Broke Again – Top" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  21. "Top Albums (Week 38, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  22. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  23. "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  24. "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  25. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  26. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  27. "American album certifications – Youngboy Never Broke Again – Top". Recording Industry Association of America. December 9, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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